Nattie and Nikolai were doing the deed on the hood of the car.
Nattie was the first to move when she heard my scream, I covered my eyes and Rome let out an irritated groan.
"Seriously you two, in the parking lot?!" Rome exclaimed and I totally agreed with him. I peeked through my fingers to see if it was safe to look and I only removed them after the couple was presentable.
"Can we just go and where is the old man?" I asked.
"He's unconscious in the back seat" Nikolai said pointing to the car "And you are right we should go" he added and turned to the car.
Nattie and I are sitting in the back seat with my so called grandfather in the middle, Nikolai is in the passenger 's seat and Rome is driving because he knows where I live.
"You guys created quite the scene back there" Nikolai said with a hint of amusement in his voice
"You know when we said we needed a distraction, I think you understood the assignment" Nattie added and they both laughed.
I saw Rome watching me through the rearview mirror, I knew he was trying to read me so I smiled.
Nikolai and Nattie continued to tease Rome and I but I was too focused on how I was going to explain this whole situation to them, they do deserve to know right? They helped me without question so at least I can give them the truth.
We reached my apartment 30 minutes later and I was a nervous wreck at this moment. Will they even believe me, Rome will hate me I'm sure of it.
20 minutes later everybody was comfortable in my sitting room enjoying the pizza that Nattie begged to be ordered. My Grandfather was asleep in my room, we had the guys change his clothes then Nattie and I cleaned his wounds.
Now I believe is the right time to talk but I can't bring myself to leave the kitchen. I've been in the kitchen for the past 7 minutes trying to avoid the confession. Why am I so nervous I don't care what they think of me, right?... Of course I don't.
I jumped 2 feet into the air when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and found Rome standing straight with an amused smile on his face. "I've been calling your name a thousand times but you didn't answer" he said becoming all serious "What's wrong Hera?" he asked What's wrong? What's wrong!! How am I supposed to answer this question, I've only known Rome for a few weeks but the thought of losing him is breaking me. I don't know when I started tearing up but as soon as Rome hugged me I was a crying mess, I could blame my periods but I know they aren't coming in like a week.
Nattie ran into the kitchen followed closely by Nikolai, okay well I guess here goes nothing.
I told them to follow me to the sitting room and started my life story, I told them everything I knew and everything I lived. Surprisingly they listened without interrupting me but I didn't know their facial expressions because I kept my eyes on my lap. As soon as I finished my story I looked up with my teary eyes and looked at each of them one at a time the last being Rome. I couldn't tell what he was thinking because he had a straight face and wasn't showing a single emotion. Nattie was the first to react by coming to sit next to me and trying to comfort me by saying comforting words but I did not pay any mind to her because I was still looking at Rome.
"Leave us" Rome said or more like ordered, I don't know who he was talking to but Nattie and Nikolai seemed to have gotten the message because they left not a second later.
After they were out of earshot Rome stood and walked up to me then looked down at me and he laughed to say I was scared would be an understatement, why was he laughing? Without warning he trapped me between the couch and him by putting both hands on either side of my face and leaned in like a predator close to my face, we were so close it felt like we were sharing the same oxygen.
"Now I will ask you one time and you better answer me Hera if that is even your real name" his voice was dangerous and that made me think that maybe this was a bad idea. "Who sent you?" he asked still looking me in the eyes, what does he mean by who sent me? Who sent me where?
"I don't...understan-" he cut me off before I could finish as his fist collided with the armrest of the sofa and I flinched at the sudden violent action
His voice was low but definitely not calm when he asked "You are a spy right? Sent to destroy my family, to get money from me by telling a fake sad story huh?"
WHAT? "How dare you think such low of me?" I asked him with as much anger as I him .
And this is why I did not let people into my life because I knew nobody would believe my so called fake sad story but I don't know what came over me, when it comes to Rome it's like I don't even have a brain I just trust him blindly. He continued "The all not knowing who I really am facade was just so that I could trust you right? You little..." He sighed and rubbed his hands down his face rather angrily but I was more angrier now, he was about to insult me.
"You know what Romeus Bartley I don't give a damn about what you think of me, you are just like her. I regret ever trusting you, It was stupid of me to think that you were different you Bartley's are all the same and I don't know why I couldn't sense it from the beginning but it's better late than never. Now your highness I ask you to kindly and humbly get the FUCK OUT! of my house right fucking now"I said and pointed to the door just then Nattie and Nikolai re-entered the sitting room looking perplexed.
"Uhm what's going on?" Nattie was the first to ask
"Nothing we're leaving. Let's go" Rome replied not moving his glare from from me he took two steps back still looking into my eyes as if looking for something he lost but it looks like he didn't find it so he turned to leave.
"I'm staying with Hera" Nattie said abruptly and she looked at me as a way to ask it that's okay so I tried to smile in agreement.
Rome just looked between us and continued his journey to get the 'fuck out' . Nikolai kissed Nattie briefly and nodded in my direction before following after him.
Three hours and 7 tubs of ice - cream later, Nattie decided to go home after I convinced her I was really fine but was I really?
I decided to take a shower - not that I needed it.
Why can't I just live a normal life maybe I killed puppies for a living in my past life and that is why my current life is so cursed.
It was way past midnight but I still could not sleep a wink ,all the memories I had of my parents kept replaying in my head and I couldn't help feeling like I disappointed them somehow, my mother wanted me to forget the past and live a new life . A life she wished she could have had ,but here I am doing exactly what she stood against. One tear fell and I couldn't keep it together anymore so I let go.
A gentle hand rested on my head and I jumped away on reflex ready to strike, it took a while for my teary eyes to focus on who stood in front of me but after a few seconds I saw the pained eyes of the old man and only then I let my muscles relax. I sat back on the sofa with a sigh and the old man sat next to me.
We sat in comfortable silence for about 10 minutes .
"Thank you " my grandfather said with a rough voice .I wanted so bad to tell him I was not doing him a favor but I remembered my mom's words
all I ask of you is that you always keep an open mind and always be kind, never judge a person based on one perspective of the story,
So I decided not to say anything, at least not yet. So he continued.
"I have been down there for so long I thought I would never come out ever. She's going to look for me, she knows I'm gone ,you are going to be in danger little one ,she will come for you too"
"I will get her before she can get me" I said "She took everything from me...everything" I added silently.
The old man stared at me for a moment or two.
I felt awkward and lightly frustrated considering the fact that this man is the reason I am here, orphaned and broke .
My frustration is very justified but all those words I wanted to say to him seemed to freeze at the back of my throat.
"You should sleep, it has been a long night and you had a fight with your boyfriend. I still remember how I felt when Lucia and I would fight" he said with the most caring eyes ,they reminded me of my father when he looked at my mother
"Who is Lucia ?" I asked with my voice wavering
He chuckled softly "Lucia ,my dear Lucia . The prettiest woman I have ever laid eyes on . You know I knew the moment I saw her that she would be my other half ,an angel sent for me . I met her at the river ,I always went there when my father made me angry and he dud that s lot" he chuckled "Lucia was always smiling ,unlike me . One day I approached her and the moment heard her voice was magical ,we started to see each other in secret sometimes I would sneak her into the castle and sometimes I would sneak into her house . My father would never approve of the relationship between his son and commoner so we got married in secret and only after the marriage did we tell our parents about the love we share for each other, of course my father was not happy about it so he did everything in his power to separate us but our love surpassed it all until well it just could not anymore and that was the last time I saw my Lucia"
I didn't know whether I should believe him or not,did he really love my Grandmother or is this some victim playing act .
I decided that I should sleep. "He is not my boyfriend" I said silently and then I went to my room to get a blanket and a pillow for him. I do not know if I will catch any sleep but I really need it .
✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍ - ❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶
10:47 am
I must have fell asleep right after my head hit the pillow. I do not have work today so I can have a fresh conversation with the old man. I wonder if he is still sleeping or not ,but I cannot hear any sort of movement in the house so he is probably still too exhausted I will check on him after I finish my morning routine.
By the time I leave my room it is almost twelve in the afternoon. I realize now after such an eventful night how my daily life is depressing but hey! at least now I have a an old man in my home .
I walk around the sofa to wake my grandfather up so that he can eat but...why is he not breathing? He looks pale and...and very dead, I am frozen on the spot I am to afraid to feel his pulse I cannot handle another death.
Knock knock , I just look at the door I cannot seem to form any words right now .
"Hera it's me Nattie,are you there?" Nattie shouts from the other side of the door. I cannot handle this alone ,it's good that she is here . I walk fast to the door to let her in ,as soon as I open the door Nattie gasps loudly.
"Oh my goodness Hera you look like a ghost, what happened?Did you nor get any sleep?" I grab her arm without offering any replying and I pull her into the sitting room ,she keeps asking for an explanation but I just situate her on front of my dead grandfather...? She looks between him and me .
"Can you check his pulse?" I ask her still looking at my grandfather
Nattie looks at me like I have grown two heads .
"Me?" She points to herself ,I nod .
She goes to grab his hand but pulls back and looks at me ,I start tearing up and so does she .
Cough and then another cough "Why are you girls crying?" My grandfather asks . We both scream .
"You aren't dead ? Oh my goodness" I exclaim. I cannot believe this just happened way to spice up a depressing life I guess .
✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍ - ❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶
Nattie stayed and had lunch us yesterday and for the first time in a very long time I felt the love of family and even though I have not forgiven my grandfather but having him here gives me comfort and that is what I need right now .
Mrs Goula sent me a letter yesterday saying that I have to cover a shift for Rissa because she broke her leg ."I should let her know I have a cellphone now so she can call instead' I say to myself while preparing to head out . My Grandfather is still asleep so I will just leave a note to let him know where I have gone .
I left early so I did not need to rush to work . I walked towards the crossroad where I met Rome for the first time , I breathed out a long breath . I cannot be thinking about him now . This time I made sure to check out for cars before crossing.
Opening the door , I smelled Mrs Goula's signature spice mixed with a scent of ginger, probably her third cup of ginger tea this morning. There are not many people this early in the morning so it's easier to check whether everything is in order.
"Mrs Goula I just checked in" I shout hoping she can hear me from the kitchen
"Then get to work Hera!" She shouts back ,her voice louder than mine ,I chuckle she is one rude old woman but I love her anyway. Without wasting any time I start my shift well this is going to be a long day.
I am 7 hours into my shift and I feel like I am 2 minutes away from hitting the ground. "Just one more hour, just 60 minutes" I keep chanting in my head .
Mrs Goula left early so I am alone in the restaurant because there's nobody here. I sit down and lay my head on the table. I heard footsteps but I just could not raise my head it just felt very heavy.
"So you sleep during your shift" a rough voice says and I almost fell off the chair when I realized who it belongs to . I raise my head slowly to verify that it is really him . He looks hot as always and that makes me more mad because he should be miserable after all the things he said to me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him with a sharp tone
"I want to talk " he replied with a straight face
"Oh so now you want to talk, well then go ahead your majesty" I said lacing my tone with sarcasm.
"I'm sorry"
"Excuse me ,what?"
"I said I am sorry"
"You sure had a lot to say the other night but now seems like your word count is low " now I am really angry, how dare he come here and just say that he is sorry "And what are you sorry for exactly?" I asked
"I overreacted the other night and...well I did not give you a chance to explain yourself " he said
I laughed... like a full blown psycho laugh. I am angry no fuck that I am raging ,he accused me the other night and now he wants me to explain myself well he should have thought about that before jumping to conclusions.
But again another rational part of me understands why he reacted like that but it does not mean I do not have the right to be angry at him because what he said really hurt me.
"Hera you-" he started saying but I cut him off
"That is not my name your highness" I said ,adding his title just to upset him .
He just looked at me perplexed at the revelation.
"I am Astraea Alinsky, daughter of Leonidas Morrison and Salma Alinsky" I said looking at him straight in the eyes .
"Astraea..." he said my name slowly as if tasting it on his tongue and honestly I like the way he says my name but I will not admit that, not yet .
He looked at me so intensely his captivating silver eyes capturing my nut brown ones and the thoughts going through my head are so sinful I am happy he is not a mind reader . No words spoken Rome rose from his seat and walked to my side still keeping me captured in his gaze .
He stopped right next to my chair and put two fingers under my chin to tilt my head ,he then bent down to my level. His eyes left mine and moved to my lips on instinct I wet them with my tongue .
And just like that his lips capture mine in a hungry kiss ,our tongues battling for dominance but when he wrapped his hand around my neck I lost it .
It felt like he was devouring my soul and I let him dominate me I could not think about anything except his warm lips on mine .
We pulled apart after a long moment the both of us panting heavily.
"Fuck" he said out of breath .
Fuck indeed Rome .