"Sorry I... I didn't mean to do that." I stuttered while Scott took his hands away from my waist, our eyes still glued to one another's. "Thanks for, uhm, thanks for setting up the room for me."
"No worries." he finally said. "And no problem, prince." I raised an eyebrow at him with an "excuse me" look on my face. "Sorry... Mitch!" I smiled at him, approving. "You can go to bed whenever you want. We're going out tonight."
"What do you mean? Going out? I wanna go too." I said while he walked towards the door, opening it.
"No, you're not going." he stared at me. "You're not prepared, you still have classes."
"And who am I having classes with, at this time of night?" I asked while Avi entered the door. "Avi?"
"Yeah." Avi said, smiling.
"So, good night and I'll see you tomorrow!" Scott said, smirking. He looked at Avi and shouted an angry look right before leaving the room and closing the door behind Avi.
"What will you teach me, Avi?" I asked, smiling.
******
After about four attempts, I finally locked my eye in the perfect spot. Avi's hand was guiding mine as he was teaching me how to aim a gun and I actually thought it was an easy thing to do. But hell, was I wrong.
The backyard was our training place, with two mattress, one of them with a tiny black dot on it.
Avi just stared and laughed at each mistake I made.
"Are you going to keep staring or are you going to help me, Professor?" I asked raising my eyebrow. Avi nodded and placed himself behind me.
His hands rested against mine and held the gun I was holding, his chest was against my back, his breathing on my neck.
"Like this." he whispered, rubbing his cheek on mine and, with just a little move, we both pulled the trigger and hit the black dot. "Can you do it alone?" he asked. Once again, after four attempts, I was finally able to hit it.
I looked at Avi and he was smiling, signaling me with his finger to come closer to him. I didn't really get it but I went for it anyways. With one pull he stole a kiss from me.
His hands glued themselves to my waist and squeezed it a bit in such an arousing way. The gun was still in my hand and, as Avi pulled me even closer to him, I quickly pushed him, turned around and shot the gun, hitting the dot.
"Surprised, baby?" I asked, laughing. He was a bit confused, though. "What's wrong?"
"Of course I'm surprised. What's with you?" his tone was a bit higher than usual. "You weren't supposed to break the fucking kiss. I thought you had classes with Kevin!" I knew it'd end up like it did with Kevin, but I simply didn't care: I wanted to practice, not have sex.
Well, that may not be entirely true.
"Sorry." I said as he rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. Let's get some food." he held my hand. Avi looked like the kind of guy that would easily trade his entire family for a chicken wing, to be frank.
We were both eating microwaved lasagna, Avi finished his quite fast while I was still finishing mine.
"What's your problem?" he said, looking at me.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you see what's happening? You are the Queen's grandson and yet you want to be related to a bunch of criminals, even become a criminal!" I rolled my eyes at him. "We're not here by choice, Mitch: life fucked us raw and we had to fend for ourselves. We didn't have a choice other than turn to a life of crime. You, however, have a choice. and you're making the wrong one. You can still go back and live the life you're used to."
"That's what pisses me off the most. I don't want to live the life I'm used to, I'm tired of it. And when I saw Scott, I liked the way he lived. He wants, he gets. That's what I want. So please respect this, it's my choice." I said, getting up and walking towards the sink, washing our plates. "The only thing I miss is the book I was reading." Avi just stared and tried to absorb my words.
"Do you honestly think you will survive this?" he asked.
"I'm surviving it now, I just have to keep on walking forward." I said. "I won't turn back now."
We both exchanged smiles and I cleaned my hands on the old towel.
******
I was wearing the new pajama Esther had bought for me, a shirt (which was opened, exposing my bare chest) and shorts (1) and I was laying in my bed, my back against the sheets and stroking my belly, thinking about today.
I must confess: the nights at my house are a little bit more pleasing, I'd grab my book and then, when tiredness hit me, I'd grab my earphones and listen to my favorite songs, until I fell asleep.
Since I had no book with me, I grabbed my earphones and I turned around on the bed, facing the window and drawing with my finger on the pillow.
I'd try to sing a few parts of the song and remember the moment I spent with Scott a few hours prior.
Our eyes glued to one another's, the lack of reaction I had, his hands on my body and the tight, safe hug he gave me.
My thoughts were giving me a lot of smiles, not gonna lie. But suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder and I jump in frighten as I see him.
Scott.
"How the fuck did you-" I ask, removing the earphone from my ear.
"Door. Your music is too loud, obviously you didn't hear me." Well no shit.
"Oh. And... where were you?" the question blurred out of my mouth almost automatically. I was interested. "Was it nice?"
"A little bit dangerous, but nothing I can't beat." he said, smiling. "Here." he handed me the book I was thinking about. "I thought you'd like a good bedtime read."
"Oh my God, Scott." I smiled. "Thanks a bunch, I... I don't even know how to thank you, I was thinking about this and... wait. Did you break into my house?!" I asked and he nodded, giggling. "How?!"
"Alex, Kevin and Esther helped me." he said. "By the way, you may not get good news about one of the guards... Esther's aim is extremely good." He said. At first I didn't get it but I quickly realized they had sent one of the guards to Heaven. Or Hell, it depends. "Aren't you going to saying anything?"
"Why would I? It's your job, but you didn't need to go through all of that just to get my book." I said smiling, but he looked disappointed. "But thank you." I smiled, facing him.
"I have my ways of getting stuff done. " he said smiling. "And how was your class?" he adjusted himself to the bed, looking at me.
"I think I did well. I got it on the spot, but I don't think I did well with Avi." he giggled a bit and looked confused. "He kept on trying something else, but I think it was just a trick to distract me."
"It was the same thing with Kevin, right?" he asked and I nodded. "So you're the one causing an enormous chaos around the house! No one resists you, especially Kevin." he said and finally noticed my new clothes. "I like it." he smirked.
"Esther." I said. "I was never one to self-loathe, but this actually looks really good on me." we both laughed.
Then, pure silence.
Why did I feel this way? He would think I'm a bit childish. I personally think I'm a bit wild.
"Why are you quiet?" I shyly asked.
"I don't know, you make me act this way, and... well I kinda have no words to say when I'm around you." he said in a weird tone.
"I'm beginning to think my awkwardness is contagious." I joked and he laughed.
"Maybe." he smirked. "Well, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just a bit tired." he immediately got up and started walking towards the exit.
"Well, I'm gonna go then. Good night, Mitch."
"Good night." I smiled. He then proceeded to leave.
******
I woke up with the sun rays hitting my face, making me slowly open my eyes and rub them to the point that I started seeing galaxies and space shit. I turned around and saw Esther standing there, in the room.
"Good morning!" she said, all jolly. "Slept tight?"
"Yeah, within the possibilities yeah." I smiled, a bit annoyed she was watching me sleep.
"Good. I guess now is the perfect time to tell you you can't go home anymore." she said and I immediately bugged my eyes and sat on the bed.
"What? What do you mean?"
"I knew Scott was weak, he didn't even have the fucking guts to tell you. Ok so last night we went to your house, we got all your stuff, killed a few guards. No big deal." I stared at her as she walked around in the room. "Then we left a letter there saying you wouldn't come back. And a lot more stuff." I was still trying to process all of that. "We read your journal and we saw that your mom was one of us." I leaned my head down. "And, just like what happened with your mom, your grandma won't be running after you. Well, mainly because she'd break her hip but that's not the point." I giggled a bit. "If you want to be one of us, that's how it has to go. Any questions?"
"No." I said and she nodded.
"Great. There's the outfit you must wear today, you'll be going out with us." she said, pointing at the bathroom.
"Where?" I asked, curious.
"We're gonna pick up the second one," she smiled. "Vogel. And our little friend."
"Why are you saying that in such an ironic tone?"
"Because it's Candice. And I'm sure you two will get along." she sarcastically exclamed.
"And why's that?" I got up and stood in front of her.
"Because, unlike me, she didn't "get closer" to the professors. They just fucked her and left her." she did the air quote thingie. "Although she did have an affair with the one who now calls you his favorite."
"And who is that?"
"Oh, you don't know? Kevin." she said in a sarcastic tone, making me bug my eyes. I was so relieved.
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(1) http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=155807754