Back to Dimitri's pov
He was on one knee. One damn knee, his big, bulky arms outstretched like branches, while holding the most beautiful diamond ring I'd ever seen. The saying should be diamonds are a boy's best friend coz...damn.
Jake's hair was rowdy, as usual, and I was adorning the suit he had tailored for me a couple of weeks back. And the biggest smile was on his face.
“Dimitri, the love of my life, my sunshine, my wine, will you marry me?”
I was taken aback. Jake fucking Oliver proposed...to me. Not that skank Kamila, or some other hoe. He proposed to me. Me!
“I...I...”
“Hold the fuck up...he promised to marry me!” and suddenly Kain was there, his arms outstretched holding a similar diamond ring.
“guys...I..” I tried to interject but the sound of a fist slamming against skin shut me up.
Kain was beating the crap out of Jake, his big, bulky form hovering over Jake while Jake cried out for help. W crowd was forming and I was being pushed further away. The screams getting more distant.
The last thing I heard was a gunshot, before the crowd dispersed like nothing happened. I stood there, slack jawed as Kain lay there, bloodied fists, lifeless. Jake was holding the gun.
“Jake, you killed him!” I said, panicked.
“Enough about him,” he grinned,“will you marry me now?”
The sight of Kain's body was enough to stun me awake.
My breath hitched up in my throat. Was that a premonition?
What if?.....no, Jake isn't that crazy..plus Kain is big enough to defend himself right? RIGHT?!
“Dimitri, what's wrong” Kain groggily asked,“i can feel you tossing and turning....”
“yeah, I'm fine, still a little sore, that's all.”
He mumbled a quick goodnight before going back to sleep, his husky breath filling the night air once again.
I felt kind of guilty. What if I was a hoe? Just like Jake says. What if I've just put Kain's life in danger by letting us do the devil's tango?
I felt a headache coming on.
‡‡
I woke up to the sweet smell of eggs and bacon wafting in the air. I got up from bed awkwardly, my head pounding, and saw the sexy sight of Jake's back as he made breakfast.
“Morning sunshine.” he said, “sleep well?”
I sighed, “not really...”
He took a moment to walk over and kiss my forehead. I didn't know what to do, so I just awkwardly smiled at him. Is this what couples wake up to each morning. Sweet words, kisses and a delicious breakfast? I suddenly felt like I was missing out. Everytime I woke up, Jake was never there, even after a rough night of sex. Sometimes I had to wobble around the room, alone, trying to look for something to eat.
“you have no idea how sexy you look with long hair.” he complimented.
He slid the plate of bacon and eggs my way, and even poured me a hot cup of coffee. I felt really bad now. I don't deserve him, I really don't.
We took a shower, together, with some fooling around of course. But I was paranoid as fuck. I could feel Jake watching us from the bathroom glass, I could smell his thick cologne. I could even hear his voice, and I could feel him punching away on my body.
“is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything's perfect.” I responded trying to hide the fear in my voice.
“then why do I feel you pulling away?” Kain beckoned,“did I do something I shouldn't have done?”
“no....”
“then don't tell me you have any regrets Dimitri, okay, it would break my heart.”
“Things are just so complicated now....I don't know...”
“you don't know what love?” he asked as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“my body and yours are like lock and key.”
I felt a shiver run down my spine.
“tell me you feel it too Dimitri....I wanna be with you.. okay?”
“i uh, gotta go.” I said simply, grabbed my phone, and tried to bolt out but he grabbed my arm.
“look at me in the eyes, and tell me you don't feel this insane attraction as well.”
“i....”
“tell me Dimitri.”
I flung his arm off me.
“okay...you want me to tell you? Tell you what...I'm living with a fucking psycho? That I'm broken and I'm always trying to please people I don't even know? That i hate myself. Every inch of my body makes me wanna throw myself on the highway. I'm flunking classes and I don't know what the fuck I'm gonna do....I....”
I was surprised when his big body engulfed me in a hug. His stubble tickled my forehead. And he kissed my bird's nest hair. But Jake....I just couldn't....
I pushed him away.
“let's not complicate things.” I said simply.
“let me drive you home atleast.”
With my sore self, I couldn't say no to that.
‡‡
The moment I saw 7 missed calls from Jake Oliver, I knew I was fucked. Jake wasn't a person who called often, but when he did, he meant business. I wondered what he needed though. He was often out late himself and I doubted sometimes he even knew we were in the same room.
The drive was silent and awkward. Not to mention this was the day all the radio stations decided to talk about love, to play romantic songs and what not. I swear if I have to listen to "the one that got away" again I'll have a panic attack.
“did I do something to make you mad?” he asked,“like crossed some invisible boundary?”
“no.”
“then why are you so cold towards me Dimitri....?”
He was interrupted by the shrill ringing of my phone. All the hair on my skin stood up, as i answered it. But it wasn't Jake. Infact, the number wasn't in my contacts and for a brief moment, I considered the fact that it might be Jake, trying to trick me. Which was a chance I was willing to take.
“Hello?” I called out meekly.
“Are you Dimitri Dodd?”
The voice on the other end was a soft and airy woman's voice which kinda had an authoritative edge to it.
“Yes, I am...”
“is your father Tom Dodd by any chance?”
I swallowed a huge gulp of saliva. What did he do this time?
“yeah, he's my dad.”
“well, he's been involved in a terrible accident.....” she began,“wait, are you driving right now?”
“no, someone's driving me....”
“okay,” she said,“well, your dad has been shot....”
“Shot?! By who?”
“well, it is unknown but.....he's in the intensive care unit in very critical condition....”
“i asked you a fucking question, who shot my dad?!”
She sighed,“we honestly don't know son...but we'll do our best to find out.”
After that it was purely business, asking if he had insurance, and shit like that and directing me to the hospital he might be in, which was a two hour drive away. And the way things are going, I might opt for the bus instead.
“Dimitri, is everything okay?”
“do things look Tickety boo to you Kain? Huh?!” I sighed,“i'm sorry, didn't mean to snap at you like that.”
“come on Dimitri, we are a team right? Tell me, maybe I can help.”
“no you can't.” I said.
“nobody can help me at this point.”
I wanted to curl up into a ball and die. Intensive care unit? Are you fucking kidding me?!
Of course this only happens when you have a massive argument with your father and you are yet to apologize for it.
“Mitri,” he said, in a way that his voice cracked, and it fucking killed me.
“i'm here for you, you don't have to go through this alone .... alright?”
I was struggling to breathe. Lots of questions were criss crossing my mind at this point. Who shot my dad! And why?
But one question was at the back of my mind. What if he dies? Without me saying some kind of goodbye, without me apologizing for our fallouts?
What do I do then?
I was even begining to suspect myself and my utter loathe for him and his stupid ethics. Maybe I sleep walked and killed him. Maybe I didn't mean to do it. Maybe I....
Sure he was a conceited, narcissistic man, but he still is and always will be my dad. The man who watched me grow, watched me lose my first tooth, encouraged me as I took my first step into the world.
All my hate for him suddenly... disappeared.
I didn't even notice Kain has stopped the car.
He grabbed my hand softly.
“i hate seeing you sad, don't shut me out...tell me what you need.”
“i need...” I began, tears freely flowing down my cheeks.
“us to stay here, in silence, not saying anything, not doing anything, cuddled up in your arms.”
“that sounds great baby.”
And he did just that. He held me, didn't push me away as I drenched his shirt in my tears.
“there you go Dimitri, let it all out.”
“you are so strong baby, so fucking strong....”
“no...I'm not.”
“of course you are.....you are so strong dimitri.”
He kissed my hair.
“you really have no idea how beautiful you are....”
“my strong little Dimitri.”
Maybe I was stronger than I seemed.
And braver than I believed.