......................................................
Two months before Shatter Me.
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- My mouth curled into a frown as I stared into my manager's eyes. I was so upset. "What do you mean you're firing me? I didn't even do anything wrong." I protested.
My manager, Billy Davies. The man who insisted for me to work at Wonderfoods is now firing me and for what? Nothing. Billy is average tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He is on his 30s and is an average plus size man.
The reason he got me this job was cause he also found a job for Eric so they became buddies I guess. And Eric requested to him to find me a job as well. So he did.
Billy isn't a bad person, I worked here for a year and now all of a sudden he is firing me. "Look kid, you're great in here. Trust me every customer is happy with your service and kindness but there are also some who complain-"
"Nah-uh don't play with me Billy." I cut him off feeling all my anger rising up. "I have been patient despite that some of these idiots were being so mean to me. I took their insults real mature. If there were complaints about me then it's probably that Karen woman with her Kevin man who roasted the shit out of me because their card kept declining so they blamed me!" I yelled at him making people stop by to see and hear the conversation.
Typical gossip-lovers.
Same.
Billy rubs his forehead as he looks at me, his eyes look nervous and surprised that I bursted my anger out like this but he knows me now good enough to know that I don't like being mistreated.
I don't like when people think they can step on me and expect me to thank them or kiss their feet for that. No, I will speak my mind and show them their places, I will let them know that I'm not an easy person despite my traumatic life that I have been through.
I fear my father not these dumb folks that I keep forgetting their names the moment I dislike them.
"Look Blair, I am trying to talk to you in peace but you are yelling at me." His tone became serious and his hand clenched in a fist. I narrow my eyes at him. "And listen close sweetheart, I will not repeat myself again. You have been fired and that is cause of the complaints but to make this more clear and final, someone else has been hired taking the position you had."
I scoff as I roll my eyes and shake my head at the same time in disbelief. "Then why didn't you just say so instead of lying?"
He raises his eyebrows confused. "Uh said what?"
I lean closer as the security guards try to come in between us but Billy waves them off. "Why didn't you just say that you gave my position to someone else? It would have been much easier mister liar."
He sighs in annoyance and drops his hands down in defeat. "Fine. Someone else took your place so I'm firing you."
"And who may that be?" I cross my arms as I narrow my eyes at him irritated.
"I did." A pretty soft female voice behind me said. I turned my head towards the front door of Wonderfoods.
Kill me.
Kill me.
I am stunned when I saw her face, her features, her body figure. And I feel my body rise up with heat of jealousy. I swallow my jealousy away as I try to keep a neutral face on.
Her body shape is everything I dreamed of, curvy, big chest, smallest waist- is she breathing? Focus. Hair wavy with a bit of curls, brown and medium length, eyes amber but yellowish, lips full. Lashes the longest and blackest I have ever seen. Her Persian genes are so strong.
Noor Malek.
She comes up at me and I have one thing she doesn't have, height. She isn't short though. "Sorry Blair." She says to me with a smile, bright smile. "I didn't know that you had this job, if I did I would have never asked Billy to hire me, I promise."
Her tone is somewhat truthful. But I don't trust her. She was one year before me back in Highschool, and yes she was the second most popular girl. First was Amy.
After Amy told me that her and Lucas had been together like now three years ago, it means she must have been 17. Since she got in school one year later then regular kids based on Amy. Well Amy and Noor were same grade. But not the same classes.
"That's fine- I guess." I say as I look at her, she looks effortlessly pretty. And I can understand why Lucas would probably still like her instead of me. "Well," I take a deep breath and take my jacket and my bag and turn to Billy. "Good luck."
"Blair wait, I'm sorry but-" Billy calls out my name. When I turn I notice the few costumers were looking at the scene, just now I get slightly anxious. Or maybe to much anxious.
Look away people.
I cut Billy off with my long exaggerated sigh. "It's fine, whatever. It's not like this was the only job in the world. I can always find another one."
Hopefully.
My eyes shift to Noor who is waiting for me to give her the Wonderfoods hat. My job being given to my crush's ex. How lovely.
I shouldn't be jealous at a girl over a damn man!
I hand the hat on her hands and I smile a little with my mouth closed to not show my jealousy.
"Good luck."
"Thank you." She walks closer to me with a smile. "You too angel."
I squint my eyebrows as I walk past her while she wore the hat and started to talk with Billy. Billy who seems a bit upset.
She called me angel, Lucas calls me that. Was that on purpose?
Did she hear something?
What am I saying? It's not like Lucas likes me or something.
"Angel?" I freeze as I was walking from the Wonderfoods down the streets. A black rich BMW car with an open window is near me. "Need a ride?"
Lucas.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。
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Present Day.
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- I'm bored. Extremely bored. Extravagantly bored.
It has been like- "6500 seconds." I count with my fingers as I stare at the small window. "So that could mean...almost two hours. Very close to two hours."
I stop counting as I realize the stupidness I just did. I counted to 6500 seconds.
I COUNTED TO 6500 SECONDS!
I put my hands to my head. "I'm losing my mind aren't I? God it's not even two hours that I have been locked up in this-" I suddenly find the urge to look around the room.
Oh.
That explains why I'm counting. The room is small. Very small. And dark. Small window. A small desk with a small chair. A cell.
And a bed. More likely a mattress with a pillow and two blankets. Oh God this looks horrible and disgusting.
I'm counting to distract myself from this disturbing view. Well done brain. This reaches the level of my mentally illness, and I do not like this one bit. It feels like this room is swallowing me whole. My hands are sweating now. Oh God I hate this place.
My claustrophobia, nyctophobia and germophobia are kicking in. I should have just continued counting to distract myself from this- I can't find the words.
I feel my chest tighten, each second that passes my breath becomes quicker. Focus Blair. You're strong. You can do anything.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
Think about the world outside. How good Earth smells after it rains. The way how Eric would push you down when you were playing games. Think about Amy and her wild collection of lipsticks.
Snow. Think about snow. About building a snowman with Lucas behind his house, throwing snowballs at him while laughing, having a great time.
Inhale.
Of him brushing your hair aside your ear as your cheeks heat up in shyness.
Exhale.
Of his lips brushing aside your heated cheek as his hand goes up to your neck.
Inhale.
And his hand goes from your neck to your cheek pulling you closer. While the other hand grabs you from your waist.
Exhale.
His lips moving from your cheek to your lips and when he places his lips-
Door unlocks.
Inhale.
I feel like I'm gonna lose my mind already. This place is so terrifying. I should have just kept my mouth shut and not cause any trouble.
I'm holding my breath and then I exhale annoyed at the sight of the person standing at the door.
"Rebel." He says with a smile and a wave. "Good to see you...alive." He says in a sarcastic way. "Jesus though," he says while looking me up and down. "See? You shouldn't have made the regent and Chief Commander angry. Now you're back in the dungeons princess."
I sigh annoyed as I stare at him unimpressed.
"You remind me of Rapunzel you know? Long hair, green eyes- with some brown in them, perfect body and tall." His grin is wide as he looks at me up and down. "Do you need a Flynn my pretty princess?"
I scoff at him as I cross my arms. "I am being locked up in a cell like a fucking animal and you say the most random things ever?" I can't believe this man, I'm here on the verge of losing my mind. "What a pick up line." I shake my head. "That's bullshit though, you know? Rapunzel isn't even a brunette."
"And Flynn isn't Japanese." He adds with a wide smile amused of himself. "But we could make this work I promise." His eyes go to my hair as he chuckles slightly. "For your information rebel, Rapunzel is indeed a brunette but she became blonde because of a curse."
I roll my eyes at him and I stand up from the chair and I go to sit on the mattress as I cross my arms irritated by his so-called- smartness. I keep my sight away from his.
"Oh come on now, why are you avoiding me?" He gets inside the room but I don't look at him.
"I didn't bring you here did I? So why are you so angry at me? I'm just trying to keep you entertained."
"Go away Kenji." I sigh annoyed not looking at him and he bursts in an annoying laughter.
I turn my focus on him infuriated. "Is there a reason why you're laughing as if you're choking on water you useless idiot?"
"Throw whatever insults you want." He rolls his eyes with a chuckle. "You called me Kenji. Not Ken but Kenji. A win is a win." He shrugs.
"Get out!" I throw my pillow at his face unexpectedly.
He gasps. "My little rebel just hurt me... I like it." He throws my pillow back at me. "Do it again my dear Rapunzel."
I grab the pillow and leave it on the mattress infuriated. I shake my head in annoyance. "Just go. I don't wanna be alone yes I must admit that is scary. But I'd rather be alone in this room then have your pretty face here." I sigh and look towards the small window.
His lips curl into a smile once again and he leans closer to my bed-mattress. "Aww, you think I have a pretty face?" I was expecting him to feel insulted, not this.
My eye twitches in annoyance now more then ever. "Right now it is. But it will no longer be when I grab that chair and smash it to your face multiple times to a point no one would recognize you anymore." I say in a threatening tone.
Goodness, being here has made me become even more evil then I that- Oh my God I'm being as crazy as my parents are.
I shake my head washing away those thoughts. Kenji gulps in what seems now nervousness. "Wow." He says and takes three steps back away from my mattress. "You're a lot crazier then I thought you were. Actually no, I take that back. Scarier is the word I'm looking for." He smiles awkwardly.
It worked. He's scared.
"Well then?" I raise an eyebrow as in Im not gonna ask him to leave again.
It sucks to be alone but I prefer that, then Blondie's men.
"You are my responsibility and I have to come check you from time to time." He reminds me. "No matter how much you wanna get rid of me, you can't. I don't wanna come in this crazy cell either but these were sir Warner's orders." He looks at the plate with food.
That soldier with a military tattoos left another plate for me after he left.
"You should eat, or you'd get sick." Kenji says as he points to the tray food.
"I ain't eating that." I sigh. "It's disgusting."
He takes the plate on his hands and the spoon. "Look it's not that bad." He grabs a bit of stray food with the spoon and eats it. "See-" His face go to disgust as he coughs and leaves the plate back on the desk. He wipes his mouth trying to smile as if it was okay. "Try to swallow it without tasting it." He makes a throwing up sound but clears his throat.
"You good?"
"Yeah, yeah. Anyways it's 10 AM, you may be new at the whole "being locked in an asylum" thing but shower started a while ago and well you could get in trouble if you don't follow the rules." He says like it's the most casual thing ever.
God where on Earth am I?
Nothing seems familiar to me, absolutely nothing. No names, no objects nothing. Like I have really lost my memories. It's a scary thing to even think off.
I stand up as I touch my hair. I do indeed need to take a shower. "And where exactly would I be taking that shower?"
"Follow me."
That's all he says and walks out of the room I follow him but I freeze. It's darkness. The door opens to an abyss, no color, no light. "Uhm soldier?" I call out for him. "Ken?"
I see so little. This prison is freaking me out. I highly doubt any of the prisoners here came here because they are insane. This place made them insane and then the people like Blondie would blame us, calling us crazy, out of our mind.
Our mind was fine, it's you who took our sanity away. You who made us lose our mind and made us become total lunatics, lost in our head, acting like animals who needs to be left out in the wild.
A hand grabs me from my shirt and I gasp in fear. "This way." Kenji says and I sigh relived. "Touch the wall, you will do this routine on your own everyday. You will walk till you clear the corridors, 6 more feet until the wall goes from rough to smooth."
The wall feels smooth now and before I say anything he goes; "Now 2 more feet of empty space." We reach a wooden door with a broken handle and a handful of splinters. I see some light and I recognize it's a row of showers.
Perfect.
"There you go. Take a shower rebel." He whispers.
I look at the showers and I snort in disgust. "No way."
"You don't have any other option. Just get in or stay with dirty hair till tomorrow. You decide." He shrugs his arms as he whispers so that no one hears. No one else is here anyways.
I sigh having no other choice and get in one of the showers in that row. I close the door and it's to much darkness but I found a soap. "Isn't there any shampoo? Hair conditioner or something?" I ask hoping he can hear.
When no ones answers I take a deep breath deciding if I should shower already or not. "Hello?" I call out again.
"No there isn't rebel. Take the shower. You've got two minutes before it's over." He says and I panic.
Two minutes? What am I supposed to wash first? My hair or my body? God this is horrible.
I take the piece of cloth off with disgust placing it in a place to not get wet and I turn the shower on immediately.
The water isn't cold like I thought it'd be, since everything in here is upside down. Water is hot but warm I grab the soap and I begin to scrub, cleanse as fast as I can. Two minutes are so short. I put the soap away and I search for a towel.
"Uhm..." I mumble searching. "Ken?"
"There aren't any towels Blair." He says as if he understood.
"Did you guys like, ran out of towels or are you poor to afford one?
"They can't be given to prisoners." Kenji sighs.
I scoff in disbelief. "Then with what will I dry my fucking body?"
"I could help." He says with a teasing tone, I can feel that he's smiling from here. "And I'd be really good to you as well through the process."
"Ken you are not helping-"
"Because you won't let me help you." His voice is being heard closer.
God I'm literally naked, my vulnerability is making me weak.
"Bring me a towel or something to dry my body with." I ask again in hopes he will listen.
"I can give you my hands." He teases again with a soft chuckles. "And my bod-"
"Kenji!"
"Sorry, there are no towels." His tone changed to serious now. "Just wear what you wore quick and let's go before you and I get on big trouble."
But Id be sick. I guess there isn't much I can do, it's my punishment after all for "challenging" Blondie. I wear the piece of cloth and I get out. My hair is wet, still.
I cross my arms as I shiver a little but in seconds Kenji grabs me by my shirt and leads me to the four falls of claustrophobia.
I lay down on the mattress and cover myself with a blanket as I shiver. I expect Kenji to tease me again or say anything to me but he doesn't. He just leaves.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。
- I am left alone now again in my small room. Cell. I'm still trembling from the coldness but I got better now. I just wish there was someone to explain to me what on Earth is going on.
I still don't remember anything. Not even locking me up in this place is bringing me any memories.
One week and four whole days have passed since I mysteriously came in this hell place. One week and four days since my life turned upside down.
One week and four days since I haven't seen or heard about my brother, my best friend and Lucas.
One week and four days since I have been shot by Blondie, since I fell down the stairs from trying to escape, since his soldiers beat me up. Since he made me think he was gonna kill me.
One week and four days of being in an unknown place and I am so certain I'm going to lose my mind.
I try to think of the good times I spent with the people I cared about. The good times I experienced.
Only the good times.
But then a bad memory comes across my mind. A memory I so fought along with my therapist to drown it deep so deep so that I wouldn't remember it any more.
I lift the piece of cloth on my left thigh, to reveal something I wished I never thought about again.
The name GEM carved on my thigh, a scar I didn't want to think about. Faces of people I don't want to remember.
And now being locked up in such small cell is making me remember memories I very much despise with my whole heart.
And they're back, all because of Warner.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。
- I recall that it has been two weeks now of me being here. Two weeks of mental torture. Two weeks of doing the same routine.
Technically three days in this cell.
Three days of me taking weird showers. Three days of me not eating anything expect for drinking a bit of water that they gave me.
But two weeks in this entire base. A base I wish it burned to the ground along with the people I dislike in it. Blondie. Hot Doctor. Periwinkle. Scary Girl. Ken. They are all on my hate list now.
I hate myself more though. I hate myself for trying to be so tough when in fact I am probably the weakest person to exist.
So weak in front of my dad.
So weak in front of these people.
And so weak in front of them.
I feel tears fall down my cheeks, I can't stop them but I do.
Door opens again and Kenji doesn't talk to me as if he has had enough with me.
I don't blame him. Whenever he speaks to me I end up insulting him.
He leaves and I wait three minutes for the plate to cool down. I take a bite and I almost threw up. Guess I'm fasting now.
But I found something suspicious inside of this stray food. I try to see what it is and I take it.
It's a small piece of paper. Maybe soldiers don't check the foods of the prisoners no more.
I open the small paper and the words I see make my blood freeze at the sight of the creepy handwriting.
"Payback time."
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A/N:
Just wanted to say that I'm so so thankful for all the love this book has gotten. I'm very grateful to all of you, especially the most regular readers, love you my doves.
Also just to let you know so that one day I won't end up being called a copycat, Rescue Me was planned from the beginning, like scenes and everything and I planned to turn it into a triology with a novella.
The other books already have a title and a book cover, my bestie can confirm you that. The other books in the Blair Wrenlee saga also have a plot planned so stay tuned and stay healthy!
Your beloved fairy;
Linda.
(Published on February 29 2024)