What? I am not 15. What does he mean?
Richard takes my hands and kisses them. "I know you since you are 15. We even talked a few times before."
"No, I didn't know you. What are you talking about?" I hug myself and sit on his bed. I am looking at his back.
"I saw you with your friends at the basketball court in your neighborhood. You were wearing jean shorts with a Laker's jersey. You had your straight with no bangs. I was asking around for your brother."
"That's when I saw you. You were so cute and pretty. You looked at me smiling. I guess your friends asked you to ask me what I wanted."
"You asked me 'what you want bro? are you lost?' and I remember telling you that 'pretty girls like you shouldn't talk like that'. you blushed and brushed your hair back. 'thanks for the compliment but really, are you lost?' I told you 'no I am looking for someone'."
I try to remember but I cant. I don't remember seeing Richard in my life.
"I said I was looking for Johnny Perez and you said that he was your brother. 'how is it that a fancy looking guy like you is looking for my brother?' you asked and I simply said I wanted to give him work. You smiled and said okay that Johnny was on a date. So I told you thanks and got ready to walk away but I noticed a smell."
He turns to me and smirks, "You were high. I smelled the pot that your little ex-boyfriend and your friends were smoking. Then I saw your eyes, the size of quarters were your pupils."
Oh, that makes sense that's why I cant remember. "Is that how you first met me?"
Richard says yes. "But I knew that you were a good girl just with a bad crowd."
"So you saw me and thought I was pretty then what?"
He gets on his knees and looks at me in my eyes. "I don't know. There was just something about you that I liked. A spark that I saw in your eyes and like you said you are pretty. How can a man resist such beauty?"
"I don't get it though. I can't remember maybe because I was high most of the time but,"
"The second time I saw we talked was outside your house. I was waiting for your brother to come and you were siting on the stairs."
"Wait," I look at him, "you had no facial hair and your hair was like curly right?"
"Yeah," he chuckles.
"You told me that I shouldn't be with Pete. And I got mad,"
That's how I got arrested. That was the day my mom discovered that I used to drink all the time with Pete. How I sneaked at night, how I once robbed a store, and all the bad things about me. Now she is blinded because she doesn't want to remember how I was.
"Are you okay?" Richard asks.
"Yeah, just remembering."
He cups my face, "Don't cry. remember you can't feel strong emotions."
"I hit you and Pete saw me. He thought you were trying to flirt with me so-"
"He beat me up unexpectedly. I didn't even see it coming," he says.
"He got arrested and the cops took me as well,"
"I couldn't bail you out since I was at the hospital," Richard continues.
Wow. This is really weird.
I stand and walk towards the window again. "How did you get the idea of me marrying Ian?"
"Well, mainly for what Johnny try to do and your ex-boyfriend beating me up. I also thought that maybe Ian will come to really like you."
"Like you. Father like son huh?," I say.
Richard stands in front of me with his hands on his pockets. "Maybe."
Unbelievable, this is not cool. How did all this happened?
I feel Richard's lips on my cheek. "Sorry, I swear I didn't mean for all this to happened. I just wanted Ian to grow up. I didn't want to see my son turn out like me."
"What? Greedy? Selfish?" I ask.
"No, lonely. Be no one," he answers. "I just want him to be normal to be happy to grow up."
"You force us to get married. You almost killed my brother. What did Johnny do for you to want to kill him? What made you think that Ian will be happy with me?"
"I thought Johnny would have told you already," he says.
"No. I have been busy lately with divorce papers."
He sighs, "I just tell you that he will take a man down."
What does he mean?
Richard holds my hands. "Let him tell you. I don't want him to think I brainwashed you or twisted things around. But before you do, be strong. I don't want you to get sick anymore."
"Okay, stop treating me like a baby."
He chuckles, "you're not but still" He kisses my cheek. "Anyways, where were we?" He wraps his arms around me and takes all the space between us.
"Richard-" I push him lightly but he only gives me a few inches of space.
"Alexandra, please stop resisting," he kisses me, "why cant you try? Am I really that bad?"
"I just don't like you like this. I don't-"
Richard doesn't care. He kisses me embracing me in a warm hug.
Why is he doing this? What should I do?
I feel his hand rubbing my back and the other hugging my neck. His tongue licks mine and he pulls away.
"Relax," he lets me go and walks towards a table with alcohol. He serves himself a glass.
"So, what are you going to do?" Richard asks.
"What do you mean?"
"About going back home, are you going to live with your mom?"
I shrug, "I guess. I don't know and don't care beyond this point. I just want to go to a place that no one can hurt me or bother me." Is he even getting the memo? How do I get out of this! Safely?
I sit on the bed and he goes as well. His hand hugs my leg, "I know a place, with your divorce money you can actually afford a place there. It is nice, quiet, has wild life, and low crime rate."
I take off his hand and put on his leg. "No thanks. I don't want any of his money."
"But that money belongs to you know. It is automatically yours."
"Well I guess I give it to charity. I don't want that money."
"I am going outside," I say. "Need some fresh air."
I stand but Richard stops me. "Alex,"
"Please give me back my hand. I need air. I need to think."
"That's your problem Alex. You think too much. That is not healthy for you. You are miserable because of that."
"Shut up," I say.
I get the hell out of there!
I jog over to the backyard. I suddenly see Kyle with Charlie playing fetch. "come on boy!" he yells. Charlie runs quickly to him with a yellow ball on his mouth.
"Hi," I say.
Kyle smiles, "Hey"
Charlie sees me and comes running to me. "bark!"
I pet him lightly and kiss his forehead. "Hey charlie, how are you?"
"He is fine. We were playing," Kyle answers.
"Sorry then,"
Kyle comes to me and says sorry.
"For what? For sleeping with my friend?" I ask. Don't think I forgot stupid Kyle.
"Alex, I thought-"
"Nothing. I just came here to relax so go away." I go sit under a tree. Kyle should really be the least of my problems.
"Look let me explain, oh wait, I don't even have to. You said to move on and I did. I still like you though," he says.
"Like me?! Are you serious? You shouldn't though" I whisper my last words.
Kyle comes and kneels in front of me. "I don't tell you anything when you are with Ian because I lost you. Why should I claim anything when you aren't even my girl?"
"It is fine Kyle. I really do want to be alone," I am so stupid.
"Okay, I am saying for you not to be unfair. I only have a sexual relationship with Melissa by the way. She doesn't even want anything serious."
"Leave please. I need to relax."
I don't want to look at him right now.
"Okay. Just don't get mad when I am with Melissa. She cares about you. She doesn't want to keep fighting or stop talking to you. Talk to her," he whispers.
Charlie says his goodbye and leaves with Kyle.
I take a deep breathe. I close my eyes. I just want to be in peace.
...
"Alex"
Eh, no I don't wanna wake up!
I feel a hand on my cheek. It is suddenly on my neck. I open my eyes and meet his.
"Ia-" I cant even say his name.
I sit and see him. He has only a simple white shirt and blue jeans. He has some facial hair and his eyes look so tired and sad.
"Alex, are you okay? We found you outside on the ground." Ian says.
I am speechless. I don't know how to feel. I don't know how to act. I thought he was coming in two days.
He gets my hands. "We need to talk. I didn't mean to"
"Get out," I whisper.
He looks at me. "No please I need to explain."
"No," a tear goes down, "I really don't care. You cheated! You slept with a random woman in another country. All because you got drunk and horny. I never cheated on you! At least not after we got married. I didn't have sex with Kyle!"
"I know but you still fooled around with Kyle," he says.
"No, that was before this marriage. I only kissed him because I was mad at you thinking you cheated with Summer to laugh at me! And I wasn't drunk! Even if I was and had sex, I wouldn't blame it on the alcohol."
I stand and open my room door. "Get out! I don't care about you. I already signed the divorce papers. I got your money. I will be a free woman once you signed the papers tomorrow."
He stands and says no. "You can't."
"I already did. Just leave. I don't want to sound like the bad guy but it is over. Please leave before this gets more ugly."
"Is something wrong?" Richard asks behind me.
I jump a little, "Oh, Richard"
"Ian please get out. There is nothing you can do. Mr. Webber will come tomorrow and you will sign the divorce. Now go to your room and tomorrow we talk."
I look at Ian. He is defeated. He says okay and walks away.
Richard pushes me in the room and comes in. "And you," he turns me to him, "You were talking to Kyle? Did you tell him what is going on?"
"No," I quickly say. "Why?"
Richard looks relax, "Good. I don't want him to."
"But he is going to know that Ian and I are getting divorced."
"Well yeah but he wont never know why."
"Whatever, did Ian carry me over here?" I randomly ask.
"No Sam. Ian saw him carry you over here. Are you okay?"
"Yeah I felt asleep."
"Good," he hugs me but I don't embrace him. "Are you going to be alright for tomorrow?"
"Yeah, just want to get it over with."
I lightly push him away. "I guess I start packing my stuff. So can you leave?"
Richard sighs, "Okay. If you need help you can just call Cassy."
"Cassy?" I ask.
"Yeah she is my personal maid. Just call for her and she will help you," Richard answers.
"Is she the pretty tan maid?"
"Yeah, the pretty tan maid is Cassy," Richard smiles.
Whatever, I go ahead and begin to pack, I take a shower and then sleep. Tomorrow might just set me free. But then again, my brother is still going to keep in a cage for as well as he pays off his debts with Richard. So I guess I didn't save him after all. It was my personal hell.. and for a second there my heaven too.