Chapter Eight – Just Like That
I felt a sense of security with Ren being by my side every night he would wait for me to close up shop, grab my bags and walk me home without a word. He's not the type to talk very much he keeps his thoughts and feeling hidden deep within himself just like me. These blissful nights of him with me I did not want it to end i feel so free, "Here this should keep you warm next time you should check the weather." he said while taking of his my North Face olive hooded soft-shell jacket
I could no longer move no one has been this caring of my well being before. I could still feel the warmth from his body embedded in his jacket now that lays on my body. "Did I say something wrong Athena? Did I hurt your feelings? If I did I am truly sorry I won't say stuff like that again." silly boy always saying sorry his kind words could never hurt me. "Come on let's go home." I walk closer to him and we vanish into the night.
"Thank you again for tonight. You really didn't have to come to my work and take me home I'm a big girl you know." No I'm not I'm scared so scared. " I don't mind work isn't so busy right now. Plus I would like to get to know my neighbors' " he said with warm smile such a smile it put me at ease for a little. I unlocked my door and Ren went away like every night I know that every night he walks me home and at my doorstep he leaves. So why am I feeling like this why can I feel tears building up inside of me leaving my cheeks wet?
I get inside and my place drop work files on the front table by my door and take a good look at myself in the wall-to-wall mirror. Oh man I look like a complete mess. How could I let something so small dig deep inside my skin? I felt a crisp dusk of wind brush threw my back I turn around my condo window was wide open curtains flowing up and down as the wind found its way in. Glass shattered all over my dark bamboo hardwood floors, my living room and dining room chairs flipped over, papers scattered everywhere. I could feel the air leaving my lungs I grab my chest trying to gasp for air "No No No! This can't be I'm suppose to be safe." The feeling of loneliness left to make room for fear.
I take my other hand a grab the wall making my way to my master bedroom and just like the others it is all in chaos. I rush over to my closet, push my shoes out of the way and lift of some piece of wood I reach deep inside of the floorboards and grab an envelope. "Good its still safe." a small part of me felt like everything would be okay but I quickly realized nothing will ever be okay.
I was so scared I could feel my whole body shaking I cant stay here this is no longer my home. Before I even could think I was in front of Ren's door with my head down trying to let all the tears out that filled my heart. I could hear him unlock his door and slide the chain off I wanted to run yet my feet wouldn't move there is no going back now. "Athena?" He said my name it made my body snap out of it yet I couldn't form a proper sentence all I could udder out was "I'm scared could I stay with you tonight?" He put his arms around me and I couldn't hold the pain in anymore. Ren rushed me over to his long back suede couch his house felt so warm it smelt like home.
"Here Athena, Drink this nice and slow okay?" He made me tea it was so hot the scent alone made want to sleep forever. I placed my lips on this old fashion teacup I let it consume my body. His words buzzed in and out of my ears "Here take these you can sleep in my bed I'll sleep out here." "I couldn't do that I don't mind sleeping out here Ren you did enough for me really it is okay." The look on his face seemed worried some he got up "If you need anything just let me know." That was the last thing I heard before I fell fast asleep.
I abruptly woke up at dusk Ren was fast asleep on his living room floor. I got up and folded the sheets he gave me and left without a sound. I head back to my condo even in the day light the scene was worse than I thought. I could barley walk all way in sent Hana a text to come over not even seconds later she called "I will be there in five just meet me downstairs hun." I get my self-ready walking over the rubble on my floor, grab my purse and headed out.
I get to condos ground level I could see Hana's car parked outside of the doors. I was walking towards the front until my body came to stop I heard that same voice at my work place no not here I'm suppose to be safe. "Have you seen this lady she short a bit darken than me with a mole under her lips I have a picture she might look a bit different." Its him i know it how? why here? why now? "I'm sorry sir but I can't help you." The doorman turned his head away from the man pounding him with questions towards me and whispered out "Leave now."
I quickly hid behind the wall and waited for him to leave "Well if you see her let this bella know I'm looking for her They call me King." The room went silent after a while yet I'm still here scared out of my mind trying to over my mouth from letting a peep escape my mouth. I hear the clicking sound of heels quickly moving across the lobby tile floors the sweet musky smell of 1978 Dior perfume filled the air I could see all black peak toe shoes stop right by me.
"There you are Athena I've been trying to call your phone for twenty minutes now what is wrong why are you on the floor?" "I-I" those words no that letter were the only thing I could get off my quivering lips. Hana called over Joshua the doorman "Hey you please come here and help me get her up." They both picked me up one arm on the other.
We got to my door "Thank you Joshua I have her now you can get back to work." Hana took out twenty "Here you go." She passed the money over "No thank you ma'am as long as Miss.Byran is okay that is good enough for me." He turned towards me smiled and left. Hana opened my door "Oh my what happened Athena? Did you have another break down please don't tell me you tired to harm yourself again."
"He found me Hana he knows I'm here and he's going to take me back into that life or even worse kill me." I can't become that person anymore. "Thea it will be okay he hasn't seen you okay you look completely different and you aren't that same lost little girl." I still haven't told her " Hana I took something from him a while back." I paused and Hana's head, eyes and ear focused on my every word. "What did you take?" She said I grabbed her hand and guided her to my bedroom closet. "What are we doing here?" "Just wait." I got down on one knee pushed my shoes again to the side and removed the wooded floorboards.
She reached right in and grabbed that brown sealed envelope "Open it." I wiped my tears of cheeks "Athena why do you have all this cash what is on this usb?" she dropped everything "I don't even want to know." "I took it that day I decided run I grabbed anything and everything that is why he wants to find me. How do you think I paid off this place dirty money Hana I seen what is on that usb my hands are covered in blood and I – I can't."
"Just relax okay put everything back and leave it there it will be okay he doesn't know it was you or what you look like. You said that guy that lives next to you he walks you home just keep with it. "The thing is Hana I think I like him I really like him but I can't bring him into this he's something different his scent, his walk, his everything is different I will not put him in danger like I did-like I did Terry I wasn't even with him he was just being a good friend trying to help me and look where that got him in a box six feet down."
"I just can't deal with running anymore Hana I'm tired of it all." She pulled me in closer to her and held for of a while. It was nightfall hours passed on by without saying much words she left to go back home and there I was yet again alone. The next day I woke up having flashbacks of my past sweat all over my body. "I need to get out of here." I got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to make earl grey tea oh wow Hana cleaned up for memo to self I need to thank her.
The whistling sound of the kettle going off I rush over to pour the hot water into my cup. While I sat at my table scrolling threw my news feed I seen a red dragon festival going on the only person I could think of making me happy was Ren. I gushed up the courage to give him a call "Mister. Hiroshi Office Mary-ann speaking." A Women? "Uhm yes I am byran uhm sorry my name is Athena Bryan." Wow I can't even speak "And what do you need Mister. Hiroshi for?" she said in a snapped attitude "I would like to see him is he free today?" she doesn't say anything "Hello Mary-ann?" "Yeah just a minute." "Uhmm yeah Athena you said? He's booked for today can I take a message?" for some reason I feel like this women doesn't like me. "No Thank Yo-" before I could even form the last of my sentence she hung up.
I called that office again "Hi Mary-ann its me again I'm Ren's neighbor and I need to speak with him now so would you be ever so kind like a good assistant and pass this call over to Mister. Hiroshi that would be wonderful." Without any words she put me threw. We spoke for a while and now I'm here waiting right outside of his workplace just like every night he waits for me.
The night was filled with music, dance, food and fireworks everything was a bliss; but this doesn't feel right me using him to fill myself up to forget the pain engraved in my soul yet I still do it why do I keep doing this to myself. The end of the night flushed in and out I was laid wide out next thing i knew i was on Ren's bed i knew in my heart he woudn't do anything to me he was just that guy. I could feel the pressure on the bed weigh down by his body. He smelled like that sweet red bean paste we ate later on in the night. My body next to his body felt good i could stay like this forver if this type of life was an option for me and just like that he became the light in my tunnel of darkness.
**AN**
So yet again I did this chapter from Athena eyes we get to see a bit more of Athena's past and present. She seems to be under some hot fire no? Terry who's that? And the man looking for her? Let me know what you think with your comments and votes!