She watches him blankly as he pressed his head against the alter, completely silent. Alexis doesn't believe in god. Alexis doesn't believe in anything but herself. She's reliable. She's dependable. Everyone else isn't. Her nails are light blue, glinting in the sunlight. Her straightened hair falls down her back perfectly. She's the epitome of a perfect girl. From the outside, she looks calm and serene. On the inside, she's a wreck, slowly combusting into a million pieces.
The boy, pressing his against the altar, has already placed all his faith in god. Despite his father being a priest, his acceptance of God was his own. He's always believed that some higher spirit exists- that something controls his fate, outside of his own actions. He peers out at the sparkling blue sea, his eyes glittering as he spots the boats that don't move an inch, remaining in place. His gaze flickers to the ground as he places his hand together, quietly muttering something under his breathe.
She runs her hands over the brown wood as she approaches him, her lips drawn into a taut smile. She stops right beside him, tucking a piece of brown hair behind her ear. She's silent as she observes him. She'll never understand his devotion. But she has the courtesy to respect it. She'd do anything for him. And she's scared he knows it. Every single time she opens up, someone destroys her.
The boy, Adonis, looks up, his gaze filled with curiosity as he observes her standing quietly behind him, her face blank of emotion. He will never understand her. Alexis is an enigma, a girl who holds intricate secrets and layers of personality in her grasp. He sees the beauty in her, the small moments- moments that he refuses to miss. But on the other hand, he sees the darkness. Darkness that will, one day, push him away. He bides his time as well as he possibly can, cherishing every moment spent with her. Alexis, who has now spotted his gaze, offers a sultry smile. She sees his actions as nothing more than adoration, as she always does.
She's blind to his inner workings. She thinks he's too dumb to understand what the end of the summer holds for them, but he knows. He knows she'll leave. He knows she'll leave and never look back. Push this summer out of her mind. Or she'll try. But every day, they grow closer and closer. He feels an inescapable bond tugging them together, pulling them closer and closer. He doesn't want to let go. He's never been in love before.
That's right. Love.
He blinks out of his reverie, slowly getting to his feet, giving his lord, his savior, his redemption, another brief look before he stares at her. He's never met someone quite like her.
She believes everything in the world revolves around her, and she hates it when things don't go her way. He knows what kind of girl she is- she feels powerless unless she knows that she's in absolute control. She's ruthless- refusing to stop until she knows she has that power in her hands, holding it over everyone's heads with her perfect little smile. And she refuses to give anyone else any power over her.
She doesn't know what to do about his riveting gaze, so she tucks her hair behind her ear, silent. She stays silent, thoughts running through her head. She didn't even want to come here, in fact, she'd be blindfolded and brought, but in retrospect, if he'd told her, she wouldn't have come. Alexis has always hated places of worship- as she's always known that religion does nothing but create more wreckage between specific groups of people.
The war between Christians and Muslims centuries ago is a clear example of that. And the label of a terrorist that is slapped on Muslims all over the world is another clear example. Religion does nothing but divide. Christians hate on Muslims, Muslims hate on Christians. People die. To her, it's pointless. And without it, life would would be better for everyone. No matter who she ends up with, no matter who tries to convince her, the lord is not someone who has ever seemed to want to play things in her favor or even attempt to help other people, therefore, she doesn't believe in him.
Adonis finally blinks out of his reverie, holding up a hand towards her. She accepts it gratefully, glad he's finally done examining her. Hand in hand, they walk out of the church, passing the pews slowly. She trails her hand over the pews, glad she won't be coming back anytime soon. The red wood is delicate, and smooth against her fingertips.
Adonis stops in front of the church, gazing at her, a flurry of emotions passing between them without a single word, "How did you like it?" Adonis asks boldly, and he raises an eyebrow. He has no idea what to expect. He knows she doesn't worship, but he honestly wants to know what she has to say. When her gaze flits between the pews and him, a sinking feeling settles in his stomach.
Alexis's eyes flicker to this, slowly, a smile stretching across her face,"I didn't like it" Alexis responds bluntly, and she doesn't look the slightest bit sorry when Adonis's face crumples. He quickly paints on a smile, but he knows he shouldn't have expected more. He'd thought- maybe- Alexis would spare his feelings. But he knows she's trying to be honest with him, regardless of how it might hurt him. He'd been clear he doesn't want the superficial version of Alexis that smiles even when she doesn't want to.
He can't bring himself to care that the girl he's falling for will break his heart because she's suffering inside. He knows she'll break his heart, but he doesn't know when. She will tear him apart, into a million pieces. His pride holds him back from saying it, even though he should. He loves her, but he needs to hear her say it first. Alexis hates being put on the spot, especially when he should already know the answer. She came here against her will, and only because he'd begged her to do so. He should have known better.
With an easy smile on her face, she stares at the door which he is currently pushing open.
Once she is out those doors, something breaks inside of her. She feels free again. The light breeze carries over them, and the paper in Adonis's hand blows away. She watches in amusement as he followed it down the rugged coastline. When it finally drifts over the cliff's edge, Adonis doesn't spare it a second look, instead turning back to her. But she notices the disappointment in his face before he places a smile on his face. "Was it important?" she ask inquisitively, placing her hand on his. He accepts it gratefully, and he embraces her.
She can smell his cologne. By the way his face has crumpled, the way he stares out at the ocean, it was important.
He turns his head, his eyes darkening, "Yes" He responds simply. Alexis wants to know more. She wants to know every part of him. But she knows she can't push.
She can't risk losing him. If he ever found out about the game- she has no idea what she would do. Destroy is the weakest part of her, the worst, the deadliest. A game that her and her friends, the Royals, had invented in Freshman Year. It had started off with innocent crimes and then progressed to completely ripping apart someone's life.
She lays against his chest, listening to his heartbeat over and over again like a melody. Seconds later, she tilts her head upwards, towards the top of the trail leading towards the cliff's edge towards the small town. Adonis's father, dressed in a simple white robe and sandals is slowly making his way down the cliff. Adonis watches his father without moving, allowing Alexis to rest on his chest. His father has gaunt lines outlining his face. He looks aged beyond his years.
As Adonis grew up, his father had put worship first- even before his only son. After Adonis's mother had passed away, Adonis had slowly watched his father grow more and more distant. He'd spent more time at the church them at home. And when he finally realized what he had created- an immeasurable gap between themselves, he had tried over and over again to fix it. But it wasn't meant to be. They were still on speaking terms, but Adonis's father played almost no role in his life. He didn't set any rules- he knew he had no right to with his absence as a true father figure.
Adonis hated his father for that- the distance, the fact that he had never ever had a parental figure to tell him what was right and what was wrong. Luckily, he'd figured out things by himself, but it hadn't been easy. He'd gone through rough phases but he'd come out a victor. He'd sought solace in god too, as his father had, and he found it comforting. In the past few months, he'd learned to forgive his father, and with religion as the olive branch, they managed to mend a few bridges. They would never form a proper bond.
People say that trauma ages you. Adonis agrees. He grew up faster with the loss of his mother. He was subjected to the cruel reality of the world sooner. His father finally reaches them, his sandals touching the ground mere feet away from them and his cane supporting his balance. He looked up at Adonis, a slight smile on his face. His eyes are black, like coal, shining as he observes his son.
He tilts his head to acknowledge Alexis, "I thought that was you," his father says calmly "I'm surprised to find you here this early. I thought you liked to sleep in more"
Adonis matches the smile his father is currently sporting, warmly gazing at him, "I wanted silence to worship. I don't like when the church is full. It distracts me and my thoughts. I brought Alexis along to see the church" Alexis watches this exchange curiously. Adonis hasn't told her much about his father, only the fact that they barely get along. And she's tried to ask for more details, but time and time again, he refuses to tell her anything more.
His father gazes out at the waves hitting the rocks before he faces Adonis, "Oh," His father responds simply, and then, he approaches his son "Will I see you at home for dinner tonight?"
"I think so," He says carefully, "I"ll try" Adonis won't try. He'll spend the evening with Alexis. His father tries to include him- but when other church members are invited, he often gets left out of the conversation. He barely even gets to interact with his father. Maybe some of that is on him. He doesn't try to participate in the conversation. He tunes out, drowning in his own thoughts.
He doesn't see the point of this so he simply offers his father a last smile before his father continues on his way towards the chapel a few feet away. "Come on" Alexis beckons before he even has a chance to recover from the conversation seconds ago. She races down the coastline, and he follows, as the wind blows against his face. She knows that distracting him from his thoughts is the best thing she can do, so she does it without hesitation.
He's finally caught up to her when they reach a quaint little cafe which serves the best meals Adonis has ever had in his life. The owner of the cafe- his aunt, was his primary caregiver. She's spent more time with him than his father ever had, and she is by far the most caring person he's ever met. To his surprise however, upon first sight of Alexis, his aunt had hated her. Absolutely detested. She'd said that girls like Alexis, girls that carried themselves the way Alexis did, could be nothing but trouble.
In a way, his aunt is right. And he knows it. Alexis is trouble. And he knows this won't end the way he wants it to, and he also knows Alexis is bound to leave. Girls like Alexis- they bore quickly, and if you don't interest them anymore, they'll be on the next flight out. He'll deal with that road when he has to cross it. He finally approaches the cafe door, gesturing for Alexis to make her way inside, and she does, head held high, her signature smirk ever present on her face.
Alexis hates Adonis's aunt. She'll never tell him what she truly feels, but his aunt clearly despises her- and she knows it. She had never, ever bothered to send a polite smile in her way, or even a simple greeting. Alexis hates feeling unimportant. Hates feeling disregarded. It makes her feel useless. Worthless.
As soon as Alexis enters the cafe, Adonis's aunt observes her warily. When she spots her nephew, her lips curve into a smile. Her sea-blue eyes sparkle with delight at her nephew bounding towards her. She wraps a slim arm around Adonis, ignoring Alexis completely as she hugs her nephew. Beatrice couldn't possibly make it more clear that she doesn't like Alexis. She doesn't appreciate the blatant disrespect.
He respects his aunt far more then anyone in his family and he often jogs by the restaurant in the morning to talk to her and catch up. His aunt finally releases her grasp on him, offering Alexis a nod, as she always does.
Her eyes flicker with concern as faces Adonis, "How are you? It feels like I haven't seen you in forever. It's as if you never make time for your favorite aunt anymore. You'd think that you'd spend more time with me this summer, not less" His aunt complains, as she leads them to their table. She places two menus on the table, and then gestures for them to sit. Alexis does immediately, a taut smile on her face.
He looks at his aunt, "I had breakfast here two days ago" He deadpans, amused by his aunt's constant antics.
She chuckles, "I know, I know," she says in that motherly voice of hers "But you must spend more time with your dear aunt before she's gone. Or you'll live with the guilt that you didn't appreciate me when I was alive"
"Alright, alright. Let's not forget that you aren't going anywhere anyways" He says, grabbing her pen from where its tucked with her book for taking orders. She gestures for him to hand the pen back with an amused look so he does so, placing it in her hand.
"I'll come back in a few minutes for your orders, I have other customers to attend to" She says, sparing her nephew a glance before she's gone. Adonis stares around at the interior of the cafe- gorgeous flowers everywhere and splashes of color cover the walls. . Alexis stares at the menu. She doesn't pick it up, she already knows what she wishes to order. The exact same thing she has already ordered several times.
Adonis faces Alexis, "Are you okay?" He notices the look on her face instantly. She's easy for him to read. He knows Alexis has noticed the way his aunt treats her. It would be impossible not to notice. She smiles back at him, but now, it's forced. She wants to know exactly why his aunt detests her. She's put up with this treatment for several weeks, never asking a question out of respect to Adonis.
Alexis shrugs a shoulder, "Yeah, I'm fine. I wanted to try something new. Do you have any ideas?" She asks curiously, fibbing to cover up for her slip. She knows better than to allow herself to seem weak. At all. Or that his aunt's disrespect bothers her.
He smiles winningly at her "The cheese pie with the plain yogurt is really good" He offers, and she nods as his aunt arrives, pulling her book out as she stares at him, waiting for him to list his order. Adonis rattles off the list of things they've chosen to order, his aunt nodding as she disappears into the kitchen.
As always, the cafe is bustling with people. Soon, the entire church congregation will reside her. He'd rather leave before that- before they come here and start a conversation he has no interest in continuing with him. He hates being referred to as his father's son- or being told he looks like his father. He looks like his mother.
"So, what's the plan for today?" She asks curiously, placing her chin in her hand as she gazes straight at him. Crete never fails to amaze her- day after day she finds something new she loves about the gorgeous island.
In the past few weeks, he's taken her to multiple historical sites, gorgeous cafes and places to eat, and they've spent multiple days by the very beach that her father owns. He'd purchased it two years ago, and the house placed on the beach was gorgeous- equipped with a gym and a library along with a kitchen perfect for whatever baking she wanted to do. Crete is her favorite place in the world, currently. All this culture- it amazes her, she loves the ambiance of the city, the people, and most of all, Adonis.
"I was thinking that maybe you could meet my friends today," Adonis suggests, staring at her to gauge her reaction. He never knows what her reaction will be, and he's always careful around her. He watches his words "They really want to meet you" He adds as she fiddles with the straw besides her.
She nods her head, clearing her throat, "I would love to" she says, and she hopes her voice is genuine. It's not that she doesn't want to meet them- she just doesn't know if they'll take a liking to her as Adonis has. Some people read her more easily. They see her bad side immediately.
She finds it hard to believe someone as intelligent as Adonis doesn't see past her good side and refuses to acknowledge the bad. She wishes she could tell him all about Destroy- the joy it brings it her to play the game, the adrenaline rush, the sense of achievement, but she knows he'll see her a psychopath. Playing with other people's feelings is not a game to him, but it is to her. She could never explain how it feels to have that power in your hand- to end someone else's dreams, hopes, aspirations, and how it makes the Royals feel.
He stares at her- it seems as if this idea was one of his better ones, as her mood seems to have improved significantly. "Where are we going with them?" She asks now, attempting to make conversation.
He eyes his phone, nodding slightly,"Does the Venetian Harbor sound good to you?" He offers, and she nods, so he pulls out his phone, sending a quick text to his friend group. He puts his phone away, and realizes his aunt is right beside them. She has their dishes in her hand, and she places it on the table delicately.
She smiles at him, "Enjoy"
They eat in silence, lost in their own thoughts.
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