Trigger warnings for this chapter:
• Triggering/harsh language
• Violence
• Physical assault
• Mentions of human trafficking
• Sexual assault
• Emotional abuse
• Domestic violence
• Explicit themes
--
*Tuesday, December 31, 2019; 7:19 P.M. (Still present time, only in Adrian's point of view)*
Meanwhile...
Just like how I was doing a few nights ago, I'm standing up against a wall, smoking. Only, this time, I'm waiting for the "okay" time, so I can complete this mission.
"When will this dumb thing start? It's already bad enough that I have to stay in this dusty motel tonight." I wondered, as I exhaled the smoke from my cigarette.
I temporarily stop my smoking, I cross my arms, and I look around, thinking about my surroundings. The motel I was at wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't that great either. As a matter of fact, this entire part of town was kind of in between, in a way.
This part of town wasn't a stranger to me, either. I basically knew this place like the back of my own hand. Which was most likely playing a huge role in how I've never gotten caught after completing my "night duties".
The gala I was going to was one of the biggest events of the year, and I've heard that you'd be lucky if someone even thought about putting you on the exclusive guest list. I know some people who would kill to go one of these, but I wasn't the same as them. In fact, I was the exact opposite.
Yeah, I know who Ian Royal is, and I don't like him, at all. People of his kind are dumbasses, to say the least. I can't stand him and his family.
Speaking of Ian, I heard that he's getting married to some girl in June. Boy, do I feel sorry for her; I wonder if she knows that her fiance is a complete and total dick.
Anyway, after kind of forgetting what time it is, I take out my phone, and the clock says: "7:25 P.M."
"It's go time." I thought, as I turned off my phone and put it back in my pocket.
I open the door to the motel, so I can go and get my "friends", and so we can execute our plan.
...
10 minutes later, I'm standing outside the gala venue, talking to Jaiden, who's one of my "friends". I don't exactly know if we're really to the "friend" stage, on account of how much we don't talk to each other. She's a great acquaintance, though.
After talking to her for about five minutes, I start to hear someone who's on their phone, borderline yelling into it. They weren't yelling loud enough for everyone to hear them, only loud enough so that only a few people specifically near them could hear.
I stop talking to Jaiden, and I turn around to see who it is, and my eyes stop on a girl, who has charcoal (?) colored hair, and is about 5'4. I'd seen and heard her on the phone earlier, I just didn't do or say anything about it until now.
I had no idea who she was talking to (or even who she was, as a matter of fact), but she was obviously pissed off. She went from looking as if she was going to burst into tears right in the middle of her call, to yelling into her phone even louder than before.
At one point, she stops yelling, and she listens into the phone with her fist clenched, and 10 seconds later, she hangs up. She doesn't do anything for a few seconds, until she takes a deep breath, and walks away.
"I'll be right back." I said, turning towards Jaiden, and crossing my arms. She nods as I walk away.
...
I follow this girl around in the dark for about 10 minutes, until she reaches a bench that's in front of a wall. She sits down, and she starts crying.
I don't come exactly close to her, but I'm standing near her enough, so that she can kind of see me.
"Hey." I say, trying to get her attention. (a/n: yes, Adrian crosses her arms while saying this, as a matter of fact, they were already crossed.)
She turns towards me, stands up, and takes a deep breath.
"Hey."
"Why are you crying?"
"I wasn't crying, I had something in my eye." She said, stumbling over her words a few times. I could tell that she was definitely lying to me.
"Yeah, I don't buy it." I said, shrugging.
She takes another deep breath.
"It's just that..." Her voice begins to break, and she sounds like she's going to start crying again.
"Sometimes, it just feels like I don't belong here, in this world. The people around me make me feel like I'm unwanted, and that I'm doing everything wrong. They have such high expectations of me, and due to the nature of their expectations, there's literally no possible way for me to meet them without tearing myself apart." She takes another deep breath. "They all want me to be like them, and everything I do is wrong in their eyes. Every step I take is another mistake to them."
I didn't know what to say. I don't know what it's like to go through what she's going through, but I can clearly tell that it's fucking terrible, basically living your life on strings, because toxic people think you're nothing short of a puppet for them.
Something about seeing her so distraught really just did something to me. I mean, I've seen the innocent eyes of some of the people I've saved, but that was different. The way she looks and acts...I just don't know.
"Damn, I'm really sorry that you're going through that. You deserve a lot better." I said. I know that what I said wouldn't help as much as I may have thought that it would, but still.
"Thanks. You know, you're the first person to who's been genuinely nice to me in a long time." She responded, with a positive tone in her voice.
"No problem. Honestly, I don't see why people would mistreat you, you seem like a really nice person."
"Oh please, you're too nice."
"But it's true though."
I'm not usually a social person, I only socialize when I have to, mainly on account of the fact that no matter how much I may seem "tough", or "badass", I absolutely suck at talking to people most of the time.
It was, at that moment, I realised that something was off. I had been looking at this girl for a little bit, while being lost in my thoughts. She was starting to turn a little bit pale, and she looked like she was having a hard time breathing.
"Hey, are you ok?" I asked, increasingly getting worried.
"Yeah, I'm just a little tired." She said, slightly slurring her speech.
"We walked really far away from the gala...plus, she's obviously not feeling well right now." I thought.
I don't know why I was so worried about her. I've been worried about people before, but not like this. Either I don't want her to possibly be going through what I went through in the past, or I've been around so much dysfunction, that I forgot that that's something any decent human being would do.
"Look, I'm going to get a taxi for us, since we walked so far away from the gala. That sound good?"
"Yeah." She softly replied.
...
*Possibly frequently switching points of view*
Adrian: normal text
Linden: bold text
Any of those mixed with italic/underlined = thought/emphasis
...
"Are you supposed to be at the gala along with me, as well? I forgot to ask you earlier, and I just want to know that this is where you're supposed to be."
"Oh...yeah. Honestly I'd rather be somewhere else right now. I didn't want to come here."
"Everyone there makes me feel inferior."
She takes a deep breath.
"I'm really sorry for telling you all this, I can only imagine how stupid I sound right now."
"Don't worry about it. By the way, you're looking really nice tonight." I said, attempting to brighten her mood.
"Thank you."
"No problem. You know, if you hate it so much at the gala, then maybe you could hang out with me for the rest of the night. Just a suggestion."
"I would like that. By the way, what's your name?"
"Adelina. Adelina Divine. What about yours?"
"Linden James. " She replies.
"A pretty name for a pretty girl." I replied.
I pause for a second, to look into her eyes, a bit. Even in the slight darkness, I can see that they're a silver color. I've never seen anything like them, before.
"Also, I like your eyes, Linden. They're cool."
"Thanks. Also, just in case you didn't know, my last name's about to change to Royal, soon." Linden replies, changing the subject.
"So you're the girl who's getting married to Ian Royal?"
"Yeah."
"Yikes." I thought, slightly scrunching my face up.
She must have seen my reaction to what she said, because she then said: "He's a good guy."
"Well, at least sometimes."
"Sorry for being so opinionated on this, but honestly, he seems like an egotistical maniac."
"Ugh, tell me about it." I thought.
"Well, you're not completely wrong, he can be kind of full of himself at times."
"I thought so."
"Are you feeling any better now?"
"Yeah, at least a little bit."
"Well, that's at least somewhat good."
...
"Are you sure that Ian will allow my friends and I to sit at his table?" I ask, once we're back inside.
"Yeah. I asked him, and he doesn't mind."
"OK, cool."
After that, I sit down at the Royal table. Only, she sits in between Ian and his father.
Once she sits down, she just stares straight ahead, and doesn't do anything.
*Linden's point of view*
As soon as I sit down, I feel someone put their hand on my thigh. I look down, and I see that it's Ian's.
I look up at him, he takes his hand off, and he slightly smiles at me.
"Is there something you'd like to say to me, my Little Rose?" He whispered into my ear. I didn't expect him to call me that, especially in this context. He would usually call me this when he was punishing or about to punish me.
"No, Ian." I replied.
Ian caresses my cheek with his right hand, and he says, "Are you sure about that? You're looking kind of nervous right now, babe."
"Ian, we're out in public, we can't do this right now. I wish that we could, but there's so many people here." I said, shifting my eyes around the room.
"They can stare at us all they want. They aren't going to stop us."
"But won't they be disgusted?"
"Then let them be disgusted, Linden. They aren't going to stop me from being affectionate towards my fiancee." Ian says, as he starts playfully kissing my forehead.
Once he's finished, he starts talking to his guys again, and I zone out. At some point, I look up to see Adelina looking in my direction.
Not is she only looking at me, but she's staring right into my eyes. Instead of looking away, and trying to ignore her, I stare back at her.
We're staring at each other for about 30 seconds, until she winks at me. I can feel my face start to turn red afterward.
That was when I started feeling kind of weird. I wasn't feeling sick or anything, but instead, I felt kind of happy, but also kind of giddy, and possibly even a little high. I've never felt this way before, but whatever this feeling was, I wanted it to last forever.
-----
Before I knew it, it was time for everyone to go outside and watch the fireworks, to welcome the new year.
Everyone did the countdown, and before we knew it, it was 2020.
I was standing in front of Ian, and he whispered in my ear "Happy new year, baby.", and he kissed my forehead.
Once we got back inside, everyone slow danced. I saw Adelina dancing with one of the girls who were sitting at our table. The girl that she was dancing with was wearing a short black dress, with black lace heels. Not to mention the fact that she was basically covered in tattoos.
I wanted to dance with Adelina so bad, but for obvious reasons, I couldn't. Plus, I think that girl might be her girlfriend, based on how much they've been hanging out with each other tonight.
One hour later...
Before everyone starts to leave, Adelina walks up to me.
"Hey, I want to give you something, Linden." She says.
"What is it?"
"It's this." She says, as she gives me a piece of paper, reading: "my phone number", and having a bunch of numbers below it.
"Thanks, Adelina."
"No problem. It was really nice to meet you, and I hope that we see eachother again."
"You mind if I shake your hand?" She asks.
"Not at all." I reply.
Adelina shakes my hand, and once she's done, she waves at me, ad she walks out of the door.
---
*Adrian's point of view*
Although interacting with and being around Linden was amazing, I still had work to do.
I had been watching my target for the whole night, and right now, I had him exactly where I wanted him.
After the gala ended, I changed into one of my mission outfits, got into my car, followed him to his house, and I got into position.
I heard from one of my sources that this guy in particular has been seen helping operate a human trafficking ring, and that he actually had other "mates" of his working with him. Even though my sources are almost always correct, I still decided to spy on him, and make sure that what my source was feeding me was actually valid information.
Long story short, my source was indeed, correct, and now I'm standing outside of this guy's house, waiting for the right time to strike.
After waiting for a little while longer, I pick the lock to his front door, and I walk in.
When I walked inside his house, I could tell that this guy was a complete moron. Usually, the people I target have some kind of security system, or something like that. This guy didn't have anything. No alarms, no cameras, no anything. It was as if he had been waiting for me to pay him a visit.
I walk upstairs to his bedroom, and once I'm in, I click my gun, and I point it in his direction.
"Get the fuck up, asshole."
"Who are you? How did you get in here?" He yells as he sits up.
"Baby, who is that?" The girl laying beside him fearfully asks.
"Never mind who I am." I coldly say. "Now, I'm going to walk over to you and show you something. If you even attempt to fight me, I'll put a bullet through your head. Understood?" I threatened.
"I'm calling the police!" His girl toy says.
"Oh no you don't, bitch. No cops if you want to live." I said, as I pointed my gun at his girl.
"Now, I'm going to say it again: DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" I yelled.
"Yes, yes, we understand you. Just please don't kill us." The guy replied.
"Perfect."
I walk over to the guy's side of the bed, and I hand him a picture that one of my sources had taken of him last month.
"This you?" I ask. "Don't try to play stupid, now."
"How did you get that picture?! Have you been stalking me?"
"Sweetie, I have eyes and ears EVERYWHERE. Who knows, another one of them could be watching you right now. Also, I wouldn't exactly call it "stalking", more like "spying"."
"Never mind how I got this picture, the only thing that you need to know is that you know what you and your mates did, and honestly, I don't approve. Every last one of you are the scum of the earth, and you all deserve to be six feet under."
"And that's where you're going, my little boy." I said, aiming my gun at his face.
Before he even had the chance to think, I shot him, and his girl screamed as she heard the gunshot.
"Hey you, what's your name?"
"Cherry." She replies, her voice breaking.
"Well, Cherry, I'm not going to kill you like how I killed your boy. Instead, I'm letting you go."
"And honestly, I don't care if you report me to the cops. They won't find anything, it'll almost be like I was never here in the first place." I explained.
"Good night, Cherry." I said, as I walked out of the room.
I got back into my car, and I made my way to Anslee's place for an "appointment." But I had to get my things from that dusty motel I was at earlier.
Anyway, when I got to Anslee's place, I rang the doorbell, and the door instantly opened. Anslee was standing in the doorway with a huge smile on her face.
"Ooh, well if it isn't Miss Adrian Divine herself." She flirtatiously says.
I playfully rolled my eyes at her.
"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this thing started, Anslee."
"After you, love."
"Holy shit, I think I'm gonna have to go over the rules with her again. She seems as if she's getting attached to me. That's not good, at all." I thought as we made our way to her room.
---
*Linden's point of view*
The ride back to our house was pretty much dead silent.
When we got back home, as soon as we got inside, Ian pinned me up against the wall, and he started kissing me.
"Come on, let's go upstairs. I'm ready to get you out of those clothes."
WARNING!! SOME EXPLICIT THEMES AHEAD! If you do not want to read them, then please skip to the three dashes above the words "face me".
—-
Once we're upstairs, Ian pushes me onto the bed. He starts undressing himself until he's in only his boxers.
He put his lips on mine, and I felt him unzipping my dress while he was kissing me.
He softly kissed my neck, and then he started sucking on it. I was almost positive that he was going to leave hickeys in those spots.
He took off my bra, and I wrapped my arms around his neck as I felt him squeeze my ass. Ian then took off his boxers, and I felt a cold chill run down my spine.
I didn't want to do this, but I also didn't want him to punish me. No matter what I picked, I lost every time.
So I did it. I had sex with him. Even if it shattered what little dignity I had left into millions of little pieces.
---
"Face me." Ian says, when we're finished.
I do as he says.
"You know that necklace you're wearing right now?" He asks. "I put a tracker in it, along with a microphone."
"Wait, does that mean you...?"
"Yep. I knew that you snuck away from the gala, and that you were with someone else. As if you didn't disgust me before you did this, you definitely do now." He interrupted.
"Ian, I'm sorry."
"Shut up."
I take a deep breath.
"This isn't love, Ian. You know that, right?"
"That's laughable coming from you. You seriously think that you have the room to talk about love when nobody loves you? You should be glad that I want you, because you can't even love yourself first." He coldly said. I wanted to kick the shit out of him so bad.
"You know what, I'm tired of keeping this to myself. I don't love you, Ian. Besides, the only reason why I don't love myself is because you and your father have put the idea in my head that I'm broken and undesirable." I angrily said. I was so mad, that I had almost started crying. No matter how bad I wanted to cry, I couldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.
"Not to mention all the unspeakable things that the both of you have done to me."
"I'm going to report you, and get you both arrested. You will pay for what you've done to me."
"What the fuck are you talking about? We never did anything to you."
"Is he seriously doing this?" I thought, as I felt my blood starting to boil. I couldn't believe my ears. He abuses me for years, and now he's lying about it right to my face?
"Like you don't know. It's what you just did."
"That's how it's supposed to be. It's supposed to feel like that. Also, I know what you're talking about, and you aren't going to tell anyone." He replied.
Ian got on top of me, and he shifted all of his weight over to me. I was already sore enough from what we just did, but he made it even worse. I couldn't move, and I could barely breathe.
"If you tell a single soul about this, I'll make it so that you can't ever flap your lips again."
He looks right into my eyes.
"I will snap your fucking neck." He says, putting his hand around my neck, and applying a little bit of pressure, but not enough to choke me.
Ian gets off of me, and I can finally breathe again.
"Now, will you be a good little girl, and keep quiet?" He asks, while kissing my forehead. I wanted to throw up.
"Yes, Ian." I reply.
"Good."
He playfully kisses me on my lips, and I throw up in my mouth a little bit. I feel so disgusting and violated right now. I can't stand it when Ian touches me. His touch makes my skin crawl. As a matter of fact, I can't stand it when anyone touches me. It brings back too many painful memories.
I don't want to obey Ian, but I have to. I have to do every last thing that he and Rodney tell me to, if I want to live.
I just don't know what to do anymore. I feel so lost.
---
The next morning...
7:12 A.M.
*Adrian's point of view*
I wake up to feeling someone lightly kissing my forehead.
I hear a girl's voice say, "Good morning, Adrian," and I open my eyes.
"Hm?" I mumble, as I adjust my eyes to the sunlight coming in through the window.
Once I can see a little clearer, I can see Anslee laying on top of me. She and I (obviously) aren't official, but I've known her for six years, and we fool around sometimes.
"You know, you're always so beautiful in the morning." She softly says.
"Thanks." I reply. "Also, Anslee, you didn't forget about our rule, did you?"
Anslee rolls over.
"I know, no catching feelings. But I wasn't displaying any feelings, though, all I said was that you look beautiful in the morning." She retorted.
"I know that. I only said that just in case you were thinking about catching feelings."
"Anyway, I gotta go, I'll see you later." I say, waving at her.
I give Anslee a kiss on her cheek, I get out of her bed, put on my clothes, and I leave the room.
I don't know why, but today, I felt significantly happier.
I wonder what or who it is that's making me feel this way.
To be continued...
A/N: The reason for why I put quotation marks by the word "friend(s)" when Adrian was narrating is because she doesn't exactly consider herself to have friends, and the ones that she's talking about in this chapter are some that she hangs around sometimes, but not regularly, if this makes sense.
Plus, I had only revised the split points of view system a little while ago, so it's not exactly the best quality right now, but it will be improved in future chapters.
Also, some of the dialogue in this chapter is and was kind of "yikes", sorry about that 😬