B e l l a ♣ A l b y
I trembled awake as soon as I felt some sticky substance on my face. I opened my eyes only to be greeted by my father's face. I touched my face before I smelled my fingers. Eww! It smells horrible. I heard my father darkly chuckle. "Bitch, wake up and go to school. I don't want any complaints coming like 'your daughter came late to school' if I hear any negative thing from the teachers about you, then I will make sure you'll receive deadly punishments." I swallowed audibly. I knew what he meant by deadly punishments.
I nodded my head weakly. I knew I can't do anything against him. He slapped me on my face before he turned and walked away. I got up and closed my room door which he left ajar open while he went away.
I made my way to the adjacent bathroom and did my regular activities. I went to my closet and saw mostly all the dresses were the same but different in colour. I laughed humourlessly. At least I was getting something to wear. I wore a greenish-blue t-shirt and leggings. I sauntered to the kitchen after I got ready.
"Sir," I said it in a small voice. He turned around to look at me.
"Oh! I have to go out," he said before grabbing the keys of the car. He didn't give a second glance at me. He opened the main door and kicked it closed. Poor door! I went back to my room. I picked my backpack which was beside my bed and looked at the forest.
I went towards my front door and searched around for the house keys to lock the door but I ended up empty-handed. I sighed. I knew I was going to face consequences for not locking the door. My father wouldn't even listen to what I would have to say.
I stepped out of the house and closed the door. Now, how in the world will I go to school? By walking? I let out a breath and puffed out my chest. "Ok Bella, I know you can walk for umm..." how many kilometres it would be from here? Maybe six kilometres. It took around ten minutes to reach yesterday by car. "Bella, I know you can walk six kilometres. It will take only forty-five minutes."
I began striding, thinking encouraging lines to myself. I walked on the grey pathway. After a few minutes, I started getting tired. It was so difficult to walk for a long time. That to non-stop, I huffed. I was not at all healthy. "Come on, Bella you can walk to school. Come on...Come on--" I stopped talking to myself when I saw people walking around staring at me as if I was some person escaped from a mental hospital.
I stopped walking and leaned against the tree to my left side. I started panting hard. I was very weak. I knew I was malnourished, I received food weekly once. I had lunch yesterday. I shouldn't get greedy now., I felt really hungry. My father always told me that I deserved a little. Otherwise, I would become more greedy than I already was. I agreed with it, I was an unnecessary being wandering on the surface of the earth. As my stepmother quoted 'I am scum.'
I heard someone clearing their throat. I opened my eyes. When did I close my eyes? I peered at the direction where the sound came from. I was surprised when I saw it was Xanthos. He was wearing a black leather jacket on top of his sweatshirt. It was paired with ripped black jeans. He was seriously looking like a Greek God.
As people passed by us, bowed their head to Xanthos. I could feel the strong and dark aura around him. I glimpsed at the people again, they kept their head low while walking.
Was I supposed to bow? I bowed my head to him too. Was I blocking his way? Why was he standing here? Was I a disturbance? Was I going to get punishment? I closed my eyes at the thoughts.
After a few seconds, I opened my eyes again and peeked through my eyelashes, thinking he was no longer there but I was so flipping wrong. When my eyes connected with his, I felt as though the entire world had disappeared around me. His brown eyes were so mesmerizing. They captured my entire attention. He looked down at me with an unreadable expression.
"Hi!" I squeaked with a high pitch. I cleared my throat. "Hi," I greeted with a normal voice this time.
"I told you to not bow your head to me," He said in return.
"I-I forgot, I will try to keep that in my mind," I stuttered a little.
He smiled at me. However, his smile disappeared after a short while. "Why are you sweating heavily? When I was driving to my school I saw you panting." He looked around, searching for something. He turned back and looked at me confused. "Where's your car?"
"Morning walk is good for health. My father demanded that he will give me a ride to school but I refused him. I want to be fit." I beamed as I successfully tell a lie.
"I see.." He looked at me up and down."I can say you are underweight. Instead of using energy, you should take in more energy. You should eat more. Morning walk is good for health but you need to consume some amount of food to become healthy."
"Oh, well... I thought I was fat," I said awkwardly not knowing how to make conversation.
He chuckled, "I will give you a lift to school," he said extending his right hand for me to take.
"Thank you, but it's okay, I will continue walking." I gave him a soft smile before turning and walking in the direction of my school. I was sweating buckets of water. I knew I was smelling bad. I didn't want his car seats to get spoiled because of me. Also, I didn't want to be a burden.
He caught up with me. "You have to walk around two more kilometres."
"As I told you morning walk is good for health," I said while continuing to walk, though my legs were now hurting.
"You aren't stinking if that's what you are thinking. You smell more like Jasmine flower." I heard him inhale deeply, "Mmm..che profumo meraviglioso." I heard him mutter in a deeper voice. (How wonderful she smells)
I sniffed myself,I did not smell like jasmine. "I don't smell like a Jasmine."
"Smell again." I did as he said. I felt some other scent wrapping around myself. It was Jasmine flower's scent, I smelt good.
"Voodoo magic isn't it?" He shook his head.
"No! You were smelling the same before and now too. Wait-did you just change the subject? Get in the car." He pointed at Lamborghini Veneno. It was black in colour. I looked at him in shock. Was he asking me to get in that car? No! I was not. I had to change this subject.
"Wow! I am gobsmacked! Can you...Can you tell me about that car? I am interested in knowing about automobiles. Ya see..." He nodded his head in approval. Yay! Now we can continue walking buddy!
"Well..that's Lamborghini Veneno. It has a top speed of three hundred and fifty-six kilometres per hour and zeroes to sixty velocities, time- not again. You changed the subject of you getting in that car. Don't be stubborn," he muttered something under his breath which I heard but couldn't understand, "Adorant testudo." (adoringly stubborn)
I chuckled at him. "Xan, whatever you do, I'm not getting in the car."
"Xan? Nice nickname little one but you can't fool me again." I stuck my tongue out and flipped my dirty blonde hair behind my shoulder.
"Get. In. The. Car." He emphasized each word with a stern tone. I was surprised I was not affected by the tone.
I heard him huff a "fine". I suddenly started flowing in the air. I let out a squeal. Was this some kind of punishment? Was he going to kill me for disobeying him? Why did I disobey him? How did I forget that I was a useless human being?
"I'm sorry! I won't disobey you again! I will do what I am told to do! Please put me down," I said frightened, that he may drop me down anytime. Tears started forming in my eyes. "I don't want to die now. Please don't kill me. No wait..kill me! I want to die." As soon as I said those lines, I stopped floating in the air. I closed my eyes as I begin to fall and waited for the impact instead I landed on something warm. I opened my eyes to see that I was in Xanthos arms.
"Don't you fucking say like that again. I would never hurt you. You thought I was going to kill you? You fucking thought I was going to kill you? Did you want to be killed? Why? Why do you want to? That too with my hand--" He pulled me closer to him and sniffed my hair. He took deep breaths, inhaling my scent.
"I-I will come in the car, it's getting late." He dropped me back to my feet and looked at me up and down as if making sure that I was still there. He nodded his head before walking towards his car. I walked behind him.
The car drive was silent, none of us shared any word with each other. I peeked at him.
He was looking angry yet there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. He concentrated on the road. All the expressions of playfulness were gone from his face.
We stopped in front of the school after a good two minutes. He and I both got out of the car. When we entered the school gate people made way for us. I was all of a sudden pushed which led to me stepping on Xanthos feet. He turned around looking livid. He was looking as if he wanted to massacre all of them around. When his eyes landed on me, his face softened.
"I am sorry," I said bowing down my head.
"Stop apologising please, I don't like when you apologize, especially to me." I lifted my head to look him in the eye to know whether he meant every word or not.
I nodded my head, approvingly.
Another day of school.