TWO
♛
Faye
I HEARD THE CAR SCREECH against gravel then the rumbling of the old engine growing low in the distance.
I sighed deeply at my fate. Looks like I'm stuck here. I mean it could be worst. He could've left me with Mrs Baker from across the road with her cat invested home and stale cookies she liked to shove down my throat instead of dinner.
I bent to pick up my suitcases but Kris stopped me. "Don't worry about that, Hun." She said then hollered for a butler. Barely a minute went by when an old man in a tux scurried over to us. "Faye, this is Graham. Graham, this is Faye."
Graham smiled cheerily at me and I felt at ease in his presence. He reminded me of Dad. "Pleasure to meet you Ms Faye. If you need anything just call." Then he grabbed my suitcases and climbed the spiral staircase.
Kris turned to me with a sad smile. She watched me warily this time as if I could break with one wrong move. "How are you, Faye?"
"I'm fine."
She shook her head sadly. "No, I mean how are you holding up?"
I swallowed.
I couldn't ignore the twinge in my heart every time I thought about her. I mean, she didn't deserve the best mother award but she was still my mother. No matter how much I hated her choices. And sometimes on the sleepless nights, I heard her crashing into the house reeking of drugs and sweat. I hated her. For torturing our family for years.
Putting her addiction before her family. The people who loved her despite it.
My eyes burned with unshed tears and I clenched my jaw forcing the tears back. I am tired of crying over her. I thought now that she's gone, I would feel at peace but it was the opposite, something inside me felt restless.
I tried a smile. "I feel awesome. A little tired but... it's been a long day." Kris didn't look entirely convinced.
"Come. Let me show you to your room." She guided me up the stairs, past a lobby of closed doors. Finally, we stopped in front of a room, the farthest down the hall. She gestured to a door four rooms over. "That's Morgan's and this is yours." Then she threw open the doors and I sucked in a breath.
Whoever designed this room deserve a big fucking tip. I don't know what I expected but it sure to hell wasn't this. There was a large queen-sized bed pushed up in the middle of the room. A vanity off to the side while light filtered from the balcony window plunging the room in a greyscale glamour. A large walk-in closet was tucked between a desk where a new MacBook sat calling to me. This was actually my room!
This was a step up from the broom closet I slept in back home. Not complaining though, I love my little room but not as much as I love the one I'm standing in.
"You like it?" I nodded eyes wide. Kris chuckled. "I was going for pink but Graham reminded me that we're housing a teenage girl, not a preschooler."
"It's a good thing you listened to him then." I murmured.
She laughed. "You're right- hey, I'll leave you to settle in. I have to pick up a call. If you need anything call me or Graham, okay."
As soon as she left, I sank into my new bed. "Oh, I am never leaving you." I moaned into the grey sheets and soon after my eyelids grew heavy.
_____________________
I woke up the next day with the sun barely peeking over the horizon. I wiped the sleep from my eyes then looked around the room I was lying in.
Huh, so it wasn't all a dream. My dad did sell me to the devil.
Yawning I climbed off my bed. There isn't much to do at... I spare a glance at the clock on my nightstand. '6:07.'
The entire house is still asleep and my brain didn't want to do the same. We were both too aware of the boy sleeping across the hall from us. I didn't trust him- I didn't even understand how I slept so easily knowing the last time I let my guard down around him he dropped a crab in my bra during sophomore biology. The fucker pinched my nipple seven times before I shook him out.
I decided I should go for that run I always promise myself I'd do but never actually put out. I also wanted to get to know the neighbourhood that would ultimately house me for the next couple of months. It isn't every day you get to live like your enemy.
I pull on a yellow sports bra, black tights, a sports jacket because it's 'hella cold outside and tie my hair into a messy bun on top of my head.
Outside the cold air lick at my face causing a light blush to stain my cheeks. I pop my earphones in and broke into a light jog.
I jog past a collection of mansions lined up like soldiers along the path. They were beautiful but none was as grand as the Knightley's Mansion. They were many houses that made up Upper Eastdale all belonging to heirs, heiresses, royalty, multi-millionaires, CEOs and ministers. But the most famous amongst the elites would be the Valentines, the Hollingtons, the Romanys, the Cadwells and of course the Knightleys. The five families that founded this small town. They own everything and everyone here and it would be a cold day in hell before they let you forget it.
By the time I reach the gate with the Knightley's crest stamped on it like a 'no trespassing' sign, a layer of sweat coated my brow. I crept towards the iron gate and pressed my face into the cool surface.
On the other side was all dirt road and trees for a mile away but if you were to look past it, you could see the bustling city of the working class- my people- but the place was quiet this time of day.
To think just yesterday I was one of them, throwing dirty looks at this same gate that isolated the superiors who hid behind their dark oak desks, the ones who ultimately decided if you got to feed your families that day or not-they were barded off from the rest of us--the rest of them.
I hated these kinds of people. Now I'm living in their house, eating their food and soon I would be dressing like them too. Oh, the sweet irony.
Just past Eastdale stood our rival town Pentbrooke. Just as wealthy, just the amount of assholery pressed into their thousand dollar suits.
I pushed an unruly strand of hair behind my ear, spun on my heels and head back to the house.
Just as I was walking up the driveway, an orange Aventador swung in heading straight for me.
All senses flew out the window.
I was rooted to the ground my eyes trained on the headlights coming towards me too fast.
I was shouting at my brain to move, to do something. But like every protagonist in some cliche horror show, my brain decided to die on me and so did the rest of my body. I am going to die!
God, if you're listening, I thought. If you get me out of this I promise no more half-ass church going. I'll even consider joining the nunnery-on second thought, scratch that last part. The thought of no sex made my skin itch. Please! I'm too young to die!
I heard brakes, tires screeching against the asphalt, then the car door being thrown open. My brain was still processing what was happening when a hand gripped my arm.
"It's fucking five a.m." Cole towered over me pinning me down with his stare, his jaw set. "What the hell are you doing?"
I narrowed my eyes at him yanking my arm out of his grip. "Trying to get run over if you don't mind. By the way you missed."
He scoffed, "I wouldn't waste a record on insignificant bitches who don't know when to keep their mouth shut." I glare at him but that only seem to amuse him. "You didn't answer my question. What were you doing out here?"
"Marking my territory?"
I see his left eye twitch and I know I'm pissing him off. "I don't trust you."
"And I don't like you. Well now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way. My morning was great, thanks for asking. Well up until I almost got run over but if I had a grenade for every time someone tried to kill me, I could stock the army. But enough about me, how was your morning Cole? Slept well?"
He wore a leather jacket and a black v neck that did nothing to hide the hard muscle I could make out under the thin, crinkled material. What didn't go unnoticed was the fact that his hair was ruffled in that I-just-had-the-best-sex-and-Imma-tell-you-about-it type of way.
When my eyes found his, it was trained on me with a mix of pure loathing and is that... Is the devil amused?
"You done eye fucking me, Pip-spueak?"
That stupid nickname again.
"Give me a second. I'll tell you when I'm done," I said. "And my name is Faye. Four years and you still can't get it right. I'm starting to think you're a little slow, Cole."
He snorted, "I try not to waste my time learning names of all Eastdale's sluts, especially the unimpressive ones." His eyes fell on my chest.
My jaw dropped in disbelief. Did he just...?
One, it's not my fault my genes decided to put out for my ass instead of my breast. I was a pear shape, meaning, I was lacking in the chest area but my hips and ass were rather generous.
Two, I am not a slut I only ever slept with two people in my life. My childhood crush and next-door neighbour, Evan and my three-month ex-boyfriend, Jason. Unfortunately, the latter still goes to school in Eastdale.
My fist clenched. How dare he say that to me!
"Fuck you."
He snorted, "Not even with a paper bag and a hundred condoms." He turned on his heel dismissing me. He opened his car door and looked back at me all smug. I was itching to punch him in the throat. "Oh, and one more thing-" He smirked wickedly, "It was a mistake coming here, Faye and you're gonna realize that real soon."
What the fuck does that mean? Did he threaten me?
Then he ducked into his car revving his engine to remind me to move.
I hated him. I really fucking hate him.
I was cussing Dad out for her naivety. Letting me live with him wouldn't fix our broken relationship, he's making it easier for him to get to me. And he's already started.
I flipped him off one last time as my little way of having the last laugh. Pathetic isn't it?
I drag myself back into the house and into my room. The sun was already up but the house still remained silent.
I plopped down on the bed and angrily threw off my shoes, dreaming of ways I could get back at him. How about cutting off his dick. I laughed to myself- I liked that one. I finished undressing.
Only when I heard the door slam shut across the hall did I get up for my shower.