I wrench the sheet from him and riffle through, my eyes browse it thoroughly. My eyes ream, bloating up in disgust.
I gnash my teeth and my hand pressure on the paper harden.
"You're playing with me, right?" I scoff, casting a snap at the sheet, and flip the paper away not caring where it disperses.
These people are cruel, I can't imagine people like this still exist in this century. When I bear the possibility he can be nice on me, he just proves me wrong. His calm and soothing behaviors are all trap to get me down. I should've known they're the same when he had pulled up a gun to Ralph's skull.
I cross my arms and look away, staring better at the less equip kitchen.
"You don't have a choice in this, senorita."
I reel to him when I hear something tick.
A cigarette install in his mouth as one of his finger spins the lighter again, this time a small orange light with blue overshadowing flame whams out, he stirs it to the cigarette. The fire slim out and smoke erupt from the molded straw trap between his lips. Two of his fingers entrap it taking it out of his mouth, smoke puff out of his mouth and nose. He smirks down at me, seeing the reject on my face.
"You wanna puff?" He shows the intertwine fingers with the cigar. I use to have a crazy urge to puff sometimes in the past and seeing it with him, I'm tempted but I can control myself.
"No," I accord a short, sharp reply.
His face hardens, not in anger but a serious mood, again he puffs. I trail down his body, he's dressed in a black jean. His grey top is hidden under the black leather jacket. I look back to his face.
"She's gonna be sixteen this May, finicky twenty-fourth."
As if what he's saying nabs my attention, I glare at him processing his words.
"Always in tight ass skinny jeans, Preciosa niña."
The one person I know dresses in skinny jeans because she's comfy is Harley, even today, she wore white skinny jeans and a red top.
"What did you do to Harley?" I gnash my teeth in anger, holding back my burst out.
"Oh, you mean to say will." he puffs the smoke on my face.
"Don't you dare involve my family in this shit!" I slam the island board hard, the aftermath of the action reflects on my palm.
"Oops, wasn't expecting that, you're fiery,"
"...And resistant." I watch Ralph snatch the cigarette away from him, I didn't notice him coming. He walks away, definitely to my back. His cold fingers lift my hair from my back to a side of my shoulder, I remain furious to avoid caring about what he is doing.
"The harder you push, the more complicated it gets... for you." he breathes on my neck. The smoke from his breath passes to my face as I still endeavor to plaster my cold glare on Messiah. I poise up on my seat drawing close to Messiah,
"Go. To. Hell."
I sit back on my seat with my hands fold together on my chest, even though my legs are trapped between his, I still manage to put a smile on my face.
Suddenly, he quits smiling again, he licks his lips and looks away, he chuckles. He picks my phone and switches it on. While he waits for it to switch on, I ask,
"What're you up to?"
He didn't answer me, instead, he drops the phone on my thigh.
"Make the call."
I sneer, "You don't get me, do you? I just said there is no way I'm doing this."
At the ending of my talk, I hear a gun clang near my ear knowing what it stands for already, I punch to a halt.
My heart races, hot tears roll down my eyes before my hands proceed in quivering.
"Make a call or pfft..."
Two of his right-hand fingers point at me as he demonstrates the routine of a blaster.
"Sweet Harley dies."
Why do they have to involve my family?
"It just me and you guys, why snarling my family in this holy mess?" I sniff in a low voice.
"You're the one caging them into this holy mess, just do what I ask you to do and everything will be fine." he leans close to me, his thumb wipes my tears.
I have to do this, it's the only way for me. I can't drag my family in my mess, I will never be able to forgive myself.
For the sake of the love I have for my family, I have to sacrifice myself and Stella. Family first.
With my wobble hands, I pick the phone up my thigh. Messiah moves back so I can enjoy my space.
I sniff in my sobs as I press the device, it unlocks the moment I did the verification. The background beholds an image of myself, my black hair looking damn messy
. A teardrop blast on the phone's screen, I wipe it off quickly. I click on the phone menu... A crazy idea crosses my mind, I know it won't work well still I want to try it–
"And if you think of dialing 911. You know the consequences." Messiah murmurs loud enough for me to hear.
My eyes memorize the things beneath, his legs tangle with mine, the brown polished floor and nothing else, nothing to help. I have to do this, to protect my family, the ones I love the most, and ...Jeremy.
My heart burns knowing that I can't help Stella in this dilemma neither can I help myself, so I have to do it, to follow their lane.
The first contact that pop up shows Jeremy's name.
"Don't call Jeremy. Call your Mom." Ralph instructs, reminding me that he is still behind me with a gun.
I type her name and dial it immediately, placing the phone on my ear, I gaze at Messiah. He isn't with the cigar again. On the second ring, she picks.
"Haley?" her small voice doubts.
"Mom!"
Ralph presses the gun harder to my head, threatening to blow it off, "loudspeaker," I did that.
"Haley, what's wrong with you?!–Your phone was off...I was worried sick about you! And, that...boy, you're dating, Jerry or what was making me creep out... He said you were missing–" She's sobbing, I can hear her hiccups over the phone.
"Mom, mom–"
She cuts me off, "he said someone kidnapped you, I was so scared."
"Mom, listen to me, Mom" her sobs are really loud and I'm trying to do a good job pretending everything's cool.
"I'm fine, Mommy." I bite my lips on my lie. I want to shout over the phone that I'm not fine but I know the implication. Ralph won't shoot me, Harley will pay for it.
"Okay. So, where you now? I'd come over to pick."
I close my eyes, tempt to tell her everything–
"Don't worry about me, Mom. I'm fine." I lie.
"Just tell me where you're and I'd be there, I'll be a sweet Mama."
"Oh, Christ! Mom, you're the best mom and I love you." I mean it, I desire to hug her badly right now, although I can't.
"I love you too baby."
"Don't worry about me, Mom, I'm with–" I look up at Messiah. Hating the fact that he isn't a Messiah I pictured, he's a cunning serial devil.
"–a friend."
"Oh really?" She sounds calm.
"Umm, yes." Messiah points to his wristwatch which I'm just noticing.
"Mom, can I go now? I really have to go."
"Okay, you should really call your Dad and Harley, your roommates too, Therese and Sophia." Tracy's full name is Therese but she prefers Tracy, only my mom and few adults I can remember calls her Therese, probably her mom also.
"I will."
"You're sure you don't need me to come over?"
"Nope, I... I'm fine."
"Bye Mom." I hardly cut the call before Messiah snatch it from me.
Then, I realize... I just trade myself out.