I sighed deeply as I stirred the spaghetti that was being cooked in the pan. The sauce simmered in the other pan. Once again I gave out a disappointed sigh as I looked at the pan of spaghetti. I had accidentally made more food than I can eat. They are so going to get wasted. If only Ryan and Mia would have been here then all this extra food would not have been wasted but they have gone out for clubbing as it was their 'last day of freedom'(their words not mine) as from next week, Monday will be our first day of college. I'm excited about it but also a little bit anxious. I don't know what tomorrow will bring but I can only hope for the best. Too many depressing thoughts.
Moving on, the spaghetti that will be leftover will still be a big problem.
As I was pondering over the leftover spaghetti, the doorbell rang. The ringing of the doorbell stopped my train of thought. I looked up at the clock and the time read 9.50 pm.
Who would be here at this time?
Ryan and Mia will not be shifting till tomorrow and they told me that they will be staying in the dorms tonight as they want to get some rest because tomorrow will be an exhausting day. I slowly walked towards the door and peeped through the peephole and I could not believe who was standing on the other side of the door. It was none other than the mighty businessman Norman Blackford. The man was feared by people of all ages, the whole of the western hemisphere of this earth feared him. He is said to be the most influential man in the whole of North America and South America. But the question is what is he doing in front of my apartment at nearly 10 in the night.
Wait, is he here to kill me and bury me 6 feet deep in the ground? If he does that the sad thing is that no one will ever get to know about it. Yeah, he's that influential. Some even say that he is the head of the strongest Mafia in the whole world. I don't even know what I did to offend him. But if I don't open the door then he will definitely kill me.
Taking a deep breath I slowly opened the door and peeked at him and then quickly closed my eyes waiting for his wrath. I waited for a few seconds but nothing happened but I still didn't dare to open my eyes and waited for a few more seconds but still, nothing came, so I slowly opened my eyes and peeked at him. He was standing in the same place and confusion was written on his face. I finally realized what he was wearing. I have never seen him in anything else than formal suits but today he was in ....casual clothes. And man, was he looking good? He was wearing dark blue washed jeans with a navy blue jumper and boots. All I can say is that he is looking stunning. He cleared his throat and I finally and I finally stopped checking him out. What is happening to you, Mel? A teasing smirk was playing on his lips, which can only mean... that he knew I was checking him out. Damn. Only now I realized that he was carrying something and that something happens to be ...my purse?
"Mr. Blackford? I asked slowly. "Melissa, you forgot this in my office."He said and extended his hand towards me, which contained my purse. "Thank You," I said, slowly taking the purse from his hand. We stood there silently and awkwardly for a few seconds, both unable to come up with something to say. While standing I once again started thinking about the extra spaghetti and then suddenly an idea struck me. "Mr. Blackford," I called out when he just turned to walk away, he stopped and turned to face me once again. He gave me a questioning look as if silently asking the reason for stopping him.
"Did you had your dinner?" I asked him timidly. "No, I just returned from the office." He said. Poor soul, he works so hard to get this successful and some people still think that he's got old money.
"Well, I have accidentally made extra food and Mia and Ryan are out for the night and I hate keeping leftovers, so .... do you want to stay over for dinner?" I asked nervously, all the while looking down at my bare feet.
I don't know why but I don't like it when people are around the house wearing shoes.
"Of course, Mel." He said and gave me a breathtaking smile. I opened the door wider for him to enter. He entered through the doors, his broad shoulders almost covering the whole door frame.
"Just take off your shoes, and keep them there," I instructed him and thankfully he did exactly as I told him.
"You have arranged the room quite well Miss Davis," he said as he looked around the living room which was now filled with photo frames of me, my family, Ryan, Mia, and my other friends.
I simply nodded giving him a small smile as I continued to clear the papers and books scattered over the dining table.
"I hope you are okay with spaghetti?" I asked him. He turned away from the wall full of photo frames to face me and said "It's okay love."
Love. Again. But this time I don't think it's some trick of my stupid brain. It's reality but I wouldn't dare question him.
I nodded my head and returned to the kitchen and prepared two plates of food. I quickly placed them on the table before calling out for him.
During the whole dinner, we made small talks. He told me a little about his life and business and I told him about my family, friends, and my life back in Jacksonville. I also told him that I am excited as well as anxious for my first day of college that was starting from this Monday, two days from tonight. He told me that it would be alright and I shouldn't worry.
After dinner, I walked him out to the front door. He put on his shoes and walked out but stopped and turned to face me once again.
"Thanks for the delicious meal, Melissa, it was heavenly." He said with a small dimple popping out of his cheek as he smiled.
"Your welcome Mr. Blackford," I said giving him a small smile. Before I can process what's happening, he quickly leaned down and pressed a warm kiss on my cheek, and walked away briskly. My cheeks reddened after a few seconds when I finally realized what had happened. The warm sensation of his lips was still there and I couldn't help but bring my fingers to my cheek and lightly touching the spot where he touched his warm lips.
And even when I was laying down on my bed waiting for sleep to take over, all I could think was How were his lips so warm and sensual?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was no moon that night, and the deathly stillness of the surrounding jungle was broken only occasionally by the shrill cry of the cicada. Sometimes from far off came the hollow hammering of a woodpecker, carried along on the faint breeze. Or the grunt of a wild boar could be heard as he dug up for his favorite root. But these sounds were rare, and the silence of the forest always returned to swallow them up. The wind continued to sweep through the forest silently.
From far away the faint footsteps of someone running could be heard. A young boy of 16 and a young girl 14, continued to run through the deserted forest, panting heavily, but still didn't stop to catch theirs breathes, for they were afraid to get caught. Afraid of being trapped under their clutches again.
The blood continued to gush out from the left shoulder of the young girl as she tried to keep up with the quick pace of the boy. The girl's once vibrant and shiny hair was now pale and lifeless. Her beautiful eyes which are used to contain so much happiness, which used to shine brightly even in the dark, because of her free spirit, now were dead. She had become an empty shell of the person she once was. You cannot blame her for being like this. Who would be sane, if they had to go through the things that no 14 years old should have gone? Her innocent eyes have seen things that no 14 years old should see. Her innocent soul and body had suffered things that we won't even wish upon our enemies. She tried, she tried to be strong for him, tried to stay by his side as she promised, but slowly her will was crumbling. She won't know if she can take it any longer and her physical pain was slowly empowering her desire to escape, but still, she didn't stop. She knew that she cannot go any further, but she cannot break the promise. The promise is made to the only person with whom she can trust her life.
Suddenly the girl tripped over a rock and fell. Her knee scratched badly as blood started to ooze out of her knee. The young boy quickly appeared by her side, to help his companion, the only person left in his life, someone for whom he could lay down his life, without any hesitance. But seeing his companion slowly succumbing to her mortal injuries broke him utterly. The pain in the young boy's eyes had reflected the pain in his heart at the sight of the injured young girl.
"I don't think I can go any further, you have to leave before they find us, let me be here." the girl pleaded to the young boy who shook his head frantically, with tears shining in his eyes as he tried to control the sob that was going to escape from him. He is strong. He had to be strong for her. They both are each other's strengths. "I can't leave you behind, we've been through so much to get here, we can't give up now." the boy pleaded, now unable to control the tears that now flowed freely down his cheeks.
Suddenly a gunshot shook the silence of the whole forest, scaring the both even more.
"Just leave me here and go, I don't have much time left, but you need to go on and live your life, you have to avenge me." The girl said with new determination, the pain now long gone, but fury took its place now. They hugged each other tightly, refusing to let go but they had to.
BANG...
Norman jolted out of his sleep. The nightmare that he had seen in his sleep, still vivid in his mind. If only that had been a mere dream, but it was not. It was not just a dream but a cruel reality, that he had to face when he was at a tender age. A cruel reality that he tried to forget but could not, as it will always be a part of him.
He slowly got up from the bed and paced around his room, the sleep in his eyes now long gone. He walked up to his desk, situated in the corner of his room, and started rummaging through the drawers, trying to find something. After shuffling through many cabinets and drawers, he finally found the thing that he has been searching for. He held out an old worn-out photograph in his hand. The content of the photo was faded slightly but still quite visible. A young boy and a young girl were looking towards the camera and smiling widely, without a single worry, though life has been difficult back then still it was better than what was going to happen to them. It was only the calm before the storm. The storm destroyed them. They were unaware of the calamity that was going to fall upon them. Norman slowly caressed the picture.
"I miss you so much Lily," he whispered as he brought them close to his heart. He will forever savor those moments spent with her.