~rage's POV~
She smirked pleased with the way my gaze had narrowed. I swear if there was a cup of steaming hot coffee nearby, I would literally grab it and repeat Wednesday's deed. There wasn't so I decided to do something less materialized. I sat back down, crossed my legs and then crossed my arms on the table. I stared intently at her before speaking.
'You're on my table…..and in my way. Fuck off' I spelled out the last part, now attempting to annoy her. That didn't seem to even dent her dignity because she just stood up, tossed her hair over her shoulders and gave me that suspicious smile again. 'Hh' I sighed after she finally left me alone. My gaze followed her until she reached the RP table and sat down specifically next to Ace. Probably trying to emphasize her possession over him. The thought of them being together once again disgusted me and so did her shameless method of getting to him. It completely ruined my appetite so I got up and left. I actually felt like throwing up so I branched the girl's bathroom. I stared at my reflection and I found myself comparing my beauty to Skye's. She was a somewhat blonde, although her hair was mostly brown, and men love blondes. I on the other hand didn't have a single strand of yellow in my hair; my hair was a pure dark raven black.
'What the hell are you talking about?' Vy asked, replacing my reflection with hers.
'N-nothing' I answered kinda embarrassed I was comparing my body to Skye's.
'You know you're way more attractive than her, hands down' she stated in a matter-of-fact tone but I just blinked. 'Why do you think she's threatening you? She literally sees you as competition Rage. She's scared of you' she continued. Somehow that didn't make me feel any better. I guess because of the last part. I didn't want more people to be scared of me, especially not in this new school, where I was willing to start afresh. 'Really? Not even Skye Anderson? The girl that's literally threatening you' she reasoned. She was right though. I couldn't stand there and watch her step all over me. Maybe I would make an exception. Skye should be scared of me...….terrified even.
'That's the spirit' she cheered. 'Plus, you already have an advantage...…..Ace. He's obviously into you, so all you have to do is be into him back'
'What?! No!'
'Fine, you can fake it. Just to get to Skye...to make her jealous'
'Wait, aren't you supposed to be my subconscious. Not my inner demon'
'I can be both. Besides, they don't call me Envy for no reason'
'So you're like the queen of jealousy'
'You can say that'
'I'm not sure about this. This seems wrong'
'Look, none of this is real. This is all just to put Skye in her place for good; for your good and the good of others'
'But they're gonna be hurt for real. Skye and Ace. Their feelings aren't fake'
'Sure. Skye, the spoilt bitch, who goes around threatening people and making their lives miserable for no reason, with no regards whatsoever for their feelings. Oh and Ace, the gorgeous Playboy with probably only feelings of lust and want, who goes around luring and using people. These guys have real feelings and don't deserve to get a taste of their own medicine, at all' she said sarcastically. She did have a point though. Skye and Ace were players, who toyed with other people's emotions. They deserved to get their feelings hurt.
'Okay. I'll do it'
'Oh goody' she clapped her hands, grinning. I could tell she really wanted to deal with these people and I couldn't say I didn't want to as well. 'We can call this: Operation Collision' she suggested. 'But first, I need you to get a little information from Smile'
I didn't even have to ask what it was. I already knew exactly what information I needed from Smile.
'Ta-ta' she gave one of those ciao waves before her reflection faded away. She left in the mirror an anime black-haired girl staring back at me with void eyes. I left the girl's bathroom and as expected, she followed me.
It was finally school-over so I tried to find Smile. Unfortunately I didn't, but I did find Summer and Autumn. They said she was at the school's press board meeting for the HCA papers (Higher Clouds Academy). I never knew she was a journalist, but now that I thought about it, it suited her, with the way she was always forming a conversation.
'…Why?' they chorused. I had always found it super cool when twins talked at the same time.
'Um…I really need to talk to her'
'You can text her, if it's really urgent' summer suggested and then it hit me. I actually never asked for Smile's phone number. Even when she had handed me her phone the other day.
'I actually don't have her number'
'Oh, I can give it to you, if you want' autumn offered.
'Yes please' I said handing her my phone. She dialed it in and handed it back to me.
'Thanks…..you can add in yours too' I said as a friendly gesture and they literally yanked my phone.
'There you go' they chorused again and gave me back my phone.
'Thanks again' I smiled and walked away from them. I sat on a stone slab and started constructing me and Smile's conversation in my head. I did that for a little while until I heard Noah and Gladys pull up along the road. I got into the car and greeted them both before diverting my mind back to my simulated conversation. I didn't even notice when we got home until Gladys asked when I would get down.
'Huh? Oh, sorry' I hurried out of the car and into the house. I dumped my bag on the dining table then dialed Smile's number. My mind was so into the buzzing from the other end that I almost didn't notice my brother entering the room with a can of Schweppes. I looked up at him and waved with an expression that said: hello? I knew my brother was really quiet and loved to keep to himself but still, I was his baby sister – not that I liked being called a baby – and he could at least ask me how my day was. He just blinked at me and raised his can to his lips to take a sip. He couldn't even offer me a can of Schweppes.
Sometimes I just wondered where my big brother was. He was so close yet felt so distant. I thought at first that it was just him lacking a sense of belonging. Especially to this family. He always seemed secluded from the rest of us. I couldn't blame him though. My brother wasn't completely a part of this family. The orphanage we stayed at for a year wouldn't let my parents fully adopt him, because Levi had caused a lot of fights and had injured a lot of people's children. They didn't have the heart to lock an 11 year old in prison, or send him to a reformation home. When Levi grew older, his heart grew colder but his hot temper could no longer be controlled. He did sinister things to people so the cops eventually intervened. By this time he was just 16, therefore still too young to go to jail. They would've taken him to reform if Noah and Gladys hadn't pleaded so desperately for him. They were even willing to half adopt him and reform him themselves. They put him on lockdown and he was home schooled for three years. The cops saw to it but they had their own conditions; they were cops after all, and no citizen is above the law. They gave the safest, easiest solution. That Levi would be arrested for all his crimes once he was the proper age.....18.
And when I think about it, that's approximately just 5 more months to go till I ever see my own big brother again for who knows how long. He knows all this yet he doesn't even bother to spend this remaining 5 months with his baby sis, or half parents. We used to be so close and tight when we were still in the orphanage home. Where did we go wrong? Was it when I got adopted and he didn't? Or was it when I started getting scared of him in a way.
As this is the month of September, January in his case is the worst month to ever be born. To think he's going to be spending his New Year's behind bars just makes me want to hug him and comfort him and never let anything bad happen to him ever again. He had never let anything bad happen to me. In fact, most of the fights he had started was because of me. He never gave anyone in that orphanage the chance to bully or harass me; physically, emotionally and sexually. He couldn't keep doing that when we got out of there.....…when we stepped into the cruel world we once known...….he couldn't beat everyone up. He could only tell the boys that tried to molest or lure me to back off. They took the hint. Everyone did. No-one wanted to be on Levi Dakota Hunter's bad side. His name made everyone think twice. It made everyone shiver and shake, almost melt in fear. Although his name was misleading – as Dakota meant friend. He was the opposite of a friend. He was your worst enemy if you got into his black book, and if you did…you were literally drawing the blueprints of death.
….But as I was saying…to think he's going to be spending his New Year's behind bars. Hh. At least it would be much easier to count the years…
What am I saying?! Who would want to be handcuffed on their birthday?
…
Hello? ......hello?
'Hellooo?' the voice from the other end snapped me out of my cruel reverie and back to reality. She had finally picked up, apparently 6 seconds ago. The memory lane I had just walked out of launched my perfectly constructed conversation simulation into outer space. I didn't remember a thing….
'H-hello?'
'Yeah, who is this?'
'Um...it's Smile, I mean…Rage'
'Rage!?'
'Yes'
'How did you get my number?'
'Summer and Autumn'
'Oh, what do you need then?'
'We really need to talk. I have a lot of questions'
'About gloom?'
'No, some other people'
'At school?'
'Yes'
'Perfect! In that case…..can I come over?' she asked catching me unaware. I didn't think she'd want to come back after how weird Noah and Gladys acted or how dangerous and scary Levi seemed.
'Um....wouldn't your mom mind?'
'Naah, as long as it has something to do with school'
'…Okay then, sure'
'Would Noah and Gladys mind?'
'Probably not. They'd love for me to have a friend over again, and I think they've pretty much falling in love with you. They keep on asking when you'll come over again, so they can clear their schedules'
'LOL, typical Mom and Dad'
'So you're coming over?'
'Yeah'
'When, now? Tomorrow?' I suddenly got nervous.
'Relax. I don't think I can make it today – I'm still at the school's press board meeting for HCA papers' she answered. That was exactly what Summer and Autumn had said. 'And I'm not going to be available tomorrow because I apparently have to babysit my little sister. She ate too many gummies at once and has indigestion now so she can't go to school. To make matters worse, my mom's having this conference at work so I'm basically stuck at home the whole day' I didn't know why but hearing a fellow teenager talk about their problems on the phone felt so good. I had actually never felt this good before. I guess this was one of the perks of having girlfriends.
'So Saturday then?' I asked acknowledging the fact that the conversation actually went well without me racking my brain.
'Saturday would literally be great!'
'Thanks a lot, Smile' I said and I think I saw Levi's gaze jolt from the game of bottle flip he was playing to me. I crinkled my forehead in confusion. Why did my statement suddenly summon his attention? He didn't seem to want to give me any before I mentioned…...
Smile?!
Was my brother attracted to her? I had never seen my brother attracted to anyone ever in my life before. Now that I thought about it, I remembered Smile and Levi coming downstairs at the same time. I remembered them standing next to each other at the door way looking all tensed and suspicious. I also remembered them talking about something deep on the stairs that day. Memories of them together started playing back in my head…
When Levi kinda indirectly invited Smile over to his room; he hardly ever invited even me to his room.
And when Levi pulled out a chair for her at the dining table, and she blushed pretty hard. That was pretty intimate though.
Maybe I was just over thinking this.
'Who were you talking to you?' he asked.
'Isn't it obvious…Smile'
'So you have her number now?' he slightly raised a brow, with unbeaten expectations.
Ohhh. Was that what he was looking for this morning?
'That's what you were looking for?!' I pointed at him and he slid out of his chair.
'And so what if it was?'
'Mmmm. Nothing' I teased. I loved teasing him. 'So, what would you have done if you did get her number? Call her? Text her? ....Sext her?' I continued, the last part in a mischievous, quiet tone. I saw his face flush red but assumed it wasn't anger.
Was he, The Levi Dakota hunter........blushing?!!