MERCENARIES
Angel's Pov
When I woke up and I didn't see Andrew I panicked. Hard.
It didn't matter that this wasn't that room where I lived my nightmare — the single harsh light was gone and there was actually a window in here — it was immediate. Visceral. I jumped up like I only had five seconds to get out before they shut me in again, permanently.
When I yanked the door open and saw Andrew standing there, I calmed down a little. And when he took me into his arms, I just wanted to keep holding him.
And maybe cry. But I stopped myself. I don't want to be annoying or a burden so that he doesn't think I'm annoying or a burden. “I'm better now,” I say, detangling myself from him after a while.
He smiles down at me, gently patting my head. “Okay then, come on, let's go have breakfast. You are hungry, right?”
I nod, returning his smile. “Yeah, I am. But I want a hot bath.” I want to get out of this dress and have it washed and put away for a while.
Andrew nods and walks with me to my room. I hesitate standing in front of it and he notices. “I'll just be downstairs okay,” he says, “Yell if you need anything and I'll be there in a moment.”
I give him a small smile, steel myself and walk in. I can hear him leave and it feels like I have a count down timer before I start panicking.
brush my teeth and then strip. They had me use a tub while I was in The Laith's custody so a shower it is today. I don't want anything, anything at all, that will remind me of that place for now. I want the memory gone as soon as possible.
I finish up quickly and, too late, I realize I don't have any clothes here. None, not a stitch of clothing. I packed it all up to my new apartment. There was no need to leave my pretty dresses here, and if I ever came back to spend the night maybe, I could always bring some with me.
I finish my shower, hoping there's at least a towel in here. I cross my fingers and check the cupboards. There is.
I do a little dance when I see it and hold it up. But my dance was premature because it's not big enough to wrap around me. I sigh, toweling off anyway.
Making my way to the door, the towel clutched to my chest, all of the back of me exposed, I poke my head out the door and yell, “Andrew? Could you come up here for a second?
“Yeah!”
I see his head come up the stairs and I retract my body further inside, so he won't see me, not that he would have a second ago. He walks up to me and before I can say anything he reaches out to push the door open.
“No wait!” I exclaim, bracing my body against it.
“Angel, what is it?” He asks, a little alarmed but mostly curious, “Is everything okay?”
“Everything's fine,” I nod, “I just uh, need some clothes."
Andrew looks down, to where he'd find me naked if it wasn't for this door. Maybe he realizes that because his eyes immediately jump back up to mine. He clears his throat, already turning around, “Coming right up.”
I nod, behind his back and watch as he walks down to his room. A few moments later, he's out, and walking back. He hands me the clothes and I open the door a smidgen more, to be able to get the bunch of fabric through. “Tell me if it, uh, fits.”
I nod, retract the rest of me and try it on. The shirt, big and green, stops a little past my hips and I have to fold the black shorts twice but yeah it fits. I open the door and step out.
A large smile spreads on his face, as soon as he sees me, which quickly graduates to a small, amused chuckle.
“What?” I say, a little confused looking down at myself to make sure I haven't worn them backward or inside out. I haven't.
“Nothing,” he says, swallowing his laugh down.
“It's something, you're laughing,” I insist, and place my hand on my hips.
That does him in and he starts chuckling again, even as he says, “It's really nothing. Come on down, let me finish up breakfast and we can eat.”
I shake my head and let it go. We're almost down the stairs when he snaps his fingers. “Oh and here,” he says, handing me my phone.
“Thank you!” I say, very delighted to receive it. I thought I'd never see it again when they took me. . .
I shake my head, focusing on the here now. Because that's where I am, here now. They can't lock me up anymore.
I turn it on and see that I need to plug it in, it's almost dead. But my charger is back at my apartment.
Will I have to go back there now?
I shake my head and decide to use my phone sparingly so it lasts the whole day at least. I scroll to messages and watch as they load up.
Ceceila texted me twice, reminding me of the address I wanted to send her. Oh id only she knew. . . But what a story I'll have to tell her during girls night.
I check in the other messages I have. And to my surprise as they keep coming in, they're all from Hank, all sixteen of them.
He replied to the text I sent to that fateful day, then started sending increasingly worried texts back the next day. Then he called, four times this morning. Maybe I should text him back first, I think, quite touched
I notice that Sadie didn't text me, none of them did when I didn't show up for the dinner. Maybe my neighbors
thought I stood them up. Understandable.
What a story to tell Sadie too.