CHAPTER 7: Hello misery, my old friend
1505 Words
LIAM
Not again.
I open my eyes to find a naked Olivia next to me in a pink thong. I turn my head and a condom seal is broken next to my pants on the marble floor.
“Sh*t.” I run my fingers through my hair and unlike the first time this happened, I remember everything and alcohol had nothing to do with it.
At least I think so because I feel a bit groggy. As the sunlight tries to crack through the bay window, all I am filled with is regret because I think I had s*x with Olivia Fisher.
“I didn’t drug you this time, we didn’t even drink a sip of alcohol.” Olivia defends as she looks for her clothes behind me.
“I know.” I remember her kissing me first but I didn’t stop her, I even got us the hotel room we spent the night in.
“Look Liam, I have enough on my plate and the last thing I need is drama with—”
“Please stop,” I bury my face in my hands. “Odessa and I were abstaining because she was on tour with her orchestra and even before that, she was the only person I—my point is.” I try to breathe. “I just need a minute.”
If it was not over between Odessa and me, then it definitely is now because I had s*x with Olivia Fisher.
“s**t,” I blink away the tears that prick the corner of my eyes.
“I’ll let myself out then,” she grabs her bag and leaves when I don’t respond.
I want to go after Olivia because she has been through enough. The last thing she needs is me being a jackass and treating her like a random hook up but my feet won’t move.
This is the first time ever since meeting her that I have intentionally tried to hurt Odessa and it does not feel as good as I thought it would because despite it all I still love her.
I still need her.
I grab my phone and long press 1, to speed-dial her cell but it goes straight to voicemail just like before. This time, I leave a message despite my promise to myself not to.
“Odessa, I really need you to call me back because I did something really bad.” I exhale deeply to catch my breath. “I think you should hear it from me directly.”
I press the red button to hang up but one look at her face on the wallpaper screen and the device is flying towards the wall again.
Not this s**t again.
“What do you mean Odessa sent an email?” I look at a frowning Neels.
Odessa missed their weekly calls for a 3rd time so of course he is in a mood but at least he got something back from her.
“Read it yourself,” he leaves his iPad behind when he storms off.
“I’ll go check on him,” Hailey volunteers when my parents stand. “I’m sorry Liam,” she looks at the iPad before looking at me with pity.
“You don’t have to,” my mother has clearly seen this email too.
“We just think—” I cut my father off by grabbing my brother’s iPad.
Little One,
Sorry I missed our call but my cousin promised to get this to you when the time was right. I have to disappear for a while but I will make it up to you so take care of your brother for me. I miss you both.
Love V.
“Liam,” father warns and I follow his eyes to find Neels looking at me by the doorway.
“She is not coming back, is she?” Neels asks as I fight the will to toss the device against the wall.
“I am not sure.” I say it more to myself than him.
“I want to go home.” Neels tells everyone in the room, “I hate it here and I want to leave now!” He storms off but Hailey and my mother follow after him.
“Liam maybe we should—” father takes the iPad from my now trembling hands.
“I want to go home too.” I cut him off. “I hate it here, we all do.”
When were younger, our parents would whisk us away every time there was a problem they didn’t know how to handle. When I graduated early, they took us to Greece to ‘celebrate.’
Every time Hailey had a breakup, to different parts of Rome we’d go and now France? It has to stop because the pain follows no matter where we go and this time it’s worse because I slept with Olivia Fisher.
I think.
ODESSA
“I need to call my family.” I storm into the private rec-room with my bruised face. “I am going home.”
Bonus, Miyo even cracked my lip which means I am bleeding. The funny part is, the lip hurts more than the black eye.
“What the hell happened to you?” Kairo drops his pool stick to come to my aid.
“Do not touch me.” I move back and Kairo only stops because I pull out a knife. “Was this the Choi plan all along? To pretend to help only to get me alone so you could kill me?”
I yell but Saya doesn’t walk in which means I have to improvise.
“It is my first month here and already I am battered and bruised. Now, someone give me a phone or so help me God I am burning this place down with all of you in it.”
Kaizer scoffs mockingly.
“Do you doubt me Mr Greed?” I face him with a scowl. “Ask about me sweetie, if you thought what I did to your brother and uncle was bad, wait until you see what I do next.”
Kaizer charges for me and I step close to meet him half way because despite my meek appearance, I am far from afraid.
“Stop!” Kudo stands between us but not having Saya do her part is throwing me off.
Nonetheless, I suspected this would happen and I have a backup plan for a situation like this. I just know it will be enough to encourage her.
“I want to go home Kudo.” I put the knife down to annunciate, “or else.”
“Or else what?” Kiyoko tsks and I internally smirk because it is the trigger Saya needs to walk in.
All poor Saya had to do was show up late and not do her chores, then Miyo lost it. To say her mother-in-law did a number on her would be an understatement because I had to pull her back before she could grab a weapon.
It really made me wonder how deep the abuse Saya has been going through runs because she didn’t even fight back. I had to intervene just to make it stop which is when I stole the knife.
“Or I am going back home too.” Saya answers as a tear runs down her cheek. “I thought that the reason you didn’t do anything about your mother was because you didn’t know.”
She talks to Kiyoko.
“But you do know and still you are doing nothing.” Another tear drops and I am not sure if they are real or not because she knows how to tug at the heart strings. “I would rather die at the hands of my father than spend an eternity with a family that does nothing!”
Kaizer scoffs again which earns him a glare from Kairo and Kudo.
“Do you think I care?” Kiyoko pulls out a cigarette. “Go, the Yakuza chased you away like a dog so you won’t even make it past the gate.” He blows smoke on her face to smear an extra layer of cruelty.
Real.
The tears leaving Saya’s face are definitely real because she looks at him to say, “that is where your wrong honey. I will be escorted in like a true princess once they find out I was pregnant but lost the baby because of the Choi abuse.”
“What?” Kudo pulls back Kiyoko to ask Saya, “are you pregnant?”
“No but look at us Kudo. If Ivan walked in right now and saw how Odessa is treated, the Dominaka mob won’t wait till the morning to extract her and me? I am sick of being the dirt your family steps on.” She looks at Kiyoko when she says the last part.
Perfection, Saya is knocking her part out of the ballpark.
- Writer
