Lotus & Mr Werewolf

Lotus (2)

I'm embarrassed to say the least and angry why is he so rude? How did i even get there? Where is there? It's a bit warm in the car and the driver keeps looking at me on the rearview mirror.

The drive seems to take forever my left shoulder hurts really bad. When the driver finally drops me off i breathe a sigh of relief but I'm mortified when i search my pockets and there's no key and no phone. I wrap my arms around myself and take a deep breath. I will not cry, i will not cry, i will not cry.

I knock on the gate a few times, it's thick and black i wouldn't get through it on my best day so i settle for knocking until i see lights come on then i hear fiddling with the lock then the gate opens. It's my landlord, she's a really tall scary looking old lady who takes no s**t from anyone .

"I forgot my stuff at work and now i can't get in" i explain.

"Go inside " she orders and goes on to lock the gate.

I go inside her house and just stand there not sure what to do, she comes in and locks the door and goes into one of the rooms then emerges with a blanket that she throws at me.

"Take the couch and switch off the lights" she leaves.

Oh no i can't sleep in the dark, i look around frantically trying to figure out what to do. Finally I'm kneeling infront of the old style tv and i put my one finger on the button to lower the volume then with my other hand i press to the power button, to my luck the dial doesn't move it's already on zero and i thank God silently as i turn off the lights and rush to the couch

I am shaking the whole night and i am too scared to put my head under the blanket to warm myself, morning comes soon and finds me wide awake my teeth chattering. I look at the noisy clock above my head and it reads 5am and i am impatient my spine is tired of shaking.

It feels like it's years later when the clock finally hits 7 am. I go to the bathroom to pee then i wash my face in the basin, my hair is i mess so i make it damp and settle for two cornrows which look horrible as well so i pull on my hoody.

I open the door and rush outside to unlock the gate when i come back my landlord is standing by the door.

"Good morning I'm sorry if i woke you"

"No" is all she says.

"I have to go, thank you for your kindness " i hand her the keys and leave.

I have my arms tightly around myself ready to have a day better than yesteday but nooooooo

As soon as i enter the premises the strange guys steps out of a black car.

"Get in!" He's mad, why?

I stand there defiantly for a moment then i walk away.

"Please" he looks defeated and I'm not sure if I feel bad for him genuinely or I'm using him to get a bit of warmth.

He opens the door for me and i enter. He closes it and enters on the other side. It's warm in here and i shiver.

"Have you no regard for your own health" he pulls off hia suit jacket and puts it around my shoulders, it's warm and it smells like that little meadow in the forest.

He takes my cold hands into his and they are completely swallowed into his large ones they feel scorching hot against my cold ones it's almost painful.

"Why are you like this? Are you mad that i wasn't afraid the other day when i saw you ... doing your animal shifty thing?"

He chuckles bitterly, his voice is really deep "Animal shifty thing?" He seems amused "No" he finally says "I am not mad at you" he huffs.

"Okay. Look about yesterday...."

"What was wrong with you?" He interrupts.

I want to explain but i end up with "i don't do too well around people " i sigh and pull my hands back.

He looks away. "You left your phone yesterday " he says but he doesn't give it to me.

"May i have it please"

After a while he takes it out from his pocket and hands it to me.

"I gotta go work starts at 9"

"It's 08:35" he mentions not looking at me.

"Okay" i don't know what to say.

He doesn't say anything when i leave and i spend the whole day convincing the people i work with that this suit jacket belongs to a friend. I stay inside the office, it's been a long day of lies and pretending like i don't stink under this jacket and I'm not sick and definitely not hungry. I just want to bath eat some meat and sleep.

I leave last as usual and I'm surprised to see the now familiar black car.

"Let me take you home" I'm startled to see him leaning casually by the gate.

"Why?" Just get in the car girl it's cold if we die we die. My mind won't shut up.

"Why not?" He looks at me and for a moment i think he's gonna want his jacket back but he just gives me a half smirk and opens the door for me. I adjust my backpack and get inside.

It's not until we're at the gate that i realize that i didn't direct him, how would he know where i live? He must be some sort of stalker but why would a good looking guy like him be stalking me? It must be about that night in the woods.

"How did your driver know where i live?"

"You gave me your address yesterday " he rolls his eyes and i feel like a moron.

He opens ny my door and i come out.

I notice that as i open the gate he's behind me, i don't say anything as he follows me through the green grass to my tiny room attached to the main house, it's not even painted but i don't care, i open the security buttler then the door and enter but quickly turn around before he enters. I try to remember what my boss had called him.

"Cabello" i begin and his eyes go wide. Did i pronounce it wrong, i don't care. "This is strange i don't know why i let you follow me all the way here or why i got into your car in the first place but i am sorry for what i did on my side and don't worry i won't tell anyone about your little secret " he c***s his head to the side curiously and clears his throat as if to get his own attention.

"I just want to make sure that you're alright, like a friend "

"You want to be my friend?"

"Yes" he didn't even think about it.

"Okay" stop smiling like an i***t. "Do you want tea?" I am embarrassed for him to see my place, i grab a chair and put it by the door for him.

I wait for him to say something but his eyes follow my every move.

"Well it seems there's no electricity. I'm sorry, it must be loadshedding. Let me walk you out"

"I'm not leaving you alone in the cold with no electricity "

My heart, my heart needs to chill.

"I'll be fine I'm used to it" i shrug.

"Pack your things i am not leaving you here"

"Look..."

"Either you pack or I'm staying here too"

"It's cold you can't.. "

"I thought we were friends" oh my God i can't believe he went there.

"Fine but if anything happens to me everyone i know has your photo and they know you're the last person to see me alive" he chuckled but didn't respond; he just watched as i packed a few things for tomorrow.

"Okay let's go "

It's only a few minutes into the car ride when suddenly.

"How come you're still wearing yesterday's clothes?"

"Because i was locked out of my room and the key was in my bag which i had left at work"

"So where did you sleep at your boyfriends place?"

"Woah there why does it matter where i slept?"

"You were with your boyfriend weren't you?" He has this strange look that i do not understand.

"Red flag" i roll my eyes

"What?"

"You're a walking red flag. you must be one of the crazy ones but I'm not afraid you"

He's fuming, i can tell by his heavy breathing and he's balling his fists. I don't care if he's mad, he's gonna regret wanting to be friends with me, i like telling the truth.

It's a really long drive, there's traffic and it starts to rain.

I am startled awake by the sound of water, i look around and I'm in this strange room again. I sit up and look around, there's a large wall of glass to my left and i could see the whole city if i could get up and get closer but It it makes my stomach churn just thinking about it. Everything else is in various shades of Grey and black. Even the bedding is black but atleast the carpet is grey.

Cabello comes out of the bathroom a couple minutes later, a towel hanging very low on his hips, i avert my eyes quickly. He is big! He's built like that guy who plays superman and went on to be the witcher, I've never seen abs in real life. Lord help me.

"You're awake " he finally says.

"Yes" I'm sitting facing the view of the city.

It's quiet for a while then i hear his muffled footsteps approaching.

"You sleep a lot " he mumbles and I'm not sure if it's a complement or a jab.

"The bathroom is all yours" i turn around and find that he's wearing black pyjama bottoms and a gray t-shirt.

He hands me a gray t-shirt and i look at him in question.

"Just take it, you didn't pack any pyjamas"

I take it and grab my bag from the black plush chair and heas to the bathroom, i run the water and go on a treasure hunt in my bag. How could i forget my pyjamas.

The water is nice and warm, it's been a long time since I've been in a bath tub.

I am glad to find that the t-shirt is really big, like the sleeves go way past my elbows large.

I stand outside the bathroom door like a moron waiting to be acknowledged.

"I drooled on the bed"

"I know " he actually laughs.

"Come sit" he pats the spot next to him on the bed. What does that mean?

My eyes cloud over and i get a constricting pain in my chest.

"Hey baby girl what's wrong?" He cups my face gently in his large hands.

"I don't know what I'm doing here I'm scared " i sob uncontrollably. He pulls me to his chest.

"You're safe here I'm not going to hurt you shhhhh" he soothes. I don't know how long we stay that way but i suddenly feel better and the headache that i have makes me regret crying. He holds me at arms length and his t-shirt is soaked.

"I'm sorry, i think my brain isn't wired right" i wipe my eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with your brain" he kisses the top of my head and i wanna cry again. "Come to bed" he takes me by the hand.

He plumps the pillows so i could lean back.

He reaches for the remote and a very large screen i hadn't noticed comes on.

"What do you want to watch?" He looks at me.

"Moana" i flinch as i try to move.

"Moana it is, i will go get some tablets for you"