Tempting Adeline

11

Adeline

He was furious.

He was pulsing with it. One hand clutched the steering wheel, his knuckles white and his other hand on the gearshift clenching hard like he wanted to strangle someone.

He overheard the incident with Wesley and I. He must think I’m pathetic that I’m paying for Wesley’s stuff and tolerating his bullshit but Wesley has been with me for a while and has stayed with me through the stress. He may not know what I almost did which I will take to my grave but he’s just as important to me.

“I’m okay.” I said, wrapping my arms around my torso, my voice scratchy and unsure. “Really.”

That seemed to make him more furious.

“Yeah because your boyfriend is the best.” Sarcasm drips from his voice as he drives. “Too bad he’s laced with all these deficiencies.”

I flashed him a glare but it’s no use. He’s right somehow and I can’t bring myself to deny that or defend Wes. He doesn’t speak anymore and I have never been more grateful for that.

He stopped in front of Glazzers and I didn’t wait for him to say anything, I just opened the door and stepped out without saying a single word.

I didn’t turn back till I entered the building and checked through security. When I glanced out the window, he was still there watching me till I was out of sight. I definitely will have a hectic day today as my boss kept shouting and ordering people around.

I took in deep breaths and downed my coffee before straightening my spine, ready to go through another stressful day.

I needed the money to move out of Croix’s place and get my own place and my own camera rather than having to pay to use someone else’s for my gigs. I was pretty worn out already so I went for a coffee break.

The day’s job seemed to be a knack in the butt. I walked straight to the bar to drown myself in some vodka when I checked the website for the WYP fellowship. I took all my photoshoots seriously because I might submit it as part of my portfolio for the fellowship.

I checked the website, my hands playing with the rim of my vodka cup while I opened the email they sent to all applicants. I typed in my code for access and waited. I gasped at the message. This could be the turning breakthrough for me.

Dear applicant,

For the assignment, each applicant is to produce a photographic gallery centered on a single muse.

The muse must be a person with a perfectly symmetrical facial structure captured while expressing a range of emotions. This purpose is to assess your ability to translate emotional depth, technical precision and artistic vision.

Further details regarding submission guidelines and deadlines will be communicated shortly.

We encourage you to approach this with originality and intentionality.

Kind regards,

Selection Committee

World Youth Photography Fellowship.

I just needed a muse for the project. Where am I going to find a muse? I downed my remaining vodka and looked around me for a perfect symmetrical face.

Most people in this bar are probably like me, depressed, only here to down their sorrow and don’t have the face that is perfect to me.

This was hopeless. It wasn’t until I felt someone sit beside me and ordered a whiskey that my interest piqued. To my surprise, it was Josiah. He was beside me. I studied his face and he looked good to be my muse.

“Hey Sigh.” I smiled with a small wave. He turned his head, his eyes blank and dark then turned back to his whiskey. I continued nevertheless. I was willing to overlook his asshole behaviour. “How are you doing?”

Still no response and I basically wanted to punch his face inside out but it was only going to ruin my plans so I shrugged it off.

“Look so I was thinking about making smoothies later this evening, what are your preferences? Any special fruits you like or are allergic to?”

“Get to the point, Adeline.” He spoke, his tone rather dismissive. His face was like a blank canvas and the only expression that tells about his emotions is the clenched jaw. He doesn’t like me invading his personal space. Too bad, I’m desperate.

“So I need a muse.” I spoke letting all of that friendly tone disperse and revealing the tired emotions that I’ve been bottling up. He seemed pretty shocked for a second before masking it up. “I want to enter into WYP so badly. It’s my dream and now the latest project demands me to have a muse or a mini gallery of my own muse.”

“I don’t care about all that. What’s in it for me?” Josiah said after hearing me out. I smirked at his response. He listened and didn’t even interrupt me. It may be stupid to think that but I rather go with it.

“You’re interested?” I feigned surprise. Amusement laced in my tone and he seemed to pick it up because he made a move to leave. “Okay you get bragging rights, And the opportunity to make Croix jealous and angry.”

I blurted this statement out. I didn’t mean to. I mean Croix doesn’t like me at all. Why would he be jealous of Josiah for my sake? I expected Josiah to scoff and walk away but I didn’t expect the laughter pouring out of him.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” I asked, the laughter was making me angrier than surprised or booth at the same time, I’m not sure. He stopped laughing eventually and stared at me with the most fascinated stare I’ve ever seen.

“You’re something else, aren’t you?” He shrugged, taking all of his whiskey down in one gulp. “I can’t do it but I can get Croix to do it for you.”

That alone intrigued me so much that I unconsciously leaned forward to hear more from him. “Croix has a weird fixation for eccentric taste.”

“Like what? People wearing mickey mouse boxers or what? Naked people?” I asked and scoffed. But when Josiah didn’t say a word, my eyes widened.“As in nude people?”

“He has this fixation for nude paintings. That explains why he craves seeing people vulnerable. He controls that vulnerability.”

“And what the f**k am I in for?” I asked. “How does that have to do with me?”

He lifts my chin up with his middle finger and index finger. “You, my dear, are the muse he’s looking for.”

I scoffed, taking his hands off me and pulling away. He can’t be serious, right? He does look serious but whatever. I’m not going to show off my naked body to my brother in exchange for a couple of photoshoots.

“I think I’ll work with you, if you’re interested and if not, I’ll find someone else.” Josiah just shrugged, tossed some cash and the counter and left. Seems like he isn’t interested. I knew that the bastard just didn’t want to help in any way, just indulge me for a while.

I kept some cash on the counter and stepped off the stool. That's when I remembered that I don’t have a ride home. I looked around me, I can’t possibly tell any of these strangers to give me a lift. I would rather get mauled by a bear.

I stepped outside. The night was cold and I wrapped my arms around myself for comfort. Maybe if I can walk a distance, I can get home faster but who am I kidding?

I don’t know my way around here and staying here is dangerous.

I hear a honk from a car in front but I didn’t pay attention to it. It could be some bastards who are as dangerous as rapists.

I walked a distance, my feet were cold and tired but I just wanted to go home.

Then I felt it. The feeling of being watched. I stopped in my tracks, my heart pounding in my chest and my senses on high alert.

For some reason, my body reacts that way. I used the corner of my eye and it was some guy in a hoodie. I immediately slipped my hand inside my bag clutching the pepper spray.

I walked faster, my sense on high alert counting his footsteps and listening for its sound. Then it picked. He was approaching me faster. Before I could run, I heard muffled sounds like someone was struggling.

Two men in a hoodie were fighting and one seemed to overpower the other. The hood fell off and familiar dark hair shone in the night under the streetlights. It was Croix. I ran to him immediately.

I can’t hug him because he stood up glaring at me with such ferociousness. I frowned, putting my hand down. He noticed my movements but didn’t say a word. I wanted to touch him, maybe a pat on the back.

“You could have called me.” He growled, baring his teeth to me. “That man could have hurt you.”

“This is exactly why I didn’t call you, dammit.” I scoffed, throwing my hands in the air. “You and your stupid anger issues. I didn’t do anything to you but clearly you act like I do every single day making it hard to live with you every single day.”

He looked into my eyes, back and forth, the way he did in the shower like he was looking for something. Then he blinked, turning his head away. What the f**k was that? “Come with me.”

I slid into his car, the passenger seat and laid down there, cold and freezing and with my feet to my chest. He watched me from the visor mirror, I could feel his cold stare on me. I wanted to thank him for saving me from that guy but the words got stuck in my throat. I just wanted to sleep so I closed my eyes and let the sound of the tire against the tar lead me to sleep.

I felt the car slide to a stop and I sat up realizing it’s late, very late. He glanced at me from the visor then continued the journey home. Did he just delay because I was sleeping? I might be tipsy and tired but I’m not stupid. The drive from work to home is basically thirty minutes and this is over an hour.

I sat up and with my face to the window, we didn’t say anything to each other till we got to the front porch of the house. I was about to step down but f**k it,

“Thank you for saving me back there. If it wasn’t for you, I would have been hurt. I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

“I look forward to that.”

Wesley burst out of the house, his feet on the cold bare ground, running towards me lifting me up and sending kisses on my lips and anywhere his lips wandered to.

I wanted to push him aside to see Croix’s reaction but he was gone.