Alexa's unleashed wrath

CHAPTER. FIVE

Alexa stood before the mirror in the bathroom, her eyes surveying the reddened part of her chin where she had hit the floor when Emily and Rachel had tripped her because of Jaden. A tear rolled down her cheek as she thought about that encounter and all the names they had called her. She wished she could see Jaden so she could tell him to stay away from her because she didn’t want any more trouble. As fast as the thought came, she dismissed it because she knew she could never tell him that. She wiped the tear and bent down to turn on the faucet. She cupped her hands and brought some water to her face. She splashed her face and sent silent thanks to the moon goddess that there was no one in the washroom to see her in that state.

She was happy that he was even interested in her, in the first place. She turned off the faucet and brought out her handkerchief which she used to pat her face dry. She looked back at her reflection in the mirror. She would rather be damned than be a stumbling block in the path of her own happy ever after with him. However, she wished she could see him so something could be done about Emily and her best friend to stop them from hurting her again. As she stood there, her mind went back to the moments in the cafeteria when they spoke like old friends and how interested he seemed in her drab and boring life, listening and hanging on to every word she uttered like they were the breath in his lungs. She smiled covertly when she remembered that he kissed her on the cheek before leaving like they were in a relationship. However, her smile dimmed when she remembered the hasty manner in which he left, claiming that he had an emergency.

What kind of emergency would make him leave the school premises before they closed for the day? She wondered if he was involved in anything shady but shook her head to get rid of that thought. He did not look like the type to be involved in anything illegal. And he was too smart to get caught up in any shady deals, or so she made herself believe based on what she knew about him from observation. She hoped that there was nothing wrong with any of his family members because she couldn’t fathom any other news or kid of emergency that would warrant him leaving that hurriedly and with all his friends as well.

Somewhere in town, Jaden and his friends were in a car driving on a long, winding road. They were all tense because they were now about 30 minutes late. They had been delayed by an accident on the highway which took over 15 minutes to clear despite the hurried movements of the highway patrol. They were delayed even further by the many traffic lights on their way. They had not flaunted any of them because that would have made them even later but as time went on and the difference between their expected time of arrival and the real time of arrival increased, they wished they had flaunted the traffic signs and sped through them all.

“Calm down, guys”

Jaden tried to dissipate the tension he knew each of them had in their spines due to their tardiness, but it only helped to make matters worse when they began muttering to themselves about who or what bore the blame for their lateness. The chatter soon died down. They had arrived at the gate of a house which they hurriedly passed through.

“We’re here”

Jaden said to which the guys either grunted or hummed in reply. None of them were in the mood for conversation. They were here for serious business and it could swing any way. The propensity for it to go south and for something life-threatening to happen was very high so no one was interested in small talk. They all valued their heads too much for that.

Jaden understood all these so he did not bother to say anymore. He wasted no time in putting the car to park and before the ignition was even turned off, the guys were outside waiting for him to alight. He did and did not bother to lock it. No one dared steal their car especially not when it was parked in that compound. They moved briskly towards the house. On getting to the front door, they didn’t bother to ring the doorbell or even be ushered in. Jaden, who was leading the troop, grabbed the doorknob and turned it to allow them inside. They all moved into the house with familiarity like they had been there before. They moved in a single file according to their rank like as though in a military setting, to the staircase at the end of the living room. Wordlessly, they moved up the stairs with the only sound in the house still being their steps on the stairs.

When they got to the landing, they all made eye contact before nodding at each other. They turned sharply to the right and moved down the hallway to the only door at the end. They stopped before the door and after taking a deep breath, Jaden knocked.

“Come in”

A gruff voice said from inside the room.

Jaden turned the doorknob and they all stepped into a dark room, one by one.

The only light had been from the hallway and now that the door was shut, the room was lit only by a fireplace even though it was the middle of the day and summertime. The room was cold because the air conditioners were turned on at full last. The black curtains at the windows prevented light from coming in. Their eyes now adjusted to the light, they all bowed to the mammoth figure seated behind the large brown, board table in the middle of the room.

“Alpha Asher.” They all said in unison.