*SILIA*“I hope you are aware that I am a very busy guy,” Nick grumbled as soon as I sat inside the passenger seat of his cab.“Yeah I know and that’s why I am even going to pay you for taking out time for me,” I smiled back through pressed lips, “No, but seriously I am grateful you came to my apartment even though it’s your business hour.”That made him smile in satisfaction and switching off the engine he faced me. I could tell that he was relieved to be getting this free money and leisure time off as well and that did make me feel slightly happy. For all I knew anyone who lived in this wretched city must be have a tough life with their own share of problems, financial being the biggest one.“By the way, where have you been? I have no clue about anything that is going on in your life. At some point I almost thought you might have been dead or something,” Nick said, his lips turning up in a crooked smile. I knew he was joking about this but his eyes were clear and careful. He was wor
*SILIA*If silence had fingers it was probably choking me with it right now.I could barely breathe in the intense atmosphere that had been created in the living room of my shared apartment with Lisa. She was glaring at me with lips pursed in disappointment. I didn’t have to look at her to know this; the oppressive force of her fury would have been palatable even from miles away.She was waiting for me to explain myself but since I had nothing to formidably say that would help my case I chose to stay quiet.It was around five minutes later when she clicked her tongue and broke her silence first, her impatience seeping through her angry eyes.“Cut off all ties with them at once,” She said slapping a hand on her knees as she got up and collected her coat to get back to her room. From the tone that she had used it was clear that she had already made my decision for me and there was no more room for any further argument.Her actions and lack of interest in trying to understand me hurt and
*SILIA*I think this was the third time I had ran out in the middle of the night and I know like every time there won’t be anyone following after me.The first time was when I had been bullied by the kids in school for being an orphan followed by the warden scolding me for crying too much. I was six then, barely smart enough to understand why I was being discriminated like this and why I didn’t have any parents. My little heart hadn’t been able to take the pain and had therefore sneaked out into the garden where I had sat all night crying in the daisy bushes.The next day I was found by the very same warden, passed out because of the cold and instead of kind words that one should have given to me I had yet again been scolded.The second time was when I was living in with a toxic boyfriend who had tried to force himself on me. Running out then was an act of survival and that was the day I had met Lisa for the first time. She could tell from my tattered clothes that something was wrong
I have sat before in Draven’s car a few times but somehow today I felt weirdly conscious about it.And what was wrong with him? Why was he acting so careful and considerate? It almost felt like it was his way of comforting me at the fight that I had with my best friend. Could it be that he knew how much of a loner I was?He must have done a background check and had therefore realized that I was completely helpless without Lisa. This was a clear invasion of privacy and yet I felt conflicted. On one hand to have him keep me company is probably one of god’s blessings to me but I also didn’t want him to know just how much of an anti-social person I had been all my life.No, wait, should I even be worried about this right now? Where the hell was he taking me anyway?When he had proposed that I go with him all I could think in my head was that he wanted to care for me and without another question I had followed him to his car and sat in the passenger seat. I was foolishly giddy then but now
*SILIA*“Are you nervous that you might run into your friend?” Diana asked snapping me out of my thoughts.“No, after a night’s sleep I think I feel better than before, why do you ask?” I rumbled out some words, slightly disoriented at her sudden question.“No, it’s just that you had a deep frown on your face,” she said concern visible all over her beautiful features. Her words made me embarrassed for that wasn’t the reason why I had been feeling gloomy. Draven had refused to leave my mind since yesterday night.‘He rarely comes back home, so you don’t need to be cautious.’ That was what Diana had said when I had inquired her about Draven’s whereabouts. It shouldn’t have been a surprise for me though. Like he had claimed last night, he was indeed in a mafia and must therefore be a lot busier than I knew him to be.“Sorry for worrying you but you know you didn’t have to come here with me,” I said slumping against the seat as I watched the familiar streets appear leading to my apartment
*SILIA* “You should go and freshen up. I can see that you are really tired. The boxes will be taken up to your room and arranged after a little while. While we were shopping I had instructed a maid to stock your wardrobe with some new clothes so you should find a pajama in there as well,” Diana said pulling me inside her lavish house. Half of what she said flew past my head as the exhaustion of the emotional baggage weighed my mind. I couldn’t get rid of the look of betrayal that Lisa gave me when I was leaving the apartment. “Silia?” Diana’s hand tapping me on my shoulder made me look towards her with a small smile as I willed for her to continue, “I know you are troubled and I might have been a little out of line today considering that she was your friend but I couldn’t just let her off after how she had treated you. Please don’t be angry with me.” This had been another one of the emotional tension that I had been dealing throughout the way. Diana had been feeling sad and guilty
*DRAVEN*“You can tell that she really likes you,” Diana said leaning against the door with a smug expression on her face.“Go away,” I grumbled already predicting how this conversation was going to go. As always she ignored me and walking inside after closing the door behind her she skipped onto my bed and sitting on the edge with an excited expression she continued to stare at me.Switching on the lights realizing that there would be no use of trying to sleep any longer I sat back against the head board and brought the blanket up to my shoulders. At my silence she waited for a few seconds for me to give in but when nothing happened she grinned at my resistance and said, “Aww come on don’t be like that. Just admit that you liked it when she came to you just now! She loves you even after everything.”“And you know that is a problem,” I said as placidly as I could. Her talking about Silia was making me uncomfortable but as characteristic to Diana’s nature I knew she wouldn’t leave me a
*SILIA*What is wrong with me? Why did I go in his room? How did I even reach there when Draven’s room is in a completely different corridor than mine?While my room is in the west side of the mansion in front of Diana’s his is on the eastern side. Gripping onto my hair I tugged at it in frustration trying to bring my stupid brain to work and be more aware of our surroundings.What might be Draven thinking of me? Would he think that I purposely went into his room hoping to catch him off guard?Given how the situation presented itself and how big a blunder I made there was no denying this possibility. If probable I wanted this costly carpeted floor to open up and swallow me within the depths of the earth’s darkness where Draven would never be able to find me again.How am I going to face him again?Closing my eyes to block out the world I tried to bring myself to my senses again when Draven’s smooth skin highlighted gently by the lights of the lamp flashed in my mind. The dark crevice