{Faith}“Ah!”A loud scream jolts me awake the next morning. I look at the alarm clock on the nightstand.Just 6:03 am.“What was that scream?”“Ah!”The scream comes again, reverberating off the walls.I jump out of bed. My belly grumbles as I try to push the dresser away from the door. I didn't go down for dinner last night. And when Susan showed up with a tray of food for me, I refused to open the door.Ace could have been standing beside her.“Ah!”Pushing with all my strength, the dresser scrapes out of the doorway. I run out barefoot towards the sound of the scream.“Kourtney, what’s wrong?”In the hallway, Kourtney’s bedroom door is wide open.“Was she the one who screamed?”I walk over and peer into the room. Ace and Jerry are inside. Kourtney sits on the floor, tearing through her suitcase.“It’s missing. It is missing.”“What’s missing?” Ace squats next to her. His eyes are full of worry.Kourtney empties a silver jewelry box on the floor. “The vintage necklace that my grand
{Ace}The taste of her soft lips is intoxicating. Dopamine travels through me. I kiss her harder, sucking and biting.Fuck! I have missed this! How long has it been since we had sex? It feels like a decade.With a tug, the scarf around her neck comes off. My left hand moves to the first button of her shirt. Then the second.Faith suddenly pushes me, breaking the kiss. She clutches her unbuttoned shirt. “Nuh-uh! It’s not gonna work.”“What…”“You know what!” She backs away.“Come, let’s talk.”“You are not gonna get me!” She shakes and runs up the stairs.“Princess!” I go after her.“Leave me alone!” She slams the door in my face and locks it.“You know I can break this door down, don't you?”“Leave me alone! I am not going to allow you to use me again. And I am definitely not going to marry you!”Faith drags her dresser over to the door. The scraping sound gets on my nerves.“Are you being serious right now?”“Yes!” She yells from behind the door. “I am not going to allow you to give
{Faith}My jaw goes slack. I blink, shaking my head. “W-what did you just say?”Barrister Thomas points at Ace. “You can marry him.”“No, I can not!” Ace sits relaxed on the couch. A smile tugs at the corner of his lips as he looks at the lawyer.Why isn't he saying anything? This isn't remotely funny, so why is he smiling!Ace shrugs. “I guess we can do that.”“Are you crazy? We can't get married.”“Why, Princess?”“Because…because…”As the tabs in my head begin to close at a rapid pace, I remember what Allison said when I first announced my engagement and upcoming wedding to Matthew.“I am never getting married. Marriage is a cage. And that beautiful ring you have on is a shackle.”At the time, I blew it off. But now, I am beginning to see reasons with her. I barely escaped marrying the wrong guy. The dust hasn't even settled on my annulment certificate.How can I marry someone else so soon? And not just any man. Ace—the man who made me his sex slave.“Because it is barbaric! Unacc
{Faith}“Kourtney’s hand? Where?” Charlie spins, looking around fearfully.Allison smacks him in the head. “She doesn't mean literally. How the hell did you even get into this school?”Charlie rubs the back of his head. “Why do you keep hitting me? I will hit you back.”She hits him with a finger heart. “I love you.”“How manipulative, Allison.”She puts an arm around his neck. “I am sorry, baby. You forgive me?”“Promise you will keep your hands to yourself?”Her arm immediately comes off. She goes to sit on a bench under a tree. “I can't make any promises. You know they don't always listen to me.”Charlie sits next to her and glares at her hands. “Maybe if I cut them they will!”“Guys!” I cut in. “Do you want to listen to what I found out or not?”“She started it.”Allison scooches over, pushing Charlie off the bench. “No, you started it!”Ugh! These two are always bickering. Little wonder more than two people have mistaken them for siblings or even lovers. They are never not arguin
{Faith}A new week arrives and I still feel very shitty. That moment keeps repeating in my head and my dreams. In each dream, Kourtney has different minions. Odette. Matthew. And even Ace.No matter what I say, the outcome is the same. I am the guilty one.“Stop thinking about it, Faith. You have a test to ace this morning.”I stand in front of the dressing mirror. Putting my hair in a ponytail, I half-wish the hair band would grip my wandering thoughts too.I wrap a scarf over the collar on my neck and head out just before 7:15. Susan hands me a bag of sandwich at the door.“Thanks, Suz.”Her eyes lit up at her new nickname. She signs. [I like it.]“I knew you would.” I head through the door. “Catch you later.”Her eyes follow me as I make my way to Jerry’s car.“Here.”The moment I get in, he tosses a box on my lap.“What’s this?”Jerry giggles. “A box of cocaine.”I roll my eyes. There he goes again with the sarcasm. Of course, I know what this is. What I don't understand is why.I
{Ace}Kourtney’s face squeezes as she swallows the huge yellow pills. She knocks her head back, gulping half the water in the glass.“One more to go,” I press the last pill into her palm. She repeats the process. She gags. “It’s so bitter.”“I know.” Wiping the water spill on the corner of her mouth, I take the glass from her.“It will take a moment for the medicine to kick in, okay?”Kourtney pulls the duvet over her body. “Thank you, Jonny. You have no idea how much it means to me.”“You are welcome,” I pause. “When is your next doctor’s appointment? I’d love to accompany you.”“Really?”I nod. “You can't go through this alone. You need someone to be there for you.”Tears fill her eyes. “Thank you, Jonny.”“Stop thanking me. You would have done the same for me.”“You are right. Just don’t fall sick, okay? Let me be the only one going through this pain.”The tired lines on her forehead and sunken eyes take me down memory lane. Back to where I saw them first.On my mother’s face.Thi