Chapter 4

CRYSTAL POV

“Jace? I swear if you don’t leave your room in 30 seconds, I am going to hide all your legos and you will never find them ever again.” My scream echoed through the walls of our two-story townhouse, with me standing at the edge of the stairs waiting for my little humans to emerge from their rooms. At this point, I was grueling and on the verge of losing it. These ones were really going to be the death of me.

“Rosey?” 

“I can’t find my bunny.” The little voice replied with a slight panic, and I took a good moment to contemplate on my next response because it was going to decide whether we are leaving this house, or staying to look for the bunny that might be stuffed somewhere where only she knew, and now it was our problem.

“We are going to the park with aunt Anna. You don’t need to take bunny with you.” Bunny was Rose’s favorite knitted blanket which mom made for her way before she descended to planet earth. I remember watching her very enlarged self, stomach protruding from her front with two humans inside her, huddled on the couch with knitting needles and some expensive kind of wool. The connection between the blanket and her was rather unmatched and I never tried to rob it of her. I never understood why, but she couldn’t even sleep without it. But now that our parents had long passed to the other side, leaving their little kids behind, I guess it sparked a little bit of briefing there.

“JACE!!!” This time I screamed so hard that I felt needles pricking my throat.

“Coming.” Another little voice called out, followed by the clicking sound as the lock on the door clicked into place. The little feet patted softly against the carpeted floor before the little papa revealed himself from behind the corner. I smiled at him as he began descending towards me. Looking at his face always felt like looking at the youngest version of my father. Even though he was at the tenderest age, Jace was already a looker. Thick curls on his head, and yellow eyes made him look like he wasn’t from this universe and from galaxies away. His clean, unblemished skin just stamped everything back in place.

It has been an honor watching him transform from a toddler to this little guy here. I wouldn't say lie and say it was. A 16-year-old left alone in the world with her two siblings, who were, in case you didn't know, only 3 at the time had to be the toughest trial I have ever endured. But again, something about dark clouds and silver linings.

“Are we going to get ice cream?” His big yellow eyes glimmered as he stared expectantly at me. I ruffled his thick curls with my hand (one of my 90 favorite things to do) before leaning down to his height, then planted a fat kiss on his forehead.

“Anything for my burkie.” The smile that I received was enough to warm up the New York cold.

“Rosey?” I squeaked in an unbecoming way, then took off running to the stairs when I didn’t receive any response, not even a slight cough. Upon arriving on the top floor, I carefully pushed open the door to her bedroom, then stepped into a world made of pink. And by the world of pink, I mean pick everywhere. Ceiling, curtains, walls… All pink.

“Dumpling?” I addressed in a careful manner, stepping further into the room. My eyes moved swiftly around as I searched for her, and the first thing they landed on was two little feet that were peeking from the side of the bed. I walked to her, to find her huddled on the floor with tears in her eyes. She was just an inch from losing it.

I dropped to my ass and sat right next to her, then whisked her to my lap and patched her on it. Although Jace took after my father, Rose was the photocopy of me. Mom used to joke that I recreated myself... hence Rose. I have never seen someone who looked exactly like someone, but Rose looked like me. Except that her personality was very mild and soft, while I was on the rough

“We will find the bunny, okay?” I said, and received no response. I tried to engage my mind into recollecting when was the last time I saw it, and came back empty-handed. With that, I knew I can only use a trick.

“Cotton candy?” I intoned, and in an instant, her face was covered by half a smirk and half a scowl, knowing damn well I had just got her where I wanted her.

“Can I get strawberry flavor?” Of course. It's pink. And guess what, it worked.

“Anything for you.” I grinned, and she gave me a small nod. I was only allowed to get up after that, and the three of us left our little home, left to us by our parents, and piled into my dad’s blue Chevrolet Silverado. Not a typical ride for a 20-year-old, I know. But the cubbies loved it to the moon and back. Going camping with it was probably their last memory of dad and mom.

20 minutes later, I was patched on the wooden bench with none but Anna at my side, her brown eyes staring intently at me while my main focus was on the cubies that were running around the open park filled with cheers from other kids. Seeing them like this, so happy with no care in the world, always made me feel like I would hunt for dinosaurs if I have to, as long as I saw those smiles.

“And you didn’t even ask for his number?” I can hear the judgment in her tone. Luckily, she was my only best friend who always looked so gamine and hands down, the most gorgeous female in the history of mankind, with dazzling green eyes and long blonde hair. She was the only reason why I fell in love with blondies. Girls, not men. 

Exasperated, I turned my head to look at her, then shook my head in mock disbelief,

“Since when do we give out our numbers to clients?” I returned back the question, then stared back at her when I didn’t get the response.

Quietly, she was watching me,

“What?” I inquired, clearly offended by her penetrating, invasive stare that seemed to be probing for more than I have already shared in the past few minutes.

“I kind of find it amusing.” She left it at that, and no I was not going to have it.

“What?” I asked with a frown,

“You, having verbal diarrhea about how good-looking a man was.” She said, and I could hear the glee in her tone that made me want to chomp off her head.

“Just because I have no luck in relationships doesn’t mean I don’t see and appreciate handsome men. Besides, I will probably never see that guy ever again in my life so…” I left the words hanging and concluded them with a shrug of my shoulder. A pang of sadness settled heavily at the base of my heart, carrying it along with its weight into a bottomless pit with the idea of not seeing HIM ever again. I know he was a complete stranger, and I know my subconscious mind was just playing tricks with me but dang… A girl can dream.

“You don’t know that.” She interjected, and honestly, at this point, I was starting to hate her for planting ideas in my head. It was forbidden (not entirely) to even think of a client that way. But for Christ's sake… that man? He had to be a different breed.

“Okay,” I fully turned at her, with a big wry smile on my face. I knew exactly what she wanted me to say, so I was going to say it. Clasping onto her hands, I stared her back in the eyes,

“He was handsome. Heck, even handsome doesn’t even begin to explain it. He had to be a real-life god, not an angel. No, angels aren’t that perfect. And the way he looked at me all along, it was so fuckin’ hot. Yet intimidating. I don’t know if it makes sense, but he made me want to serve him, to please him. You get me?” She nodded furiously,

“And you did please him.”

“I fuckin’ did.” 

“With a lap dance.” 

“And all unholy dances of this world,” I added up, and the two of us shared a good laugh. I felt an involuntary shiver run down my spine as the ghost stare flashed in front of me. I have never, since the beginning of forever- met someone who had such an effect on me. It was so commanding that I found myself on my knees. 

“You’re blushing.” Right. Back to planet earth Crys.

“Well, do you blame me?” I gave her a side- glare, to find her suppressing laughter. This bitch. 

“Nope. Not at all.” She shook her head, contradicting her own expression. I get it, she was taken aback. I was too. 

That man, he was unreal. I have never been so deeply affected by a man to the point where he was the epitome of my subconscious. Since last night, he has been all I could think of. And that was new. I never allowed myself to have any kind of connection with clients or any other pant-wearing creature but whatever that man bathed with, seemed to work differently on me. 

Pity I won’t ever see him again.