5 Chapter Five | Pieces and pasts

F i v e

"Pick the freaking call when it started ringing not when you felt like answering." Dimitri fumed as soon as he made his way out of the room, his chest was heaving in a rapid pace, his temperature had risen drastically. The girl had somehow welled up emotions he hadn't known existed, dang it!

"Ooh, someone's a bit cranky this Thursday morning."

He closed his eyes, willing himself to remain calm, but no, slamming his eyes close wasn't the solution because the images of that damn almost naked body of hers keeps replaying in his mind, like it was video taped or something.

He groaned internally, "There's a girl in my room, my room Rafael! And she was wearing my shirt claiming to be my roommate," he deliberately left out the stripping part. Hadn't he accused her of being a stripper? And hell, did she put on a show! "Did you have anything to do with it?"

"Yes to the roommate aspect, and no to the putting on your shirt, which I so admit that that's quite the sexy act."

"Rafael Wentworth." He pressed. "Quit the bullshit and tell me something I'm supposed to know. Or rather, get your ass back here."

"Dude, do you have any idea how jam-packed the D-Theory is this morning, Riley and Julian don't have any shift today and so I gotta cover for them, William isn't half as effective as expected 'cause he's so damn slow and whines every frigging minute, this phone call is already wasting my time as it is."

"I don't care, call Rob or something."

Rafael whinged from the other end of the line, before Dimitri heard him, saying, "Hey, Will! Call up Rob to tell him to get his behind in here and help you out, I'll be back in 30 minutes or less. Tell him I owe him big!" He sighed, "I'm on my way Hunter, calm your butt."

A few moments later, Anna heard a car parked on the driveway, she pried open the drapes, seeing Rafael getting out of his car and proceeding to the house. For some reason, she felt so relieved. Putting back her clothes, she went out of the room, heading to the living room which was already filled with high tones of male voices. She sat on a two-steps leading to the room, several feet away from Dimitri and Rafael, barely making out their heated word exchange, but still witnessing their every movement and every gesture.

Dimitri folded his hands across his chest, giving his best buddy a chance to say what he's got to say, and he did, saying the exact words he shared with his other friends. "You're making it seem like she's your responsibility, you don't even know her, don't know where she's from, her behaviour or past records."

"Her past doesn't matter to me, I made the decision, and as much as I would love for it to be mutual between the four of us, I'm not changing it. Julian, hell, even Riley was okay with it, why does it have to be different with you?"

"I'm Dimitri Hunter, just because a majority approves of something doesn't mean I have to be okay with it. To make matters worse, you made her stay in my room, what happens to the privacy―my privacy I thought you of all people should respect?"

"You're gonna have to deal with your maverick shit, 'cause Anna isn't going anywhere and that's final."

"Why the freaking hell―"

"She reminds me of Stephanie," Rafael blurted out. "That night when she was speaking to me, it was like exactly what she would have said if she were there. She reminds me of the sister I lost Dimitri, don't you see what that means to me? I can't let her go unless I'm sure she's gonna be alright alone out there."

"So that's your brilliant defence, she reminds you of... of her? And you say I don't wanna move on. You know what? You're the one with the problem, if every single girl reminds you of her. Then you need help."

"You can't even say her name anymore. You can't date, you can't get rid of your grief, you can't even allow yourself to be happy, then aren't I better? I handle the café fine, I have a girlfriend whom I love and I'm certainly not allowing myself to be depressed anymore. You need to get a life Dimitri, time doesn't stop for anybody, you either use it, or you don't."

"Your sister left this world, but not before taking a part of me and going away with it, now tell me, how then am I to find that part of me when it no longer exists, when it's gone, faded into oblivion?" He clench and unclench his fists severally, "The girl can stay, but you'd better tell her to stay out of my way, to know her limits and not meddle in my business of any kind, then we'll see how this roommate thing works out."

He clasped a hand on his shoulder, squeezing tight, "You got it bro, thanks."

Dimitri didn't respond, rather, he started to trail off, "Where are you headed, when you just got back?"

"Out. To take a walk," He answered curtly, his long strides never slowing, "It's stuffy in here."

Anna made her presence known as soon as the door banged shut. "Once you get to know him, you'll see him for the great guy he really is." Rafael managed a weak smile. His black mood so obvious.

She'd heard most of the words they said to each other―about each other, and each of the two seemed to have a dark spot filled with lament in their hearts, a gush of sympathy enveloped her that her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Doesn't change the fact that he's a git." She turned to leave, but Rafael's next choice of words halted her.

"He wasn't like this before Anna, he went through a traumatic stage in his life, we all did, but he's the one drowning in the darkest trench of his emotions, his grief, his melancholy." He came to stand in front of her then grabbed her hand, stroking her knuckles. "Can you do me a favour?"

"Anything."

"I want you to steal him away from Stephanie."

She stared at him incredulously. "Whatever are you saying Rafael? I understand that she was your sister and that he dated her, just like I get that she's gone. So stealing him from her makes no sense."

"She might be gone, but like he said, she'd stolen a part of him and took it away with her, unless you steal him away from her being his every breath and thought, we may never find the Dimitri we know and love. And he may never move on."

"Why are you entrusting me with a task I have no idea how to go about with? Besides, you don't know if I have a jealous ex-boyfriend or something."

"Well, do you?"

"No, but I don't want anything to do with him, God help me, but I have a terrible feeling that he's going to be the reason I move out of this house."

"Listen to me, no one can make you leave but you. I won't allow that. Not unless you get on your feet, and definitely not unless you save him from the darkest pit of his despair."

"How am I gonna do that? Our first encounter wasn't anything good to write about, and yet you tell me to save him from himself. Me, of all people!"

"I'm not asking you to like him, love him, or fake it. The one thing I'm beseeching you to do for me, for Riley, Julian and the Hunter family is to bring him back to us."

But, how? And what the bloody hell does Rafael sees in her to be so certain that she'll be his one true redemption. She scoffed inwardly, he sure picked the wrong girl, because she'd certainly be a big disappointment, she had a lot on her plate as it was.

She was broke, worthless, and officially discarded by her dad two years after her mom left them for another man. Losing contact with her own daughter, uncaring about her because of... love? Screw that! She was done making other people her priority.

There was no trying to save someone who doesn't appear to want to be saved: Dimitri Hunter.

There was no point in finding one who doesn't want to be found: Nora Dominic, her not-so-loving mother.

Call her selfish, but she wasn't going to try to do anything apart from building a foundation for her future, if along the way, a thing or two happen then she'd gladly embraced the positivity and do away with the negativity.

Sometimes you don't have to try, if things are meant to be, surely, they will be. And if they aren't, you'd try and successfully fail. That's the Anna's theory. Proven by her 18 years of: Having a sucky father, failed relationships, a runaway mother, and back stabbing friends.

***

Anna joined Rafael later that evening in the kitchen, together they made Almond Cranberry Couscous, he came back from work at exactly 06:00 P.M. By then, Riley and Julian were back home from college. Anna was about to ask Rafael when the girls were coming when a knock on the door interrupted her. Anna offered to get it.

Two knocks after, she had already reached the door, and knowing who were behind it, she opened it up ready to see how the night with her new housemates' girlfriends will come to be. She was met by the sight of three gorgeous and classy looking girls that she scolded herself for not dressing up properly.

Ignoring her insecurities, an adoring smile surfaced on her lips, "Come on in!" They obliged, and the foursome made their way to the living room. Rafael came out of the kitchen wiping his forehead with the back of his palm.

"Babe, if I had known you'd be cooking I could have arrived earlier to help out." A beautiful brunette wearing blue sweatshirt dress chimed in a French-Canadian accent, pecking him on the lips as he drapes a hand around her waist drawing her closer to his chest.

"Anna made sure I didn't move a muscle apart from chopping a few vegetables, so worry not Sarah."

Sarah glanced at Anna, smiling casually. "Nice to meet you Anna, Rafael wouldn't shut up about you," She eyed him suspiciously, "Although he failed to mention the part where you're absolutely beautiful."

Anna flushed, but didn't say anything. The other two girls both introduced themselves as Rose and Samantha. Rose had her black hair in a bob style, it fit her somewhat round face, her nose fell dainty down its peak, she was the tallest among the rest of the girls and wore a purple dress that hugged her trim body. Riley stood behind her, hugging her waist from the back and resting his chin in the crook of her neck, clearly she was his girl.

Samantha, she noticed, was sort of flipping Julian off every time he tries to speak, yet he looked like he was going to swallow her whole, yes, she was hot. Olive skin tone, shoulder length blonde hair, blue eyes and a killer curves that fit her long figure. "You have some explaining to do, Julian Whitney." She narrowed her eyes.

"What did you manage to do this time, Julian?" Rose accused, as they made their way to the Kitchen Island. Occupying the empty wooden chairs around it.

His brow knitted in a frown, "I failed to meet her parents for dinner yesterday."

"And?" Samantha pressed, cocking an eyebrow.

"And I avoided her at school because I kinda didn't call or texted her up to explain myself."

"That will probably make y'all wonder why in the world am I still stuck with this complete douche when guys literally worship where I step, right?"

The whole table kept mute, not even a single sound of a utensil was heard. Well, except for the child-like voice of hers.

"Because I made a mistake, I fell in love, and this is what tends to happen when you fall in love, you lose all sense of reasoning between right and wrong, and when a minute sense still remains in you, you end up blinding yourself from legit facts, which will eventually lead you to hurting." She went on, "But I'm okay, I'm okay, just a little cranky. Pass me a drink, I need that." Julian rushed to do so, and all watched her to gulp down the drink.

Wow, Anna thought, what a dramatic girlfriend and a jerk of a boyfriend.

"How many times do I have to tell you to dump his sorry behind?" Rose offered, slapping him upside the head. And he glared at her, when she stuck out her tongue, he whispered 'so mature', rolling his eyes.

"Don't you think I tried? He'd run back to me, begging for another chance and I, being the weak minded, will run back to his arms after some you-know-what and a few bouquets of flowers, and the cycle goes on and on and on."

"I'm sorry baby, I'll make it up to you, I love you."

"I love you," Sarah mimicked, making a hilarious face that made all except Julian, who groaned, burst out laughing.

"We know you love her jackass, but you sometimes have a funny way of showing it." Rose rolled her eyes.

"So Anna, Rafael told me he picked you up on the street." Ouch, that sorta hurt.

"I never said it like that Sarah, stop being rude."

"Oh, I wasn't, I just find it peculiar that a girl you barely knew is living in the same house as you with three other guys, when all of you, except Dimitri, are dating. Tell me this girls, am I wrong to be a little bit cautious, I mean, I love my man, but I'd hate for some random girl to make me doubt his faithfulness."

"She's Dimitri's girlfriend."

Julian spat his drink all over the place, coughing, "What?"

Anna noticed the look Rafael sent him, yet it appeared he didn't catch it. He was just as confused as Riley appeared to be. To escape the sudden tension, she excused herself to bring some desserts so that her back was to them, hiding her expression as she placed the strawberry cheese cake on a platter. One, two, breathe. What the hell was Rafael playing at? One, two, breathe.

"His girlfriend?" Samantha clasped her hands together, making a dreamy look on her face. "Isn't that super cute, at last he's got a girl in his life since Stephanie passed away. I'm happy he's finally moving on."

"Such a relief," Sarah sighed, "Where's he so that I can personally congratulate him, I swear for some time I thought he swore celibacy, which will have been a shame considering how damn good-looking the guy is."

"You think he's good looking?"

"You're the apple of my eyes Raf, I only have the hots for you." At that, their mouth collided into an intimate make out that Anna averted her gaze.

"Call him up now, and tell him we need him here, how can he even be absent tonight?" Rose said.

"Uhm..." Anna opened her mouth severally but nothing came out, and the only guy who dropped the bomb and was supposed to have a way to come up with a second lie, was making out with his girlfriend. If only he was sitting close to her, a solid kick on the leg will for sure calm his testosterone-plagued self.

Riley punched Rafael on the arm playfully, "Get a room you two, we're eating!"

Rafael broke out the contact chuckling, "Excuse our little naughty behaviour, she's just so irresistible."

"Annaaaa! Did you call him yet?" Why Rose seemed so ecstatic about the whole boyfriend thing was beyond Anna.

She was about to respond when they heard a door being opened and slammed shut. And as the footsteps of the intruder became audible, so did Anna's heart beat accelerated. It was probably Dimitri. What if they blurted it out to him?

***