14- It can't Be That Bad
Seven days later I see Hannah. She has pushed the limit this time to not come home. Normally by the sixth day away from each other, she would feel the push within herself to come to me. I grinned last night when I felt it for, I knew she was resisting it when she didn't come to me but by morning, I am irritated when the house is Hannahless.
Yes, I feel it too but I am stronger than the human Hannah so I can handle it. She's weaker so she comes to me- regardless of where I am. But I have to be here in the house to ensure she comes here where it's safe. If I'm out collecting a soul, Hannah will find herself coming to me there.
She makes things difficult sometimes. I had to collect souls and rush back here then leave and rush back here… Because of her adolescent behaviour, I had to collect souls in the daylight hours today which I dislike doing.
And she has the audacity to appear moody. now. I don't care this time I say to myself when I see her coming in. "Where have you been?" I ask her as soon as she steps in.
Instantly, I'm irritated when her sneakers-clad feet enter my clean floor. Seriously, how difficult is it to remove shoes when she enters the front door and put on house slippers? Not difficult at all, I do it all the time.
"Don't question me," she shouts at me stomping off with a blue duffel bag, over her slender exposed shoulder. I really loathe the tiny floral dress she's wearing that has a pair of tiny staps holding it up and stops mid-thigh on Hannah's smooth legs.
Oh, ho- ho- no. She doesn't get to do that. Not disappear and show up when she wants. I could not find her, for she was not in her usual spots. V looked everywhere. For an entire week, she had vanished without a trace making me frantic with worry. The only solace I had was, that I received no notification about her from down under so I knew she was safe.
But still, I dreaded the sound of my phone in case I did get one. I was distracted and my work suffered. I barked behind Jace and I had to apologize too, for he really did nothing more than miss an order and it just took one phone call to the supplier.
That's the kind of week I had.
"Where were you? You would be back by day six, usually- what happened?"
I had looked out for her yesterday, almost chewing my nails. V was whimpering too. Thank goodness for her being on my finger when this crazy showed up between V throwing herself at Hannah and me wanting to break every bone on her body myself, I don't know what I would have done.
"My boyfriend's house! And I stayed until I could resist no more. I'm staying tonight and by morning I'm gone again," she screams out while running up the stairs.
Hannah had figured out the loophole. Did I tell you how much her screaming annoys me? My eardrums. Her boyfriend- pftt as if. Tch- yeah right.
Gone again my tail. She knows about my opening night but just in case she wants to pretend she doesn't remember, I'll remind her. "I have an opening tomorrow and you had better be there and dressed appropriately for the event too," I raise my voice up a notch, just a bit, for my voice is heavy and I don't want to scare her. I quicken my walking pace behind her to keep up with her running feet. For every four or so steps she took, I made one over them all.
"Hah. Try me," she slams the heavy door in my face.
"If you don't, I would have to make a report about you and your life would be miserable," I bluff.
"You wouldn't dare," she declares as if that would make me change my mind about the false report.
"Oh, I would," I chuckle with a big grin she could not see but I know she is going to open the door so I remain that way.
She did. Her wide as saucers eyes amuse me and I tick her nose with my finger.
"You are under my protection but only if we get along. Without me, you are going to be open to crime and misfortune. And don't we live in a beautiful world that is peaceful and crime-free?" I mock her.
"So what? Everyone is robbed now and then-"
"Oh, beautiful girl. You are chosen."
"What does that mean?" she asks, her face crumbling with my response.
"Well either you are with us or against us. Fortune and a happy peaceful life or one filled with hate, in all shapes and forms?" I bluff. I will not let a fly hurt her but truthfully, I think she will pull everything that is negative towards her and her family, if against the higher forces.
Misfortune is almost normal, yes, I know and honestly, I've never heard of anyone that has gone against the higher beings but I have heard and seen calamity that seemed to follow certain mortals. Maybe this is why?
"It can't be that bad," she whimpers and I smirk, for I had won.
"No, you don't get to choose the crime that happens to you," I say dryly walking out. "Or when either- you just know why," I throw over my shoulder as I walk down the wide corridor. "Think of the crimes that you hear about and what they leave out in the news, my dear Hannah."
I love the dramatics.
Later that night- after V's joyous moment with Hannah- totally one-sided by the way, Hannah cooks dinner at home. I almost choke as I taste the deliberately salty food but ate it all silently as I know she was expecting me to show my anger. My non-reaction to her prank had her red, as she had to eat the food too, to not show her tantrum. I'm sure her plan was to eat something else when I left but hah- she punished herself.
V and I swallow another glass of water before we left to go on our soul collecting. I smile, for it shows me that Hannah has some sass. It does not bother me that she ran away because she thought that I was using my 'charm' on her- which I wasn't by the way. It just shows that Hannah is also battling with her feelings for me. The thought comforts me somehow. But I wish she would stop running away, however, for it worries me when I don't know where she is.
The next night at 6 pm the club is officially open.
V and my new manager Jace, were by my side. Jace in a suit, like me, and V looking sinful in her black slick-looking dress and red heels. Her make-up and hair were professionally done as she had no experience with this. She is a natural beauty.
Hannah is nowhere in sight and I am fuming. Is she with that boyfriend? I go into my office and ring her cell getting no answer. This is not how a CEO spends his opening night. I swear I will wring her little neck- my phone beeps causing me to stop my little rant. Thinking it's her I quickly check the screen- nope. It is a list of souls to collect in the next twenty-four hours.
Placing my hands on my face, I release an exasperated sigh and remove my jacket, keeping my vest on. No, I do not throw it on a bench or drop it on the floor as it is expensive. And that's messy and a lazy practice to just assume it's okay to do so just because you hire someone to pick up after you. That and the fact that I don't like to squander money although I can afford to.
The walls vibrate from the bass but hardly any sound came through because of the double doors that were placed to prevent that, making it almost soundproof.
No- I do not want it soundproof as I WANT TO HEAR WHAT IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE, SOMEWHAT. I'm sorry, I apologize.
Vowing to deal with her later, I check my phone again to ensure no alert about her has come in. I have a business to run and I have already wasted a week behind her. I will be busy tomorrow collecting souls with V, so I better man up tonight and do what needs to be done AS I AM ALWAYS A PROFESSIONAL. I apologize again.
I have to go greet my friends and my soon-to-be new clients.
Departing from the inner part of the office, I close the first door, walk past the rows of couches and seats, and open the outside door that would lead to the inside of the club. I lock the door and pocket the key card, walking to the right along the wide stairway and another left that took me to the upper part of the club. Holding on to the railing I look down into the dance floor and notice V.
Who wouldn't notice her? She Is seducing almost every man in the room. Her thick long wavy maroon-red hair, which was the envy of most females, flows around her. She is holding hands with another dancing away without a care in the world. Probably high by now but she could handle her liquor like me. She will be a useful asset to this club I see as I make my way down to her.
It took me all about fifteen minutes to reach her as I am stopped and greeted by many on my way down. All good remarks that have me feeling as if the business would be a big boom in the club industry. A place where they can feel free to do what they wanted- safe or not, I didn't really care much. Either way, they were with me.
I obviously am joking- I really hope they use the dr*gs they would be using, wisely. As in not kill themselves over it. No, it doesn't affect the afterlife but it does embarrass the family, doesn't it? Can you really envision yourself dying inside a club on an overdose of -I don't know- say ecst*sy? No? Then again, I am saying to you- say no to dr*gs.
This is me holding my picket sign up to you- no.
Well obviously, not all dr*gs- the pharmacy dr*gs and doctor-prescribed ones- ah forget it.
When I reach V, I put my hand around her waist and pull her to me. She giggles and pushes someone else into my chest. I don't see the woman's face but she is dancing smoothly, so I can tell she's had a few to loosen her up a bit.
The woman clearly likes what she sees, or feels for I'm not sure she has seen me because she snakes her hands around my neck and nestles her head on my chest. I smile a bit distracted, for I did not know her and this is a club, not a lover's ball.
I try to pull her hands away but she tightens her hold. Okay, I pat her hands as I let my hands fall to her waist. Her long hair entangles in my fingers and I immediately thought of the brat. Okay, she wasn't exactly the bratty type but she did act like one when it comes to me.
Why did Hannah pop into my mind?
Determined to enjoy my night and deal with her later, I put her out of my head completely. It's been a minute since I've been with a human, so I play along with the woman. Maybe I'll take her upstairs-
She lifts her head off my chest and in flashing lights, I see her red-stained full mouth part and raise towards me. She's definitely taller than Hannah and her lips are fuller I think as I dip my head so she doesn't have to strain her neck too much and meet her lips.
Again, why am I even thinking of Hannah?
The woman meshed her lips on mine. There is no hesitation on her part as her mouth opens up to accommodate me, catching me by surprise.
Feeling the rise of dopamine in my body, followed by the tingling of my lips make me deepen the kiss. I am tempted to get my tongue involved. Pulling away a few seconds later not because I want to but because I want no gossip about me, I tell her, "Follow me," as I take her hand.