diamonds

chapter 14| Hibi

"How do you check if the watermelon is ripe again?"

I chucked to myself. "Here" I held my arms out and he passed it to me "So you just knock on it over here," I said pointing to the underbelly of the watermelon before gesturing with a motion with my fist. I then tossed it back to him, making him stumble forward to catch it "A ripe one will sound hollow".

He nodded with interest before trying it out, his fist ended up leaving a dent in the watermelon and I immediately grabbed it out of his hands. "Chill, we're trying to check if it's good, not murder it" I joked. He looked to the side and blushed.

We had reached central almost a week ago and we were all subconsciously starting to settle in. We made a plan to go back to East in three weeks and I was slowly starting to dread it. I had also started showing Caspian around and he was pretty mesmerized.

But it also made me feel a bit of pity for him. Whenever I'd show him how to do a basic skill he'd stare at me in wonder like he'd truly never experienced it before, it made curiosity bubble in my core as I held in the urge to ask more about his past.

Where was he before where they didn't even teach him how to wash his own clothes?

Nevertheless, I was excited to teach him new things. I found myself craving the look on his face when I'd teach him new things, he looked like a kid on the holidays. His whole face would light up and he'd put in so much effort to replicate what I did and he often got frustrated when he couldn't do it.

There wasn't much I could teach him considering we were still hiding from Spade's guards and Adaora's girlfriends. I wish I could show him the world but I couldn't, I just hoped when Irina took him back to East she'd show him more than I could.

"Hey Hibi" My ears perked up at the mention of my name. "What's that place?" He pointed across a crowd which I couldn't see over.

Perks of his annoying but useful height.

I'd gotten stares wherever I went when I walked with Caspian. Not only was he towering over everyone he met but he also looked much different to everyone else, his pale skin stuck out like a sore thumb in a sea of tan people due to the all year summer we received in Spades. Not only that but Caspian was quite...attractive and that definitely got him a good amount of admirers.

More than once did I have to pull him away from people trying to get into his pants. Worst part is he almost never understood what was happening, or at least he was feigning stupidity.

But I wouldn't be surprised if it was the cluelessness. Caspian had little to no social skills, when he wasn't engaging in playful banter with me he'd be giving one-word answers. He only spoke when spoken to and he almost never gave his opinion unless necessary.

At first, I assumed he was shy but it became clearer to me that he only talked when he deemed it worthy of his input. Only when he was around me did a lightbulb switch on in his head and suddenly he was Mr Chatterbox with all the witty replies and all the charm.

"Not all of us can touch the clouds in the sky Caspian," I grumbled, ignoring the smug look on his face "What's the name?" He looked over it again effortlessly and I tried not to stare at his jawline as he did so.

"Salvia Tulip" He read out loud. My eyes widened.

"Don't worry about that place" I waved off "You're too young for that anyways" His eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I'm pretty sure I'm older than yo-

"Anyways we should get going!" I grabbed his wrist and try to tug him away from that wretched place. Keyword there is try.

Unfortunately for me I really underestimated his weight because Caspian stuck to the ground without even having to dig his feet into it. "Now you have me curious" He smirked down at me "What's in there that you don't want me checking out Hibi?" I looked away from his gaze.

"How about this, you tell me what it is and I'll leave it alone and we'll leave" I sighed.

"It's a Club" I mumbled. He threw his head back and laughed.

"You're scared of a Club?" He asked, amusement lacing his tone. "C'mon it can't be that bad," He said noticing my glare.

He didn't know how wrong he was. Salvia was like a drug. You taste it once and you never want to leave, it traps you with cheap thrills and bloodlust and lots of other shitty, addicting feelings that have you drowning in your own sin.

There were three levels. The Bar, where people would dance, drink till they forgot their identities and practically had sex on the floor. The alcohol there was bitter but it got the job done, and besides, you didn't really care about taste when you can barely feel your own fingertips.

The second floor was a casino type thing. They had games that even my quick wit couldn't help me win. But it didn't matter, most people stayed there hoping to taste even a lick of money that was guaranteed when winning, and when you finally got a taste of money you always thirst for more. I'd known millionaires who became beggars just by one night there, but it didn't matter, they kept coming back.

The third floor was underground and it was fighting. And no like the professional and organised type that happened in The Queen's ring, no. It was just carnal pure bloodshed and destruction in its raw form. It also started off as a way to earn money, it was simple, beat someone's ass and walk away with a bag of cash.

But it turned into more.

What started off as clean battles turned into pure bloodlust. A way to take out your anger at life on a physical thing that you could hit. If you died there you were tossed into an endless pile of bodies, forgotten and drowned out by the other battered faces that would lie next to you. You wouldn't be remembered, and if you were, it wouldn't be for good reasons.

The whole place reminded me of Diamonds in the worst ways possible.

"Hey you don't have to look so distressed, if you really don't want to go back I won't force you" The pure concern on Caspians face just melted my heart and I felt my face heating up.

"No no, look, It's not just a club okay? It pretty damn addicting and it's very bloody" Caspian looked unimpressed.

"So it's like a riot in a building? You could've just said that love" He said softly "You look so personally hurt by this place," I looked down.

"I've just been here...at one of the lowest points in my life and let's just say I didn't leave for a long time" He tilted his head.

"How long? A week? A month?" I sighed.

"Three months" His eyes widened before he looked back at the place.

"So it's that bad huh? Okay, we'll not go" He didn't look like he wanted to either. But I was starting to feel different about it, I can't just continue fearing a fucking building. Besides, this is the perfect chance to face a part of my past.

I've always believed in replacing bad memories with good ones anyway.

"Nah let's just go" I took a deep breath "We'll be in and out" Caspian raised an eyebrow at me and I shot him an uncertain smile. "C'mon, we'll be there an hour tops".