5

A sad tune echoed down the hallway as Dixie lay on the couch as she sang her heart out in sorrow. She had denied herself of food and though she couldn't admit it she was very famished.

Being fired took a huge toll on her as she lay cradled as a tuneless song escaped her lips and into the surroundings.

Rachel had brought food for her but it was rejected so she sat on the armrest as she watched her friend as she sang songs with no meaning and melody. It was hilarious to watch but she couldn't, not in this dilemma

"How long are you going to keep feeling sorry for yourself?"

Rachel sat on Dixie's bed with her arms folded, her countenance was glum as she watched her friend. She felt bad for her, Dixie had explained how everything had  gone up until the time she got fired. Although her boss was a total jerk, she couldn't help but blame her friend too.

"Leave me alone Rachel" Dixie turned away from her as her face now faced the couch, "I'm jinxed"

"Being jinxed doesn't stop you from eating, does it?"

"Rachel go away" She pushed Rachel's hand that rested on her thigh, "I don't want to eat" She closed her eyes as she tried to feign sleep

Just then her stomach rumbled and Rachel smirked, "Your stomach disagrees"

"I don't care just leave me"

Rachel opted to leave but halted, an idea came to her mind. It was a nasty one, "Does being jinxed stop you from  clubbing?"

Dixie's eyes opened and she turned her face and their gazes met. The glint in her eyes answered the question.

Rachel came closer to her, their foreheads touching, she smirked, "Does it?"

Songs blasted from huge loudspeakers

obscuring normal communication from people who weren't in close distance with each other. Bodies swayed drastically to the music as the disco ball from above illuminated the crowd.

"Rachel, take it easy on the shots"

"No thank you, I'm good" she took another shot and grimaced, the taste came down on her tongue like fire, it burned.

"Whatever, suit yourself" Dixie groaned and left the bar and into the dance floor. She swayed her body to the music, her mind needed to be freed.

If she didn't get the liberation that she needed her mind could sink into depression. Losing her job had hit her hard that she had expected. She never thought that Timothee would ever fire her.

What did he have against music?

What was his problem?

She couldn't think of any reason that could justify his actions towards her, he was callous and she knew that even from the short time that they had spent together

Her hips swayed to and fro to the music as she soaked everything up. She had taken just one shot earlier at the bar and didn't need another one to get into the mood.

She felt a hand on her hips and she suddenly became alert, she turned around immediately, her hair swiping at the intruder's face only got it yo land on Rachel.

"Rachel you scared me"

Rachel chuckled lightly, "Who did you think it was?"

"Some pervert"

Rachel chuckled again, "Let's dance"

"I was doing that before you came"

Rachel rolled her eyes

They danced until their bones ached and their heads hurt from the countless swaying that they did together. They went back to the bar and sat down, their breaths were evened and heavy and when they made eye contact with each other they laughed and stopped and laughed again

"Why are you laughing?" Dixie sniffled back mucus that threatened to escape her nostrils as a tear fell from her eye

"Nothing, why are you laughing?"

Rachel chuckled and stopped as she saw Dixie crying, "Are you ok?"

"I am" Dixie sniffled

"You don't look ok"  Rachel reached out to her, tugging a hair behind her ear, "Are you still worried about what happened?"

Dixie sniffled a cry and nodded.

Rachel drew her closer, her hand went round her as she rubbed her shoulder, "You will get one tomorrow, we will look up all vacancies, ok?"

"Yeah"

The speakers made a noise tahtvdisrupted their little moment and they turned to see the cause of the disruption. It was just a minor issue from the operation department

Rachel scoffed, "And I thought it was something important"

"Me too" Dixie shook her head lightly, Rachel kept complaining about how they should have done better with their speakers when her eyes darted round the room only to stop on something white that passed so fast that she barely noticed it.

"Excuse me" she stood up and began walking away from the bar

"Where are you going?" Rachel waved her hand in confusion

"I will be right back, I just.." She had to come up with a lie, something that wouldn't attract her attention to what she was going to do, "I need to use the bathroom"

"The bathroom is that way" Rachel pointed in the opposite direction and tilted her head slightly

"Oh, I forgot" she walked towards the bathroom glancing behind her every ten steps to make sure that Rachel was no longer watching her and when she saw that she wasn't watching anymore she crouched low and darted across the room passing in between the dancing and sweaty bodies. At a time she had to hold her breath because the air had gotten polluted with sweat and bad air from smelly underarms.

Don't people use deodorant anymore?

Her nose crinkled in disgust so she kept trying to get to the other side of the room, it was either this or she would risk Rachel knowing about her plans.

It had better be worth it

She couldn't imagine going through all that for her suspicion to be false.

Was it the alcohol?

Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her she couldn't tell.

As she made it to the other side, she exhaled the breath she had been holding, "I'm not doing that again, ever"

She walked towards the place where she had seen the white silhouette and crouched.

There he was talking and laughing with some men she didn't know. She was surprised to see him laughing, she didn't know he did that. It felt strange watching the sides of his mouth tilt upwards and his eyes crinkle in delight. She felt anger.

Anger directed towards him, he had fired her because he disagreed with her taste in music but there he sat with a couple of strangers drinking and laughing like he didn't just ruin someone's life.

She wished she could kick him, she prayed for him to choke on his drink and as though he had heard her prayer his eyes immediately flashed to where she hid.

She was startled, never had she expected him to find her. From where she his, no one could easily figure it out but he did.

How did he find her?

His eyes narrowed as he gazed further at her and she stood up, the disco lights illuminated her face. Their gazes still locked until a sound broke her off

"Dixie, I have been looking all over for you" Rachel bumped into her but her stamina interceded holding them up.

She turned back to look at where Timothee was but he was gone.

"Rachel, I want to go get some air, I would be right back"

She didn't wait for a reply and exited leaving Rachel stunned. She couldn't understand what was going on with her friend.

Dixie looked around and then she spotted him in a corner, he had seen her and didn't look happy.

She got closer to him,"I still don't know why you fired me?"

He glanced at her and didn't reply, his eyes turned away to the opposite direction. His teeth clenched and hand fisted, he was trying to hold himself from what she couldn't tell exactly.

"What exactly did you fire me?"

He stood up and left the corner, she felt insulted at his attitude. She had taken enough from him so she took long strides and blocked his path, he tried to move to the side and she blocked it too with her hands stretched out

"You would cause a scene here" her eyes darted round the place as few people began staring back, "You wouldn't want that, would you?"

He calmed down, his shoulders slouched and she took it as a good sign that he was ready to talk. She brought her hands down and looked around, the people has gone back to what they were doing since a scene was created. They had all wanted to be entertained, not just by the music and dancing but by just watching a couple argue.

"What did I do to you?"

He didn't say a word just kept staring at her

"I want to know" her hands gestured as she spoke ,"what I did.."

And he left brushing past her and into the dim room, she tried to follow him but it was too late, she had lost him.

"Asshat!" She cursed loudly, the person beside her grimaced

"Language girl"

"Sorry"

She picked her pace only to get outside and see no one.

"Fuck you Timothee" Her words were muffled as she turned around only for her to bump into him, her head hurt and she cursed again loudly

"You tend to curse a lot, don't you?"

She froze.

That voice.

Him

"I don't, I'm sorry" she stuttered

"You curse a lot" he brushed her and left her side heading for what she presumed to be his car and she was hot on his heels.

"Wait, Sir"

He halted his steps and side glanced

"I want my job back"

He narrowed his eyes at her demand

"Please" she added sensing a rising anger at the thought of her being rude

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you are a kind person and your heart is made of gold"

He laughed low and dark, "I'm far from kind and being gold"

"Well that's what it might seem like to you but that's the truth"

He laughed again, he knew she was trying to woo him with her words to get him to give her the job back. She hadn't spent enough time with him, they haven't related except from the ususal monosyllables that he gave as answers to her questions.

He knew he was callous, a lifetime had thought him that. She had no idea what he was, what he had done and what he would still do.

She was naive, that he knew.

She would go at any lengths to get her job back

He stared at her, he scrutinized jer facial features, eyes that belonged to a girl who could easily be deceived and he was well acquainted in that area.

After all he was a demon

"You don't know me"

And with that he left leaving her in the dark.

His features faded away as she stood on that spot without moving.

What else could she do?

She was determined to get her job back. Her rent was due to expire the next month and she needed money to solve that problem, and all other ones even those that were yet to suffice.

Someone bumped into her and she lost her footing and they both fell only for her to look up and see a drunk girl whose hair was disheveled on her face blocking oxygen to enter her nostrils, all she could perceive was shampoo. Although she liked the scent she craved for oxygen.

"Rachel get off me" she pushed her away slightly from her body. Rachel opened her mouth to talk only for the smell of alcohol to fill her nostrils.

She turned her face in the opposite direction, her nose crinkled in disgust as she made a face, "Eww Rachel"

She stood up slowly vividly aware of the drunk girl she was pulling up too. She dusted herself and did thesam e for Rachel.

"You know what I need now?" Rachel wiggled her eyebrows

"You need to rest"

"No silly, I need me some good dick tonight"

"Rachel" she was astonished at her friend's bluntness, "You have had a lot to drink, we are going home right away" she put her arm under Rachel's shoulder and they both made their way out of the club and to the street, it was already late at night and she opted to call a cab.

She fumbled with the door handle with Rachel's weight on her, she had passed out already while in the cab.

Dixie had no idea why her friend never listens to her about drinking. She was going to remind her the next morning and end up teasing her about it.

Rachel groaned, her hand reached to touch Dixie's cheek and Dixie turned away letting her hand fall back.

"I want to get laid"

"Shut up" she moved with composure, ignoring the incoherent words and weight of her roommate.

"I do want to get laid" 

Dixie shook her and she turned to Dixie and pouted

"I hate you Dixie"

Dixie laughed it off, "And I hate you too"

"But I'm so serious"

"I thought you were a believer" that wasn't a question and she knew she had struck a nerve

"God will forgive me" Rachel muttered, her eyes heavy with sleep

In the dark, Dixie's hand sought the light switch and flipped it on, "Really, then once he forgives you go back to having sex again?"

"Don't judge me sugarface"

"I'm not judging you" She took Rachel to her bed and covered her, " But practice what you preach"

Rachel nodded lightly amidst the drowsiness then she patted her, "Goodnight Rachel"

"Goodnight sugarface"

Dixie smiled, she didn't have a nickname for her but Rachel did. She changed out of her dress and crashed on the bed.

Sleep took her in seconds

"You gotta learn to stop drinking too much" Dixie folded her arms as she leaned on the door. Rachel kept puking in the toilet and coughing in between.

"Go away Dixie" her voice sounded croaked like she had swallowed something.

"And leave you like this?"

"Then do you mind shutting up"

Dixie shook her head, Rachel was unbelievable. If only she knew how she took care of her last night then she wouldn't be ungrateful.

"That's good" she raised her head and rested on the wall. Dixie helped her get up and she washed her mouth cleaning off the remaining puke that was on her lips.

She faced Dixie who stood with her arms crossed

"What? I'm alive, ain't I?"

Dixie smirked, "Yes you are"

"So what about that hottie that you were with last night?"

Dixie was shocked that Rachel had seen them and that was what she was avoiding all through the night.

"He is no one"

"Really, no one?" Dixie arched an eyebrow, "From what I saw through your body language, you looked like.." She made clicking noises

"How about the fact that you wanted to get laid? Did you forget that too?" She switched the topic real quick. She didn't want her to know that the person she was seen with was no other than Timothee.

"I said that?" Rachel was surprised and found it hard that in her weakest she had said a thing like that

"Do I look like I'm making it up?"

"No" she shook her head in attempts to shake the remaining effects of sleep, "What else did I say?"

She sat on the bed, her eyes were cast downwards. Shame filling her as she tried not to look up at her roommate

"Why are you scared?" Dixie laughed

Rachel gave her a stern look and she silenced the laughter

"You didn't say anything else except for the fact that you wanted to get laid"

"I can't believe I said that"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, people say nastu things too and especially when drunk"

"You don't get, I shouldn't be saying things like that"

"Why not?"

Their gazes locked, Dixie knew nothing about her except for her favorite color. She shook her head and slouched her shoulders.

"I'm a chorister in my church"

"A what?" Dixie was sastonished at her announcement

"A chorister"

"Wow that's great" she smiled moving her body slightly forward and backward with her crossed ankles completing the motion like being on a swing, "I didn't know ypu could sing"

"Yes, I can sing"

"That's great too" she was silent for a while, "maybe you could teach me to sing

Rachel rolled her eyes and fell on the bed, "And why would I do that?"

"Because you are the sweetest person to ever exist"

Rachel snickered, "Dixie don't start"

"Why?"

"Just don't flatter me"

"You know I'm telling the truth, you are.."

Her mouth was muffled and the remaining words came out as mumbles behind Rachel's hand and when Rachel released her, she was angry.

"Now that's better" She guffawed

"Whatever" Dixie turned away from her and faced the wall with both arms crossed.

Rachel didn't want to apologize so she decided to talk about the next thing she knew Dixie would be interested in, "What would you do about your job?"

And just like she predicted it got Dixie's attention and had her facing her but this time with a sly smile on her face.

She knew what that smile meant.

It meant trouble.

Timothee's house was as usual, there was something weird about it. Artifacts that look older than Hitler and drawings that look like they were drawn by Leonardo da Vinci himself.

"Sir" she called once she was inside, her feet moved swiftly as it took her to familiar paths, "Sir Timothee"

"What is it?" The voice sounded right behind her which made her flip around immediately. There he stood in all his might, with white hair that reached his shoulder and a black t shirt with black denim and black shoes to compliment the outfit. His style screamed danger.

"Sir, It's about what we talked about yesterday, I would like to take back my job"

"Why would I do that..?"

"Because I'm eligible to handle some things which could be found hard to do" she interrupted him without knowing she had done so.

"You really need to work on the way you talk"

"I'm so sorry" her eyes were casted down, "I had no idea that I talk like that"

"You tend to interrupt me"

"I'm sorry, I would try not to do that, sir"

"What if I don't give you the job?"

"I guess then I would have to try some where else"

"I think that would be a better option" he began walking away only for her to block his path with outstretched hands which made his eyes narrow at her, "You just said that you would try somewhere else so I want you to try somewhere else"

"What did I do wrong?"

"What?" His forehead creased

"I was being a good assistant, I wish to know what I did wrong, you know so I could do better at my new place of work"

He scoffed and looked away when he brought his eyes back to hers there was an emotion in it, she couldn't decipher if it was amusement or not.

"And why should I tell you that? I rather leave you to fail at your next job and get back on the streets and fail again and again and again" he emphasized on the word 'Again'.

"I want to go back to being your assistant so that I can fail again and again under your watch so that they would get to know the kind of assistant that you have and the one that your company accepted to employ after all the eligible people who were present at the interview"

"Are you trying to insinuate something?"

"No, I'm merely stating facts, I know deep down that I wasn't the most eligible candidate for the job, I spoke rudely to Lincoln you said so yourself but still I was chosen above other candidates, why?"

"I don't have to answer your question now, do I?" He crossed his arms, his lips tilted upwards.

"I'm asking as an individual not an assistant, why was I chosen?"

"I will answer your question only if.."

Her phone rang cutting him off, it was the song again. The one that got him angry the first time pushing him to fire her.

Lauren Diagle Now is forever

His countenance suddenly shifted and became glum, his eyes changed a color which she took notice off and as the song continued playing, he left her side to a corner. His hands reached up and covered his ears, his face contorted in pain. He shot his eyes tight as though music could pass through eyeballs.

She was surprised at what she had seen

What the hell?

Words couldn't describe what she felt at the moment but she knew she felt an emotion that dominated the rest

Fear

She stalked closer to him, the music stilll played at she brought it out of her purse and held it on her hand.

He groaned louder with each second, he was in pains

"Are you ok?"

Hus eyes snapped open and she jolted backwards, adrenaline surged through her.

He wasn't human anymore those black eyes had said it all. She moved few steps back and fell on her butt, she couldn't move.

The fear wouldn't let her and just as the impact of the fall caused the phone to stop playing the song, the next words that escaped her mouth was her contract into a new world. One she had known but failed to believe

"What are you?"