82. Crazy Juliet

Juliet

The house was too far. I didn’t feel like walking all the way. The market was just down the road. All I could think about was hiding behind the counter in the bookstore. I quickly made my way there. Hoping and praying that Soren was still managing the place.

I waited till he opened the tarp, sighing seeing him. I walked to the little wooden counter. It seemed so much smaller. I went down on my haunches, hiding like I always did. It wasn’t long before he came around the corner.

“F-!” He paused.

I waited but he stood frozen. “Can you please call Liam?” Soren cursed some more. Fumbled grabbing the phone calling my dad. At one time, the guy that was my only friend sat down on his haunches next to me. My hair was still wet.

“Hi, Julie.” He saw my face and rubbed over the scars. “What did you get yourself into today. I thought you got out. Did Marcus really find you? I haven’t seen him in a year.”

Hearing his name and that everybody thought he was in the end, the bad guy made a few tears fall over my cheeks. He wiped them away with both his thumbs. I fell forward onto his chest. Sobbing.

The backdoor eventually opened. My dad came in and held out his hand. Soren helped me up. I glanced back at him before we left. “Thank you.”

We stopped at the house. I didn’t even care. Got out, running for the door. Louis and my mom were waiting. Startled when they saw my face. I forgot that I had a fresh bruise on my eye from that morning. What did I do again? Oh yeah tried writing something in the kitchen to see if they would let me.

The three people in my life weren’t happy but neither was I. My hand involuntarily jumped up to my face. Louis slowly walked towards me stroking his hand on my cheek. Cupping my neck to pull me into him. He held me. I needed more to forget about everything. It’s been a week since I saw Louis last. He picked me up in his arms and turned away from my parents.

“I’m going to please you baby. Love you till all this goes away.” Louis did all the work and didn’t mind the waterworks after.

***

Louis lay conflicted on top of me after we were finished… He didn’t need to say anything. There really was nothing he could do. We heard the cars stop in the street and in front of the house.

“They have found me. You’re the only one that can give me my cookie and have yours so quickly.” He shrugged pleased with his ability.

“Do not show yourself. Stay here and let them scramble to find you. Even if it’s just for a few days.” He kissed my bruise. There was a loud banging on the door. My dad opened it. Louis was already dressed, watching TV.

The doors were opened without question. They made a sweep through the house. Everybody said a lot but also nothing while they were being questioned. The guards had no choice but to leave.

Damian wasn’t here. He wasn’t coming within a mile of Louis. He knew…, and he had secrets. Qadir still wanted Louis dead. They were waiting for a reason. Waiting for Louis to do something stupid. They would be able to get away with it… with Marcus anyway.

I shook myself, having had that thought about Marcus. I still didn’t want to believe he would just forget about me.

All the cars left. Louis closed the window and curtains. My mom came in and sat on the bed. I reappeared when the front door locked.

“You guys haven’t maybe spoken to Marcus yet?” All three cast their eyes down to the ground. My mouth pulled unhappily in the corner…

“So that’s how it’s going to be.”

“Nothing we can do tonight. Let’s all get some rest.” My mom said and left.

I got into bed wiped. Sleeping as soon as my head hit the pillow.

***

It was four days of bliss. Smoking. Drinking and reading. Louis wanted to do something fun. I put on my veil. We went walking in the market.

“Come and show me the bookstore and the couch.” I could do with a novel. It wasn’t a bad idea. Although Marcus had every book imaginable. He did not have the latest Korean drama.

We walked into the supermarket. Louis pretended to be browsing. Everyone was staring at the new face. Handsome and friendly. He kept them busy while I stepped through the tarp in the back again. Soren’s eyes shot up.

“NO WOMEN!”

His long hair hung on his face. He swept it back just for it to fall again. He muttered some or other swear words. I chuckled, walking past him. Soren was young. Early twenties.

Our couches were still there. They were a little worn, but I went to lie down in my corner. Despite everything… I missed Marcus. Hoping that we were all wrong about him.

Soren came over and handed me a novel. He held it out as I scrutinized the cover.

“Yuk. You’re going to have to do better.” I played with my hair bouncing my foot up and down. He wanted to turn but I couldn’t keep it in anymore. I jumped up and threw my arms around his neck. He laughed keeping his arms wide. Like that was the proper response for a guy getting hugged by a girl.

“You all better?” I shook my head and pressed harder into him.

Louis came in, watching us leaning on the door frame. Soren was bright red. Blushing. “I thought I’d never see you again.” He said.

I sat down and patted the seat next to me. Soren wanted to sit down. Louis pulled him up at his collar. “She didn’t mean you handsome.”

Louis laid down on my lap. He took out his phone, making us pose for a picture. We were fake reading. I was raking my fingers through Louis’s hair. Soren was next to me on the armrest of the couch. Showing a peace sign.

Louis sent it to Marcus. I got up, standing in front of Soren. I dug underneath my veil and pulled the hair tie off. I slowly picked up my hands and raked my fingers through his hair. Gathering it on top of his head. Tying it so that it didn’t irritate him anymore.

“Did Marcus reply,” I asked?

“We got nothing back.”

Soren sat on his haunches next to the couch, staring up at me.

“He thinks you’re beautiful.”

“With all these bruises? I think not.”

He nodded. “Still really pretty.”

“Who’s this guy?” He pointed to Louis.

I lift up my hand. At least they never took my ring.

Soren’s eyes grew large. “What about Marcus?”

“Undecided…” Louis said.

“Take it for you to go against everything and reverse it.”

Louis laughed. “You never said Soren was this witty.” I giggled.

“I missed you, Juliet. You were my only friend here.” Soren confessed. “Life has been dull. No one to debate with. No one that has two brain cells to rub together.”

“Well, that is the saddest thing I’ve ever heard,” Louis commented.

“Any wives Soren?” I asked.

“Ewe. No. If I can’t marry you, why bother. You need another one?”

Louis cleared his throat.

“You’ll have to ask the boss.” I throw my thumb towards Louis.

“Undecided,” Louis said again.

“Well, you’ll be my first option if I ever do. Oh and maybe Mateo.” Soren's eyes stared dreamily into mine. I was nervously twirling my hair around my finger.

Louis sat up and cast a skeptical eye at me. “You’re actually thinking about it.”

I giggled. “He’s cute… Don’t you think?”

“You know…” Louis wanted to say but cut himself off. “Quickly.” He didn’t have to ask. I could see that there was something wrong.

The door that led to the outside opened. Louis pretended to be reading the novel I had thrown in his lap. His eyebrow quirked when he saw the title. He cleared his throat again.

Soren kept his cool, used to trouble following me.

A guard walked in and over to Louis.

“Where is she?”

He shook his head the perfect liar. Detecting and thwarting every thought.

“We got a tip you were here.” Louis and Soren’s eyes met in mutual understanding. We were all thinking about it… Marcus.

“No, she’s not… Louis’s countenance fell with every second. Somber Louis was almost back.

Soren got up and walked to the counter.

The guard checked the book in Louis’s hand. His face hardened. “She is making it harder on herself. Marcus wants her home. I will go back and report. But the next step would be to force her out of hiding.”

His eyes shot to Soren. “If you get my drift.”

Oh, hell no! They understand me so well. I came back. Louis’s hand rubbed his forehead. He couldn’t protect me, and he was struggling. I just didn’t want him to burst.

“Sorry, baby,” I said while being dragged out. They pushed me into a car.

We went back to the estate. Glad when we stopped outside Marcus’s gates. I didn’t want to end up on the chopping block at the main house. The two guards picked me up. Arms hooked my armpits. My feet dangling. They tossed me into my room. Closing the door.

I heard Damian coming closer, opening the door slowly… “We have her. What do you want us to do with her.” He actually handed me the phone. Walked away and stood outside.

There was that silence again. Both stubborn to a fault. I knew it was Marcus. All I could think about was the kiss. How insane it was and how I felt when we finally crossed that line.

“Juliet.” My chin quivered. He wasn’t calling me Julie. First problem. “Can you please behave?” A louder sob escaped me. I killed the call and threw the phone at the wall. It smashed. Fell on the floor in front of Damian. Shattered.

His eyes studied me with a predator’s attention. I needed the pain, or else I wouldn’t have been able to calm down. He unclasped his belt smiling… The jingling sounds too familiar. I fell to my knees as he started hitting. All I saw was Caleb smiling.

I passed out somewhere at the fifth shot. Damian was a big guy, and I didn’t have the strength to fight. Wondering why my monster wasn’t surfacing…

***

Marcus

It had been two weeks of meetings. Day in and day out. I was exhausted mentally and physically. The last time I had talked to Louis was when he told me that he was sorry about being rude. It had been too long.

Since then, I couldn’t get hold of them. I tried to get a new phone. Nothing worked. I just couldn’t get through. The communications there were probably down. I felt my sixth sense tell me that it wasn’t coincidental. That something was up. I just couldn’t do anything about it.

Carl couldn’t get through. Not to anyone. He even tried Charlene but nothing. It was like the two of us were cut off from the world. There was no watcher to take us back and forth quickly. Jabin refused flat out. Bertram wasn’t allowed to do anything. The whole world was at a standstill. There was no reprieve. No talking to Juliet. We had been together every day in France. Being with her and not being able to talk… was better than not being close. My only consolation was that Qadir was with me there. Together all the time meant he wasn’t hurting her.

I had become a spokesperson for the alien race. I couldn’t leave. People didn’t tend to like Qadir. No one wanted to work with him. It was evident why he raised me on earth. Why I never went back to En-gannim. He was molding me into a perfect spokesperson. Trained by so many people in public speaking… I was really good at it. When I needed to smile or fake my charisma, I could do it. Being a totally different person. I wondered what Juliet thought about it.

I even went with Qadir to Palmyra to negotiate possible viability to creatures that we could be raised on earth.

Juliet would kill me if she knew I was one planet away from Chris and didn’t pop in to say hi.

When I suggested it to Qadir, he scoffed.

I waited. He would give me an explanation eventually.

“Not this time.” Was all I got.