A Gun To My Heart

4

We walk out of the car greeted by hundreds of different people standing in a big circle. My mom plaster a fake smile on her face, hiding the disgusting monster she truly is. People buy it, so I do the same. Except, I still treat everyone with respect.

The cameras are following us, probably airing on live tv. I wave with my hand as we follow the glass path leading into the modern building in front of us. A thousand glass shards sticking out of the building, making the light reflect large, blinding rainbows in different directions.

I gasp, overwhelmed by the beauty. Small trees in pots are neatly cut and placed perfectly on the ground, with perfect distance in between each one. Our heels click at a steady pace on the glass floor.

Chandeliers float delicately over us, lighting up the hallway even more. "Behave." Her voice stings.

Two tall men stop in front of us, and her smile is plastered back on. Aries smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Before I can investigate, even more, I see his hand reaching out to me. I take it, and we greet.

His hand is surprisingly soft. No scars, no calluses. "Aries." His voice is soft. But it still doesn't match his eyes. I still see the cold, the dead in the back of his glare. The thing he's trying so hard to hide.

"Maeve," I say, and my voice stays strong. His eyebrows twitch lightly, revealing a bit of surprise. I assume it's because I'm unaffected by his charm.

Calix doesn't even bother to greet me, and walks away with my mom, hands fixed around her waist. If he wasn't the man he is, she would've already cut his hands off.

No.

She would've cut his fingers off. One by one, laughing at him while he's screaming in pain. And then, she would cut his palm off.

I'm so lost in my thoughts, that I don't notice Aries staring at me. Trying to figure me out already. And he is struggling.

"Let me show you around," he says with a drop of warmth in his voice. It reminds me of Sage.

Focus.

Unlike his father, he keeps his hands behind his back. We walk through the long hallway in silence. Both of us, knowing we're both looking for a crack in each other. A crack we can use against the other one later on. To make them break.

We enter a large hall. Servants hurrying in and out of the room, with stacks of plates in their hands. "Every morning we eat at that table."

I look at the long table made of marble in the middle of the room. Paintings of the sea are hanging on every wall. Some small, some large. The doors are white, tall, and filled with gold details. Everything looks so clean.

But considering my mom wants something from his dad, something has to be filthy. Maybe not the building, but the business he does.

"Cool," I say and Aries looks at me grimacing. I smile for once, which makes him relax a bit. He thought I was going to act like my mom. Unsympathetic, cold-hearted, unemotional. I can act like that, maybe I even will have to act like her. The thought of it sends shivers down my spine.

He continues to walk down the building, ignoring the single word that just came out of my mouth. Cool. A small smile spreads across my face. Unsuitable word.

"Here is your room."
He opens the large door, revealing a light blue interior. Small plants are floating gracefully in the air, and there are big windows revealing a beautiful garden. I try to hide my surprise, but as Aries tries to hide his smile - I assume my fierce mask broke.

I walk to the big windows and look at the garden in front of me in disbelief. It looks unlimited. Like the sight of flowers, trees, bushes never stop.

He's eyeing me closely. "Never seen plants before?" He chuckles. I roll my eyes at him, walking to the desk in front of my massive bed.

It has flowers growing out of the corners. A notebook lays in the middle with a golden pen on top. Maybe this might be the first place I find peace.

"It's pretty in here." My eyes reach his, and I'm surprised he still tries to hide his lifeless, hazel eyes. I let my guard down too fast. Trusting him too fast. My posture stiffens, and he sees it.

"How is your room back in Insuria?" He asks, and he actually sounds interested. But this could only be an act. For a fact, I know it's an act. To make me trust him. Something stupid I did, only two seconds ago.

"It's nice, almost like his one." Lie. It feels empty. The complete opposite of this. Even though I have everything I've ever wanted. He nods and starts to walk out of the room.

I follow him, and we walk together. He shows me the different rooms. The living room. The room they have meetings in. The kitchen is filled with hundreds of chefs.

Even though everything looks amazing here, I can't rip my thought away. The thought telling me that what he's showing me, what he's saying is just a facade. He is trying to win my trust. Just like I want to win his.

And he knows that. We both know that. We're trying to win each other's trust, knowing it won't happen.

"Make him fall in love with you."

My head is always swirling with different thoughts and questions. But now I'm only stuck with one.

How?