- phoebe gilbert 2010
the grille
"another whiskey on the rocks please. jack." i say sliding my glass back to the bartender still compelled to not id me.
"you are not twenty one." a man with an accent laughs beside me. i look up at the beautiful blonde man sipping on a dark liquor beside me.
"shhh he doesn't need to know that." i whisper drunkenly pointing at the bartender. a small smile grows on the man's face as he tries to hold back laughter.
"i'm nik, and you are?" he asks offering me his hand.
"phoebe." i say taking his hand. he leans down kissing my hand making my entire body go red. "you are a flirt nik."
"so phoebe, who are you?" he asks staring deeply into my eyes. i feel nearly obligated to answer him.
"i don't know..." i mumble. "i'm a girl. a student. a sister. i don't really have a purpose."
"that's so pathetic, would you like one?" he asks and i smile. "how would you like to be the keeper of my plans, secrets, and stories?" he asks.
"i mean.."
"it's not like you have a choice." he says holding eye contact. "you will listen to what i have to say, and forget what i've told you until you see me again."
i nod slowly as he begins to speak about his childhood. "though soon my father found out i was in fact not his child. for this i endured years of abuse. of course then my mother performed the spell to turn us all."
he continues explaining his childhood and with every word it grows darker. my stomach turns when he explains how his father whipped him. my heart shatters when he tells me how his brother screamed and cried for their father to stop.
"still there phoebe?" he asks and i nod swallowing the lump in my throat.
"i'm... just in shock." i mumble trying to regain my composure.
"ah... humans. you're all so sensitive, and i haven't even gotten to the dark parts yet." he jokes. he continues telling me everything and stops after telling me about a fire that killed his best friend and someone he considered a son.
"so.. you locked your sister up for falling in love? more than once?" i ask and he shrugs. "you don't find that archaic?"
"oh darling archaic is correct. i can't have people falling out of line." he says.
"nik, she's not your soldier. she's your sister." i say and a wave of sadness washes over him. he sits up straight and shakes his head.
"i am fully aware that she is my blood, but this is best." he says sipping on his drink. "anyway you're not here to judge, you're here to listen."
"i'm not sure why i'm here.." i say confused. he grabs my hands and makes me look him in the eyes.
"you're here because i want you to be. remember?" he asks and i nod. "alright, back to me."
