The Retribution Chronicles

A d e | t w e n t y - n i n e

The first person Ade saw when he stepped through Ryan's front door was Miriam. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears that she began to wipe away with the back of her hand as she stormed in his direction. For a moment, he considered dashing upstairs, but she glanced up and he knew any chance of escape was well and truly gone.

"Good luck," Daniel whispered, squeezing Ade's shoulders. He then slipped past and offered Miriam a thin-lipped smile as he headed in the direction of the kitchen.

She stopped millimetres from Ade's face. In the dim lighting, her anger rang loud and clear. "We need to talk," she hissed between clenched teeth.

"I don't talk to snakes," Ade said, ready to brush past.

Miriam snorted. "I could say the same to you."

He took in her wide-legged stance, tight fists and twitchy eye. Noted the way she snarled at him, practically foaming at the mouth. This was primal, personal. It was also her death sentence. There was no way Wes would take her back when he heard about this. "Fine," Ade said, smothering his excitement beneath indifference, "you have five minutes."

Miriam turned on her heel and marched in the direction of the kitchen. Ade followed languidly behind, taking one small step to her three large ones. She blew through the house, decimating everything in her wake, drinks spilled and conversations falling to pieces. Ade apologised for her, shaking his head softly until they were alone. She stopped in the middle of the small garden and twirled around, arms crossed tightly against her chest.

"Well?" Ade tilted his head to the left. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"For myself?" she asked, fists clenching all over again. "You're a fucking joke, you know that?"

"And you're a bitch."

"Is that the best you've got?" she scoffed. "You're a fucking liar, Ade. It's sad and pathetic."

"Who did I lie to?" he laughed almost in disbelief. She had some nerve throwing around accusations like that. For all he knew, her real name was Gina and she studied Geography.

"Wes," she said.

His smile dropped. "Why the fuck would I lie to Wes?"

"To fuck with me," Miriam said.

"You're delusional," Ade muttered beneath his breath while turning back to the house.

"No," Miriam shouted. She was standing in front of him in three quick steps. "You don't get to call me delusional. You don't get to call anyone delusional."

"What? And this isn't insane?" He gestured to her with a disgusted frown.

"I hurt you," she said, "and I'm sorry for that, but you don't get to ruin something good."

"Something good?" he snorted. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Did you tell Wes I didn't call?" she asked, her expression as blank as a fresh piece of paper, writing away the anger which propelled her only seconds before.

"What does it matter if I did?" Ade said, crossing his arms.

"You and I both know that Wes won't even consider fixing things if I don't at least try to apologise to your sorry ass."

"Oh?" Ade pressed a hand to his chest and feigned interest. "Is that what you were planning to do tonight? Ambush me and force me into accepting your bullshit apology like you did Kojo?"

"I didn't force him to do anything." Miriam turned and walked away, stopping abruptly and turning back to him. "Unlike you, Kojo can let shit go."

"It's been less than a week," Ade reminded her. He could see her and Wes in his mind's eye, a tangled web of limbs and deceit. "Am I supposed just say thank the lord you saw the light and let you and Wes ride off into the sunset?"