MÉTIS

7

Métis

When we returned to our apartment, it was in the same shape as it was when we left.

I looked around and I fazed out while thinking about what had happened. 

Why did Kairos come after so many months without any sign of him? 

Why now?

I start to shake when I remember how he punched me and touched me.

How he entered me.

How he completely and utterly disrespected and humiliated me.

How freaking weak I was...

I am.

I take a deep breath and I start to cry. It's an ugly and deep cry.

 I break down on the ground and Claire sits next to me and takes me into a hug. I just pour all my emotions out of me, where they have been kept for the last few hours. 

I feel so violated.

We stay there for a couple minutes at least when I calm myself down.

Claire takes my face into her hands and wipes my tears. She smiles at me.

"Everything will be okay. I won't ever leave you again," she says calmly and with a slight hint of guilt in her voice. I can tell that last night fucked her up as well, just a little differently. She blames herself for what happened. But it's not on her. It's on him. On that ugly and disgusting bastard who was once the most important person in my life.

"Yeah, yeah..." I said half dissociated and I went upstairs to my room. I don't have the energy to tell her that she's not the one to blame. I don't have the energy for anything at the moment.

 I undressed myself and hopped in the shower. I started to cry again while I was cleaning myself to get rid of that horrible monster who abused me.

. . .

Kairos was once my best friend and then boyfriend. We met in foster care and because he was Greek as well, I felt an instant connection to him. He was the only other Greek person that I have met and I wanted to get close to my lost culture and ethnicity so badly.

Couple of months after we met, I fell in love with him and we started dating. He was so sweet until he wasn't. He became controlling and toxic to be with. On top of that, he started to drink his problems away which worsened his aggression that he displayed on me.

If it wasn't for Claire, that I met around the time the beatings started, I would be dead.

I so didn't want to leave him because that meant losing a connection to my parents, to my origins. But if I didn't that meant losing something much more important. My life.

Claire took me under her wing, she showed me real friendship that didn't and doesn't involve manipulation or toxicity.

And I love her for that.

I owe her for that even.

. . .

I get back to my room and I get dressed into my comfy clothes. I keep thinking what happened to Kairos after the two boys supposedly saved me. 

And then my brain turns its attention mainly to one of the boys.

 To Sofian. 

He saved me even though he didn't need to. And on top of that, he is the boy who caught my eye the other night at the club.

Which reminds me that this evening is work night.

I sigh and look at the clock. It's 5 p.m. already. I need to get ready and get going. 

Luckily, Claire is working as well so I'll have a little bit of emotional support there with me.

. . .

At work, I requested to tend the bar and mix drinks this night. I didn't feel like I wanted to dance half naked around the local clients. I just wanted to occupy my brain with keeping my hands busy. Claire decided to perform for the VIP clients instead of me.

"Hey, love," I hear while making one of the worst drinks this world has ever known - Bloody Mary.

I look up and I see a young man. He's in his late twenties and he is hot. He has blond hair and brown eyes, tattoos all over his body and black clothes on.

He eyes me up and down and immediately, I start to feel uncomfortable.

"Uhm, hello. What can I get you, sir?," I say trying to play it cool and suppress my intuition.

"Well, I'd take you," he says seductively while playing with a toothpick in between his lips. I blush even though I hear compliments like this from thirsty men always.

"Sorry, sir. That won't be possible. Any drinks you might want?," I ask while pouring Bloody Mary into a glass with celery and a straw. I put it away for the server to take it and I begin making other orders.

Next stop is gin and tonic.

My personal favorite - simple but effective.

He sighs annoyed. 

"Hm, I'll have whiskey on ice, love," he says in his deep and rusty voice.

"Coming right up," I say as I finish the gin and tonic.

I get him his drink, he looks at me for the last time before going to the VIP section to amuse himself elsewhere.

I let a deep breath out - one I didn't even know I held and I get back to work.

Later in the night, I don't have as many orders so I can rest for awhile. I go to the dressing room where I sit down and I dissociate for who knows how long.

I still think about Kairos and how he raped me last night. I can still feel him. Unfortunately, it's not the first time somebody took advantage of me. But it doesn't get easier. It never does. I can feel myself tear up when I hear some yelling.

I freeze near the door and listen to the disagreement happening outside my room.

I recognize the voices - I think it's the two boys from this morning. But there is somebody else as well. But the voice is too far away to tell if I know who it belongs to.

Suddenly I hear sounds of struggle, fighting and then the worst sound I think anyone can ever hear.

I hear a gunshot and a thud - somebody fell to the floor. 

Still frozen at the door, I push myself to unfreeze.

Slowly, I open the door and I look out. I can see somebody running away and two people on the ground. 

One is laying and the other one is sitting next to him trying to stop the bleeding.

Oh no.

No.

One of the boys from this morning got shot.

And from the looks of it, it's bad.

I don't think he's conscious. 

It looks like he's dead.

I gulp and run to them to help.