The Charm (H. Academy Series #2)

Chapter 3: Polluted Marrow

I was going to break into Leon's house.

What was a girl supposed to do when a boy wasn't answering her calls?

In a way, I didn't even care how crazy it made me seem. I brought the man back to life, for fuck's sake, I was allowed to check up on him.

I stood in front of the Lind property – a boxy, grey house surrounded with acres of grass and privet hedges and fountains and fancy cars. The place was huge and cold and grey. The chilly February air and the cloudy sky weren't helping.

The house looked abandoned.

I've noticed it the first time I was here. The lawns hadn't been mown in a while, and the privet hedges desperately needed trimming. The windows were all jammed closed, just like the door. There was no light inside even though darkness ruled the world.

I descended down the stony path to the door with a rock in my hand.

Because I wasn't just a common criminal, I called him first, my eyes glued to cold metal of his front door.

Who lived like this?

The Linds were crazy rich, that much I found out when I finally looked up Leon's family tree. They weren't that influential in our world, but they had real estate and lots of money in stocks. Still, there was something detached and cold about the exterior of their huge lot. Emotionless.

The phone rang in my ear, and when Leon didn't answer, I simply left another message.

"I'm in front of your house." My voice shook as I spoke. "If you don't want me to break your expensive windows with a rock, I suggest you open the door. Because I will break in, I swear to Goddess."

I sent the message and waited, my heart hammering like a war drum. A few seconds later, my phone buzzed.

Have you tried walking in? It's unlocked.

The rock slipped from my hand, almost falling on my foot. I cursed, tears flooding my eyes out of nowhere. Hands shaking, I turned the handle and opened the door.

He was alive. He texted me.

Warmth came from inside, but not the comfortable, soothing kind. It was a hundred degrees inside, and unbearable heat made me sweat. The door opened to a grey, dusty lobby. The furniture was covered with white sheets.

This was weird.

Was he living here alone?

I swallowed my heartbeat and walked in.

The heat inside made me nauseous. It made the air feel moist. It wasn't normal. It also eerily reminded me of the black ooze. Almost stumbling over my feet, I walked up the stony steps to the second floor.

Everything in the house was clean-cut. Glass railings. Marble steps. White and grey and black. Sleek. It would look modern and chick with some colour, but the emptiness and silence made it feel like an abandoned office. I walked through the hallway.

"I wondered when you'd try breaking in."

I turned on my heel and faced the direction the voice came from. The door to my left was wide open, and I glanced inside.

My stomach clenched at the sight of him.

He sat on a pulled-out couch, bare-chested with grey sweatpants on, smoking a cigarette. His hair was longer than the last time I saw him, and the black sweat-soaked strands now tickled his naked neck.

The blinds were down, and darkness mingled with heat and smoke in the air. Blankets and pillows lay scattered on the couch and the floor. An empty bottle of gin and bags of chips were on the glass table in front of him. The ashtray was full of cigarette butts.