The Protection Program

TPP : Chapter XII

Saturday. She always dreaded Saturdays, simply due to the fact that it was a day that you didn't get out, and if you did it was always extravagant. Well, to her anyway. It was Saturday and they didn't have to go to work, they didn't have any plans, if they did she didn't know of them and she was a little worried to leave her room. She lean against her bedroom door, placing her ear to the cold white wood, she couldn't hear anything so she guessed and hoped nobody was awake yet. It was 8 o'clock on a Saturday morning, they had no reason to be up. She turn the gold handle slowly before pulling the door open, it was quiet, you could hear a pin drop. She smiled consciously at that, number 3 was probably still here and she knew Aubrey would love to have conversation, my god when would he never?

She tiptoed quietly down the carpeted staircase until she reached the cold wood floors, everything was cold in the house. Aubrey liked it cold, he said it was easier to get warm then it was to cool down so he always kept it a little chilly. She walked on the balls of her feet, trying to be as quiet as possible. The kitchen held anything your heart could desire, from food delicacy to a simple bowl of cheerios, which to her sounded pretty good. She liked cheerios, it brought back memories. It was a routine, wake up, do hygienic things then get dressed and eat cheerios together. It was her and Rashads thing, but because he wasn't here she had to do it herself. She stretched and stood tall so she could reach a small sized bowl, perfect for the amount she would like, the box was new and unopened so she knew it wouldn't be stale or old. She opened it up, smiling at the nostalgic smell of the breakfast food before pouring some into the glass bowl, the clink of the pieces of cereal hitting the glass gave her butterflies in her stomach. God, she missed that sound.

But it only got better as she poured in the milk and took her first bite. It gave her a rush, as if she had just shot up heroin. But in reality it was a simple bite of cereal. She smiled to herself as she sat alone at the dining room table, it was quiet and peaceful with the faint sound of the birds from outside. She squinted her eyes as she looked out the window, it was bright out, that was usually the case after it rained. There was a god awful storm last night, it awoke her from her sleep at least 3 times, which wasn't such a bad thing because she had nightmares again. All based around the same obscene subject. She pulled the spoon up to her mouth, taking in another bite of the tasty breakfast food.

"Good morning."

Her head shot up quick, she already knew who it was though. She just wanted to make sure it wasn't a figment of her imagination torturing her. Her eyelids lowered as her face went a little blank, she continued to chew on her cereal as he walked into the kitchen and a few seconds later returned with a bowl and the jug of milk

"I like cheerios...that's a fact and its still your turn by the way."

This time instead of sitting at one of the ends of the table he sat directly across from her, she pulled the spoon up to her mouth once more as he pour himself a bowl. He began to eat while smiling at her kindly, it made her want to puke. Why on earth was he so happy all the time? no, who is that happy all the time?

"You know, to be honest, i thought you weren't ever gonna eat. Its good to see you eating something. Dont you get hungry?"

She shrugged simply as she continued to eat from the crystal ware, Cheerios were much better in peace and silence but she ignored it as best as she could. She swallowed down and just when she thought nothing else could go wrong, number 3 walks out completely naked. Not much shock to it though, she expected her to walk out with nothing on but what she didn't understand was where all these women's class and decency went? It was like they step foot into his home and there self respect flies right out the front door, she didn't say anything though. She kept to herself and minded her own business, trying her hardest to swallow down her food, but it was kind of hard when there was a pair of plastic breasts in your face.

"Good morning baby."

She leaned down and placed a kiss to his temple, he didn't say anything. He just sat there eating, kinda like Nina, except he actually smiled and acknowledged the fact that she was there, she sat down with a bowl that Aubrey set for her and began to pour some for herself. Look at that, she was a trendsetter, she ate cheerios and they all ate cheerios. It annoyed her kind of, of course many people ate cheerios for breakfast but it annoyed her that they were eating cheerios with her, it was her and Rashads thing, not her and Rashad and Aubrey and number 3's thing. She swallowed down the last bite before setting down her spoon

"May i be excused?"

He looked up at her, he studied her as if she were a crossword puzzle. He took in a deep breath before saying the unexpected

"nope."

She furrowed her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes but she wiped the look off of her face quick when she saw number 3 smirking at her. It brought number 3 joy to see her annoyed and or upset, all she wanted to do was go to her room and avoid them but now she would have to wait

"Your not allowed in your room for the whole day. Your gonna socialize with me and Delicious, and when delicious leaves then me and you will socialize. Were gonna be friends, Nina. Your not gonna avoid me in my own home."

He smiled innocently before looking back down at his bowl and pulling the spoon back up to his mouth. Above table she looked calm and blank, as always, but under the table she clenched her fist together so hard it was a surprise her bone didn't pop out.