The Protection Program

TPP : Chapter XXVII

She didn't know what to think, she had been pacing in her bedroom for a good hour now and still her mind ran like a marathon. In one week she would be on her way to Houston, Texas, she wouldn't think that TPP would let her go back to the place where it all started. The place were she was considered a homicidal murderer, the place that started everything. Her head hurt, her stomach hurt, her body hurt. People were going to notice her, he said the whole city joined in on the week long events and festivals they had planned out, people were gonna notice her and want to talk to her. It was in the heart of Houston, right in the city.

She ran a hand through her messy hair while blowing out a hard breath. You would think she would be happy, but in all honesty she was far from happy, she was a nervous wreck. She was scared to death as well because she heard from Rico that Mad Dawg was looking for her, she was in for the same treatment that Rashad received. After that day Rico never visited her in prison again, that's why she thought Mad Dawg and Shadow Gang killed him as well. He came, told her that Mad Dawg was out to kill her, he left and then never returned.

Her heart was pounding in her chest like she just ran twenty miles, her thoughts ran like a wild fire as she continued to pace across the carpeted room. She could hear Aubrey downstairs on the phone with someone so she wasnt going to go bother him, she was by herself once again and she didn't know what to do. Obviously she was expecting the worst, she was expecting to be taken by Mad Dawg and then killed, she expected Aubrey to forget about her and not care when she disappeared, she expected the whole world to end and nobody to even notice.

She didn't understand why she was so scared and nervous, when just two days ago she was thinking of ways she could get back to Houston after her three months were up. It was all so much to think of and it was all washed over her like it was nothing. She decided to go downstairs, even if Aubrey was on the phone, his company would still make her feel better. Looking at him would make her feel better, hearing his voice a little more clearly would make her feel better. Anything would make her feel better because in this moment of being alone, she felt horrible.

Going downstairs was probably the worst decision, her heart went from cracked to shattered when she saw Aubrey cuddled up with none other then Number 7, not necessarily cuddled up but she was practically sitting on his lap while the two make googly eyes at each other. Well, she made googly eyes at him while he made googly eyes at her plastic breasts. She cleared her throat causing his attention to go from her chest and up into Nina's eyes, she felt a rush of euphoria as there eye contact met, even though she was a little broken at the fact that number 7 was all fondle with Aubrey, his eyes made that go away just a little at a time.

"Nina, this is Starr. Shes gonna make us-"

"I don't like that type of food, sorry."

With that she turned on her heels and began to walk into the kitchen. Both him and number 7 were confused because Aubrey didn't even get a chance to say what food she was cooking, he caught on to why she didn't care to be speaking with him though. He felt just as horrible about it, he knew number 7 shouldn't be there but he wasnt gonna turn down free sex. Usually he would have to pay but Starr said she was so sexually frustrated and in need of sexual pleasure that she would do it for free. Aubrey didn't turn down the offer but a huge part of him was wishing he had. He could hear the sound of the Cheerios clinking against the glass bowl, Cheerios must have been her favorite food because it was the only thing she would eat without being forced into doing it. He looked back to see her shuffling into the dining room with the bowl in her hands, he couldn't even see all of her but he could tell by the way she was walking, the way she was presenting herself, the look on her face. She was hurt, which only made him regret his decision even more.

She ate her cheerios in silence, she refused to look up because she was afraid that if she did she would cry. She didn't cry, ever. She hadn't cried since Rashads death and there was a lot of shit she could cry over, she had to be tough and strong and letting her guard down was the worst thing she could have done. She showed him her true feelings and admitted how she felt, she told him she was trying to open up because her trust with him was growing but she might as well have thrown that out the window because he obviously didn't feel the same. Or so she thought.

She didn't even finish her cereal, she couldn't, it felt impossible to swallow with a massive lump stuck in her throat. She stood up quickly and took in a deep breath before slowly walking. One foot in front of the other because if she didn't take her time she felt as if her knees would buckle, she felt like she would fall to the floor and cry, but she couldn't do that. If Aubrey wanted to play the cruel game then she would play that way too, she wouldn't care about him if he wouldn't care about her and that was 100% fine with her. She had more important things to worry about, for example, how the hell she was going to show her face in Houston and survive it.

"Nina, wait."

He stood up and grabbed her arm, stopping her from walking anymore. She could feel number 7's eyes on her as she flinched to his touch. It wasnt a flinch that said "please don't beat me" it was a flinch that said "you got 3 seconds to let me go", he caught on and dropped her arm. She continued to walk but he followed in pursuit unfortunately.

"Nina..."

She continued to walk, she walked up the stairs and down the hall of vacant rooms until she reached hers. he grabbed her arm again but this time she ripped it away, she was clearly pissed off but for some reason he didn't catch on to that even though he caught on to everything else.

"Nina, listen."

He put his foot in the door to stop her from closing it which only made the rage inside of her fire up another level, she could do a lot of things, she knew how and she wouldn't have any issues with doing them. It was the guilt afterwards that would kill her

"Move your foot."

"I'm sorry, just listen-"

"i don't want to listen...i don't need to listen. I don't care to listen because i have nothing to listen too. Now, move your foot from the door and leave me alone. Go have sex with your number 7 because clearly you don't care about anything but sexual pleasuring."

He had a look of dejection on his face as he now completely regret inviting Starr over, he cared about her. He cared about her more then he cared about himself at the moment and she didn't see that, it hurt him that she thought he didn't care about her. He cared about her not because it was his job, but because he was falling for her. Hard. He moved his foot from the door and took a step back, he kept his eyes low to the ground because he didn't have the gallantry to look her in the eyes, if he did he would only feel worse

"I like you Aubrey, not friend type like. But relationship type like, i hate to admit it but god damn it i do. I hate strippers and numbers and seeing you with her hurts me more then you can see on the outside. It hurts bad but im not saying this, the hurt and inconsolable side of me is. And trust me you wont ever see that side of me again... Thats three facts about me.. Your turn."

With that she slammed the door in his face and for the first time in over 5 years, a tear fell from her eye.