fervor

ＩＩ － ＦＯＲＥＩＧＮ？

      ＩＩ － ＦＯＲＥＩＧＮ？


I refused to eat anything Romelo had given me.


And it was biting me in the ass.


Hearing my stomach growl for the fifth time, I sighed, rolling over in the bed.


"You should really eat something."


My head snapped up, Romelo's voice startling me. He was leaning on the wall, and shook his head at me. My stomach growled again, and I flared my nostrils, rolling my eyes at him.


I was still going to be stubborn.


"Roll them eyes at me again, I'll roll them back into your head."


I wasn't fazed by his sexual innuendo.


"Being stubborn isn't going to get you anything to eat. You didn't eat breakfast, you didn't eat lunch, are you going to at least eat a snack?" He sighed.


It was going on dinner time, but I still didn't trust or know anything about him.


His real name might not even be Romelo.


He ripped me from my home, and only God knows where I am. My friends and family are probably calling me off the hook.


"I'll take that as a yes," he sighed once more.


He left my room, and I looked back at the door.


Maybe he's just trying to be kind?


I pushed the thought to the back of my head. Anybody who could kidnap someone must be a terrible person. The least he could do is tell me why I'm here.


Deciding that sleep was the best thing currently, I tucked myself under the covers. I closed my eyes, hoping that he wouldn't pester me anymore.


But it didn't work like that.


My eyes opened, and I rubbed my eyes. It was pitch black, and I turned on the light. I still felt tired, like the life had been sucked out of me.


My stomach was killing me, and I knew I couldn't refuse to eat any longer.


Pushing the covers aside, I crept out of my room, looking around in the hallway. It wasn't that I scared, I just didn't want to wake Romelo and see his smug face.


I headed down the stairs, and into the kitchen. Rummaging around his cabinets, I stood up on my tip-toes.


I suddenly felt strong arms lift me up, and that familiar chuckle.


I sucked my teeth.


Romelo put me down, and turned on the light. I watched him open the fridge, and I noticed that he didn't have a shirt on.


What really drew my attention were the scars on his back.


Without a second thought, I had reached out and touched the deep claw marks.


Next thing I knew I was forced against the counter.


He squeezed my wrist tightly, and I was afraid that he was going to snap it like a twig. I held in my tears, and he just stared at me. I whimpered, thinking he was going to hit me. But instead, his features softened, and I felt him release the vise grip on my wrist.


"Don't..Don't do that."


He looked down, and I bit my lip.


"I-I'm s-so-"


"So what do you want to eat?" He asked, pulling several things out of the fridge.


"I'm not really h-hungry.."


He looked me in the eyes, lifting me up so that I was sitting on the counter. "As your protector, I have to feed you."


Protect me from what?


"What are you-"


"Him," he interrupted, his back turned to me. "I won't tell you his name, but those kidnappings? His fault. That man you were running from? That was him."


"Are you saying that I was..." I trailed off.


He slowly nodded, and I rubbed my arms. Suddenly I felt cold, goosebumps rising up on my arms. Romelo lifted my head up; our lips almost touching.


"But as long as you're with me, I won't let him get you."


Without warning, Romelo pecked my lips, holding one of my hands.


My lips burned when he pulled away, and all I could do was stare at him. He grinned, starting to walk out the kitchen.


"This time, eat something. I won't ask you again."


I watched him walk on down the hall, and my eyes dropped, falling upon the snacks he set out on the counter.


"O-Okay," I stuttered, as if he could hear me. I took a cup of applesauce and a spoon, and quietly went back up to my room.


I hugged my knees to chest, staring at the pattern on the bedspread.


I couldn't get one question out of my head, no matter how hard I tried to think of something else.


Who was this "him" Romelo was "protecting" me from?