sinners & saints | the weeknd & drake

11

Rosalina

"Remind me why you're hiring a babysitter again?" Abel mutters as we make our way into The Loft, which is lit in red fluorescent lighting all the way round.

Because my aunt is getting old and doesn't have the energy to look after a baby, I think to myself, not wanting to answer his question out loud.

I'm still mad at Abel for what happened the other night and there's no way I'm about to apologise first.

He's tried on several accounts to speak to me and get me to talk to him, but not once has he apologised for what he said and bringing up that certain situation.

Of course, I had to let off some steam after what happened between the two of us . . .

"You're still not going to talk to me?" Abel asks now, chuckling darkly.

Shaking my head, I start to walk away towards my reserved table at the far end of the room, in the private section, but Abel grabs me by the sleeve of my blouse and makes me turn to face him.

"What?" I snap, looking up into his eyes with my own blazing ones.

The red lights reflect in his eyes, making them look illuminated and like they're on fire.

My eyes travel down the rest of his face - which also has red light reflecting on it - before looking back up into his eyes.

Abel clenches his jaw. "How long are you going to keep this up, Lina?" he wants to know, eyes flickering from my face to around the bar.

I fold my arms across my chest and just shrug. "I don't know, Abel," I mutter. "I'm still pissed."

"Yeah, I can really tell!" Abel says angrily. He lowers his voice. "Killing eight people in the past two days?" He looks around to make sure no one heard him.

I just smirk. "I had a lot to get off my chest," I say, looking away from him. I sigh heavily and take a step forwards, placing my hands on his chest and looking up at him. "Abel, the only reason I'm being stubborn is because I know you're right - I'm not around Cherish because of, well, that. But then again, what do you expect me to do, Abel? If you were in my shoes, you'd probably be feeling the same way I do."

Abel studies my face thoughtfully. He takes my hands in his and squeezes gently. "I don't think I would," he tells me and I snatch my hands back angrily.

"Oh, really?" I hiss, glaring at him.

Abel just nods and bites his lip. He rakes a hand through his fluffy hair and huffs, knowing that this conversation will go nowhere, but round and round in circles. "I'm going to go and take care of some stuff with the new guy," he mutters before walking off to the room at the back, with his hands shoved in his bomber jacket pockets.

Rolling my eyes and cursing under my breath, I walk over to the reserved table in the private section and wait for whatsherface to arrive.

I haven't met Abel's new business partner yet and honestly, I don't want to right now - he'll probably just end up dead on the floor when it's only his second day at work.

I look down at my phone and scroll through pictures of Cherish, smiling as I remember the day she came back from the hospital.