Fearless Beings

Chapter 33

Tom's POV (as requested, sistuh):

I lean against the door and slide down to the floor, prob my knees up and fold my arms on them. I press my forehead to my arms and sigh. I do not not if it is a wistful or regretful one.

When I open my eyes again, I see legs right in my line of sight and the hem of a blue dress, like someone's standing in front of me. I lift my head to tell them off, but my eyes lock with a set of blue eyes so blue it's practically the color of the dress they are wearing. Despite that, they look empty... like there is no one behind them.

A tall beautiful woman, with hair just past her shoulders and a small smile resting on her face. She has a black folder clutched to her chest with a white pen clasped to it. Something about her sets me off.

She looks... familiar...?

Her smile falters for only a second, before she stands straighter, her eyebrows furrowing. ''I'm sorry, who are you?'' she asks, her voice soft but firm and confident.

''Who are you?'' I counter.

She ignores my question and nods towards the door behind me. ''Do you know someone who lives here and goes by the name Mia Grandover?''

I narrow my eyes at her. ''Yeah, but she's currently...''

And that's when it hits me, like a brick to the chest. She's Madele. The woman my dad gave James a picture of and told him... she's my mother. But she isn't. She can't be. I remember my mum way before she got sick and died. And if my memory serves me right, my mother was definitely not a blonde. And she died.

This woman may not be my mother, but my brain is already cooking up a plan.

I stand up and brush my pants, grinning. ''I'm Thomas Cantor. And--'' despite the voice in my head telling me not to do it, I do not listen. So with a thudding heart in my chest and a throbbing ache in my head, I swing open the hotel door. ''--Mia lives here.''

...

''What the actual fuck, Cantor?!'' Mia yells, her glare moving from Madele to me. ''Are you mentally challenged or what?!"

I wince. ''What? I was just being a good boy and helping this lady out.''

She groans and turns to Madele. And then with a voice so sickly sweet it makes me grimace, she says, ''Sorry, ma'am. To what do I owe the pleasure?''

Madele replies with a voice equally as revolting. ''Maybe I could have a word with you outside? In the lobby?''

My eyes travel to Mia again and she doesn't look the slightest bit happy. Her hair down, which is a bit odd, since she almost always has it in either a ponytail or a bun, but for the first time I see how dangerous she looks; from the way her fists are clenched to the fierce look in her eyes to the scowl that seems to be taking residence on her lips. Nonetheless, she very rigidly says, ''Fine.''

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up alone in a hotel room with a very disgruntled Cassandra, tapping her feet on the tiled floor.

''You know,'' she says. '' if she didn't like you so much, I'd probably use you as an excuse for dinner.''

''Ha ha,'' I reply sarcastically, but not wanting to push her buttons- that is, if there is any left. Who knows what she'll do if I actually tempt her? She probably won't even wait for dinnertime and do me for lunch instead.

We sit in silence, but of course, Cassandra can only keep her mouth shut for so long. ''I never thought she'd be reckless enough to do it... rationality was never a concern when it came to her, she always goes out of her way to piss everyone off, reminding us constantly that we can never be predictable of her next move. She's just so... sudden.''