Within You

Chapter Four.

As I close the door tightly behind him, making sure that he won't try coming into the house again, I turn on my heels with an angry frown upon my face.

My eyes lock deeply into Alani's as she slowly moves away from her previous spot, looking like a dear ready to become a lions dinner.

I think smartly, wondering where she's going to hide herself from me and my soon to be lecture of death.

I stupidly take a small step forwards causing her pounce, sprinting into her room with me running after her, as the slamming of her door slams in my face with a glass breaking clash. I bang on her door shouting for her to come out as an idea comes to mind.

I quickly open the front door widely, as I quietly tiptoe towards the window seeing the wind roughly blow the trees outside aggressively. I open the window and run delicately to the side of her bedroom door, watching the front door close by the winds hands as it  makes the house seem as if someone had left it in frustration, which I will be doing very soon.

A minute passes by nicely, as her door slowly opens. Alani steps out of her room not noticing my presence as her gaze searches the front door in wonder.

I smile wickedly as I move fast, lifting her up and onto my shoulder, getting a scream from her as I walk towards the old leather couch. I drop her onto it and quickly close the window as the harsh wind sweeps into our home.

Sitting next to her flopped out form, a sudden hiss comes out of her as she try's to leap of the couch and to her safe room. I catch her by the arms and force her to stay by me, hearing her moan in frustration from being held as I tighten my grasp on both of her small arms.

"What is your problem, huh? You left the dance studio, with no one knowing where you were. Do you realise how dangerous, and idiotic, that is? Do you even know who could've taken you, to God knows where... I could have seriously lost you!" I say as she tries pushing her claws into my wrists, which bloody hurts, trying to escape my now tighter hold.

"Also, with that man, did you not realise how much power he has? How he can click his fingers and take you away. God, Alani, he can take you away from me. Was it so hard for you to be nice to this one, or do you really want us to be separated!" I say almost hearing my own voice tremble at the end.

She stops struggling, her breathing starts taking in deep breaths, as I catch her eyes glossing over with pure sadness.

"No... I just..." She whispers as rare tears start to flow down her heated cheeks.

"Oh, Gorgeous... please, don't cry." The common nickname our mother named the ones that she truly loved instantly surfaces. I pull her into my body, wrapping my arms around her while stroking her soft dark blonde locks as she crumbles into my lap crying heavily into my chest.

"I don't fit in this world," is the only words she lets out as her tears start to flow more easily, soaking into my awaiting shirt.

"I know... none of us do..."

****

I hold the crying beauty in my arms, feeling as if hours had passed by, when asking her sweetly to stop crying as my heart starts to break with every jagged breath and apology she and I make to each other.

I decide to lift her up into my arms, carrying her to her bedroom, the one place that we both decided was a peaceful haven. Her smooth clear baby pink walls, covered in our family 'art work', which are just pieces of scrap paper that our little family had doodled on.

The good times and memories of when we were all still a family together.

With her toys scattered around the floor, bed and shelves, I try not to step on any as I place her into her small single, princess themed, bed.

I tucked her in, seeing her raw eyes still cowering with tears, as I slip her favorite strawberry shower sponge, that she calls a toy, into the covers that cocoons her.

Our mother gave her that sponge many years ago as a birthday present, she thought she was being funny in giving it to her, but the joke landed on her once we realised Alani couldn't sleep without it.

She's such an odd, yet complexed, child that I love so deeply with my heart.

I start to leave her, hoping sleep will help her become refreshed, when a small voice calls my name just as I grasp the door knob. I turn around to see Alani, snuggling her sponge, looking at me with sad glossy eyes.

"Will you stay with me, for a while, just till I fall asleep?" She asks, as she sniffs back her tears. I turn towards her, instantly kicking my shoes off, and slip into her covers holding onto her little warm body.

She makes room for me to lie in her bed, my feet almost stick out of the end, as she uses my body as her mattress. I wrap my arms securely around her and the sponge, stroking the top of her braided hair as she slowly falls to sleep.

"I'll always stay with you, Gorgeous." I meaningfully promise as I brush her loose hair, around her cheeks, with my finger tips. "Forever."

Time ticks by as I lay there for a good twenty minutes, knowing that she has fully fallen asleep, I turn to look at the pink flower clock on her bed side table. I release a sigh, remembering that my working hours will start very soon.

Leaving me enough time to get there with fifteen minutes to spare, which I will gladly use to get a Chai latte.

I quickly shimmy my escape, not waking Alani up as I do so, as I creep out of her room to gather my bag and keys, heading into my room to change. I search for my white blouse and black skirt as I send a quick text to my best friend, and also the best neighbor I have, Roman to see if he could babysit a sleeping Alani while I'm gone and use his car.

Once I struggle to tuck my blouse in my tight skirt, putting my black flats and a long black cardigan on, I get a quiet ding from my phone. I read the text quickly, seeing that he will be here in 1 minute, as I sling my bag onto my shoulder and head towards the door.

I double check on a sleeping Alani and see if any windows are open, which they aren't, as I close and lock the door behind me. I run down the steps, jumping the last two, running out the apartments double front doors when I see a tall, thin Korean man climbing out of his car. He spots me and smiles holding up his car keys in the air.

"You are an amazing, most generous, kind hearted-" I start praising him but he cuts me off with a dark gloved hand telling me to stop.

"No scratches, please, Pancake. Or else, I'll trash your car once it's finished being worked on." Is all he says, his Korean accent kicking in, as he hands me the keys to his car. I raise my eyebrows, in fake shocked manner, at his serious expression. "I mean it."

I let out a laugh as I take the keys from him. "As always, I will look after it with my life."

What I say makes his serious face relax slightly as he heads towards our apartment building.

"I'm buying noodles tonight, my treat!" I shout as he nears the door, earning two thumbs up and a excited smile from him.

Like, come on, who could resist free food.