Lost

Chapter Two - Darkside

"Out of ANY punishment I have gotten, I have to do the fucking laundry?"

I frowned at Best Friend, Alejandro.

"Well, it's not MY fault. So quit complaining about something you did, and saying that it's not your fault."

He snapped. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry you ass. I just really hate doing laundry..."

I mumble, looking down at the basket hooked around one side of my waist.

"...especially when there are twenty different pairs of underwear, worn by twenty different people. Not to mention, most of them are prostitutes who don't really use them."

"Waste of underwear, huh?"

He said. I huffed at the comment. Trying to play that game. Okay.

"Well, at least you don't have a punishment that would kill you."

I looked at him from the corner of my eye but kept walking. I knew that he was referring to what happened almost month ago.

I fought the urge to shiver.

"Well, hopefully, Diego doesn't piss me off enough next time that I want to beat the living daylights out of him."

I say as I set the basket down in front of the washing machine and open the lid.

"Can you grab the detergent?"

I ask Alejandro. He nodded and walked over to the cabinet that held a selection of detergents.

"Which one?"

He asked.

"Whichever the hell you want."

I grunted out, shoving the last of the laundry in the machine.

"Let's go..."

He thinks about it for a moment before reaching for a violet-colored plastic container.

"The lavender scented one. That'll really piss 'em off."

He mused, handing me the lavender detergent.

I laughed, a light sound. One I haven't made in weeks since my boyfriend, Mateo, went on his mission. No one has heard anything from him nor has anyone spotted him.

"Lavender then!"

I said, pouring it into a cup.

"Do you wanna go get something to eat after this, A?

A. He's always called me that. A and A. Annika and Alejandro.

Cousins. Brother and Sister. Family. Friends.

No one really knows what to think of us. Whether we're any of those things. But to me, It's more family. Brother.

He is like a Brother to me more than anything. My family. My life.

"Sure. Let me finish up here...."

I press start on the washing machine, and water starts running.

"...And now let's go get ice cream!"

I say, half tempted to tease him about his liking for Oreo ice cream, which vendors rarely sell.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Chocolate?"

Alejandro asked me. Clarified is more like it. He knows this shit.

I nodded my head.

"One scoop, please."

The ice cream vendor took out a waffle cone and scooped some ice cream onto it.

As we walked away, Alejandro chuckled.

"Wow, Annika. Using manners! Big bad A using manners really puts your reputation on the line. Is it possible that you're being....nice?"

He asked in a teasing tone. I shoved him.

He barely moved.

He shoved me back and I practically flew off the sidewalk.

"Ow!"

I hissed, clutching my side.

"Sorry!"

He said, realizing he hit my still healing wound and walked over to a bench. I sat down next to him and he lifted my shirt to check how it was healing. He winced at the stitching and the bruise.

"I'm sorry again. I wasn't thinking."

He said, sighing.

"It wasn't your fault."

"But it was!"

He threw his hands in the air.

"What?"

"If I would have gotten to the basement faster, I could have kept him from hurting you."

He said, his voice cracking.

"What are you talking about?"

"As soon as you passed out,"

He grabbed my hands and squeezed them. "I ran downstairs when I heard screaming, and I knew it was you. I knew what your screaming sounds like. We watched a horror movie and you screamed bloody murder at a jump scare. That time you were just scared. Then, you were in pain. The type of pain that was unbearable."

I opened my mouth but shut it again when I looked at his face.

Guilt.

"I punched Diego as soon as he got to the door. I couldn't control myself. There was blood everywhere. You looked like you were barely breathing, and your face was so pale that I thought you were dead. It took three of his men to restrain me. He locked me in the basement and strapped me to the table beside you for two days, making me watch you while you were struggling to breathe."

Sorrow.

"You kept on waking up, but every time you just screamed and passed out. I left the basement the day before you woke up. When you did, Diego didn't let me see you. That's why you weren't able to see me for about a week. Not until after you were able to walk upright. To run."

Sympathy.

"I will never forgive him for what he did. I thought you should know what had actually happened. The truth. And not the bullshit that Diego is putting in that goddamn head of yours. And to warn you to be careful around him. Even if he is your Uncle. Even if you share the same blood. Do. Not. Trust. Him."

Anger.

I stared at him for a few seconds. What did he just say?

Mad. No - Not mad. Pissed. And shocked. Especially when most of the time he is either quiet or is teasing me. I think that may be the most he's ever said to anyone before.

"I.....I-"

"You don't need to say anything. I just need you to understand."

I just shook my head, trying to gulp this new information down.

Diego...he WHAT?

I shook my head again and let go of his hand.

He looked away from me and I wrapped my arms around him.

"You're right."

I said, breathing him in.

I need to be careful around Diego. There are things that he's keeping from us. Things that he obviously doesn't want us finding out.

I pull away from him and give him a small smile.

We stand up and start walking back to the base.

A/N

This is going to be the last update for a while! I've been busy and I've barely gotten any time to write! I will try my very best though! Thanks for reading!

-MadzGirl