The Devil's Love

||. Chapter 7: Return .||

"I think calling the cops would be a better idea," said Annika. "We do not know where she is. At least we can get the cops to rescue her if anything happens, Jiang. Think about it."

Jiang shook his head as he whipped his head up from his phone. "No," he argued. "She warned us about the hospitals and the cops. You know I am working in a hospital and yet she doesn't trust me enough to bring her there. What makes you think calling the cops would be a better idea?"

Annika shrugged nervously, her fingers trembling while folding her pile of clothes. There was truth in Jiang's words. Everyone has their own history be it with places, relationships and even breathing. Histories were meant for us to learn, but what good will learning it do when they would return to slow you down? She was pretty sure Ansel and Jiang both had a history she did not know. It was her guessing game. What if histories were written for the sake of learning, but the actual ones were more twisted than told?

When they first met, Annika couldn't help but harbour jealousy in her heart. She thought Ansel did not trust her to keep her secrets. However, as time passed, she learned that not everyone could bear such strong secrets and histories for the rest of their lives. Annika was tormented mentally by the truth. Lying seemed to work better for her. No matter how hurt she was with Ansel hiding her own problems, she learned the peace of not knowing them and she valued their friendship even more. She understood that whatever Ansel did, it was all for her own safety.

"Do you not trust me?" Annika questioned as she stood in front of Ansel, studying her troubled features and added. "I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I am always going to be here for you. To share your problems just like how you always share them with Jiang."

In one swift movement, Ansel smirked. Her lips curved to the left, making her looked like a predator.

"Alright," said Ansel as she watched her housemate sat on the couch opposite her. "I miss my guns. I miss the shooting arena."

"What do you mean?" Annika squinted her eyebrows.

"I'm saying I can put a bullet straight through your head now, if I had a gun and if I want. Remember the news Jiang was fussing about last night?"

Annika's shaky fingers brushed her curly fringes and nodded.

"You mean the recently closed case? The one the father was trying to deny Acute's doing after the cops have captured a few of the suspects?"

Ansel nodded. "Yes. I'm Acute. That's my father. Do you still want to know more about what's bothering me now?"

"I..."

Annika stuttered. Her mind stopped working for a moment. The reveal from Ansel herself was already too much to bear. She stood up, heading back towards her room to calm herself down.

Understanding each other had been the key to their friendship together. Sometimes they speak of things they wanted to. Sometimes they just enjoy the silence and mind their own businesses. What they would never miss was breakfast, lunch, and dinner together during weekends, including breakfasts on weekdays. They always spent their time together at the shortest moment they could, even if it was for a few seconds. Each understands the need for space, privacy and compromising. 

After a long anxious wait, Jiang and Annika shot up from their seat when they heard the knock. Jiang turned to look at Annika who stopped his tracks, telling him to wait. Throwing her a suspicious glare, Jiang picked up his phone only to be surprised when he saw her holding a baseball bat. He yelped when Annika swung it in front of her with a great force.

"What was that for?!" Jiang hissed as they walked to the door, startled by another desperate knock.

Annika stood behind the door, earning a stare from the older boy, but she brushed it off. Her grip tightened on the bat. "I will swing the baseball bat hard enough to kill him if it is a tattooed man. Hurry, open the door!"

"Yeah and I bet before you could swing it, I am already dead. Dead!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" Annika scoffed, waving the baseball bat in front of his face. "You might still be alive even though you are trapped under a building."

Jiang snorted at her words. "That's too much. Why are you so against tattooed men? My friend in the hospital has two tattoos on his shoulders. He's a surgeon mind that. I might recommend him to you if you are not so against them. He's ...."

"No!" Annika hissed, looking at Jiang. "I was kidnapped by a man with tattoos when I was younger. Luckily my dad managed to save me," said Annika and added. "Is that explanation enough?"

Jiang stood silent. In between her black eyes, fear was emerging from them. He might have reminded her of a bad memory. Licking his dried plush lips, he muttered a sincere apology.

"I'm sorry," said Jiang softly.

Annika shook her head, flashing him a smile. "It's alright. You didn't know. I don't blame you. Now, open the door."

== xxx ==

The wait seemed to be longer than he had expected. Angelo was about to give another knock when the door swung wide open. He was about to explain, but the man shrugged it off, welcoming his presence. Angelo partially dragged Ansel into the house before laying her down on the couch gently. The door behind him was shut. Knowing that Ansel would be safe, he turned to look at Jiang who rushed to her side, studying her wound precisely. He could sense their worries and he felt glad to learn that someone cares about her.

"Can you treat her wounds?" Angelo asked. "She refused to go to the hospital. Told me not to question her, so I brought her here. Is she going to be alright?"

Annika sighed in relief upon seeing Ansel's limp figure. She lowered the bat, heading over towards the aquarium to keep it under the tank.

Jiang nodded at the question as he met Angelo's black eyes. "Yes, I can. Thank you so much for bringing her home. I can't imagine what would happen to her if you did not bring her home."

Angelo shrugged, his fingers burying in between his hair as he cleared his throat. "She would be dead."

Appearing from the kitchen, Annika glanced towards both the boys. She adjusted the scarf she had been wearing before handing Angelo a glass of water. Studying the boy's figure, Annika felt questions springing out of her mind like a wrecked television. His skin was pale, his eyes and hair were jet black which bore such perfect complexion as a man. What interests her most was his porcelain and pale skin. Even though they were pale, there was a tinge of pink on both his cheeks as if he was blushing, but he wasn't. Is he even human?

"Or worse," added Jiang out of a sudden, earning an extra punch from Annika who glared at him.

Annika watched the elder scooted back to his room and she couldn't help but feel a pang of anger in her heart toward the person who hurt her friend. Brushing the tip of her nose gently, she turned her attention back to Angelo. Just like a polite person would, he smiled. His lips curved from the corner of the glass as he finished the last bits of water.

"Is there anything we can do to repay your kindness?" Annika questioned. "Anything. May I know your name?"