Not so Angelic

chapter 24

"Up!" Hayden demands me.

I push off the ground and jump up raising my hands up to the sky.

"Left!" He demands.

I swiftly move to the left while spinning around - doing a 360 - I jump over a rope.

"Down!"

I go down on the ground and do a push-up.

"Right!"

I push off the ground to go over the rope still in a planking position. I do another push-up.

"Up!"

I get up to my feet, reaching my hands up to the sky.

"Up!"

I jump again with my hands raised.

"Alright rest," Hayden says crossing something off on his clipboard.

I huff and puff in a desperate need of air. I grab my water bottle and take a long drink almost emptying it. I sit down on the floor still breathing heavily.

"Hey Alex," Skye greets me.

I just wave in the direction I heard her voice as I lie down on the ground.

"Hey Hayden," Skye greets Hayden.

"Sup," he responded. "How are you?"

"Amazing," She says lying down next to me. "How are you, Hayden?"

"Amazing," he mimicked her.

"What about you, Alex?" She asks me as she turns on her side.

I turn my head to the left to get a better view of her.

"Excellent," I breathe with a forced smile.

She frowns but quickly smiles back at me with a warm smile that turns my smile into a genuine smile.

"Your turning 21 years old," She says and giggles.

"Doesn't feel like it," I say look at the ceiling.

"Don't you worry," Hayden butts in lying down to my right. "Your break time is over, you'll surely feel like your 21."

"What am I doing now?" I ask standing.

"Wall squats!" Hayden says excitedly.

I groan and go to the closest wall.

"Uhh... what are you doing?" Hayden asks me.

"Wall squats," I say glaring at him.

"Not until you do 20 laps of the gym!" Hayden orders.

"Don't worry," Skye says giggling. "I'll do it with you."

I then start to run ahead of her.

"Hey!" She calls out to me. "No cheating!"

I laugh a little before going into my own world as I run around the gym.

I think back to my father and for some reason, I feel as though he's here watching me right now. I notice Skye running up beside me and I slow down for her. She makes it to my right and runs at the same pace as me.

"You okay?" Skye pulls me from my thoughts.

"Yea," I say and look into her beautiful different coloured eyes. "Why?"

"You just... seem off," she responds trying not to come off as rude.

I nod and we continue to run in silence. That was until I saw him... my heart drops and I instantly pull Skye behind me.

"Alex?" I hear Skye's voice full of confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Stay behind me and if someone tries to touch you, besides from me, fight," I tell her being straight forward.

I look around the gym in search of Hayden to see no sign of him.

"My boy," my father says. "You managed to stay hidden from me for 2 years, well done. But we both know that you can't stay hidden from me."

My shoulders tense up along with the rest of my body.

"You know I need you to come back home," he says stepping closer.

I go to grab Skye's hand but I feel nothing. I turn around to find her unconscious body being dragged away.

"Let go of her!" I yell running at the two men dragging her by her arms.

I feel something go around my neck and yank me back. I yelp in pain as my air leaves me as fast as it came. I fly through the air in slow motion and I notice my father smirking at me. I fall to the floor in a heap and feel every bone clatter together. I groan in pain as I try to go on my hands and knees.

"You shouldn't have left," my father sneers in my ear.

I cough as I try to get air into my lungs.

"I..." cough "left" 2 coughs "for my safety."

"You were perfectly safe with me!" He kicks me in the ribs.

I fall and roll a little way from him because of the impact.

"Do you know how anxious I was about you?!" He yells pushing me on my back to grab the collar of my shirt and pull me closer to his face. He raises his right hand in a fist only to stop.

Silence fills the gym.

He lets go of my shirt and turns away from me.

"Why?" I ask breathing heavily. "Why didn't you punch me?"

"I..." he struggles for a response. "I don't know why I even hurt you in the first place."

My eyes widen in shock.

"Are you sick or something?!" I demand him as I stand up and turn him around to face me.

"Don't touch me!" He punches me in the nose.

A sickening crack fills the room. My nose is now broken.