F*cking cliché

29

My hand went up towards my neck but got snapped away before I could reach it.

'No don't touch it.'

They removed the tracker.. for some reason they removed the tracker.
I remember his words.

"As much as I wish to know where you are I don't want to hold you back.
Go live your life, it's up to you if you stay on my case, but I'm giving you the option to quit. It's all up to you."

He was giving me a chance to run.
A chance to quit this whole thing.

A chance to be free and live my life.

A chance to be safe.

A chance to become whatever I want.

A chance for him to leave me alone.

I didn't reply, I didn't smile, I didn't even thank him.

'Normally my brother would've mentally drained his enemy by now,' the teen starts to speak keeping distance from me, 'He's going dreadfully slow with you.'
'Do you think he will eventually?'
'I don't know, he seems to protective over you to do that, but it could be one big act,' he sighs, 'It reminds me of we were younger.. he always protected me.'

I stand up to walk closer to the teen.

'From your father?' 'Partly, I didn't understand what was going on at the time, but when I got older he always protected me from any type of danger. Everything made him go mental though and,' he pauses, 'I shouldn't tell you this I'm sorry.'

'How old were you when your dad left?' I decide to ask and drop the other subject.
'Five, that's why I didn't know what was going on.. I even giggled when my dad beat him.. I thought it was just.. just.. for fun you know? I didn't see anything bad, I didn't I..'

'That's enough Ash,' a disembodied voice speaks, 'It's no use for him to get pity over me or anyone from our family. They will just see us as bad, they don't care about whatever story is behind it all.'
'How much did you hear?' He asks stuttering ever so slightly.

Is he scared of his own brother?
Is he scared of the one who protected him?

'Long enough, don't worry I'm not mad or anything. I just don't think Calum will ever understand why I'm doing this.'
'Not if you don't open your doors for me,' I respond.
'Don't act like yours aren't closed.'

I sigh as I walk back to the chair and slump down in it.

'You know Calum.. the fun days are just around the corner,' he states once Ash leaves. 'What do you mean?'
'Your birthday, Christmas, New years.'
'Doesn't sound like fun.'
'I'll make it fun for you, I promise.. just you wait.'
'I don't know whether or not that's a good thing,' I answer honestly.
'You'll enjoy it.. I'm sure.'

A crooked grin appears on his face.

'I thought you would leave me alone now the tracker is gone?'

He walks over to me and wraps his hand around my chin.

'Depends on what you choose to do after you're free sweetheart.'

He smiles and carefully forces my head to move around.

'What the fuck are you doing?'
'I'm just enjoying the fact that you let me do this,' he explains. 'Do what?'
'And you don't even notice anymore..'

He laughs quietly.

'At this rate you'll be my marionette by the end of the year, only need to attach the strings and maybe a little bit of manipulation and we'll get there.'

I swallow as he removes his hand.

'No need to get afraid again, you have a free way out, remember?'
'My dad will never let me.'
'In that case.. prepare yourself.'

'But first,' he takes my hand and pulls me out the chair, 'We're going out for dinner.' 'Isn't that dangerous?'
'I like playing it risking,' he replies.
'What do you wish to achieve?'
'Nothing I just want to take you out after everything that happened the past few weeks.'

The genuine smile I could recognise on his face made me believe him.
It took me some time to recognise that smile, but it was so different from the other smiles.

'You're going to hand me over after right?' I ask. 'Yep.'
'Well.. I will go with you if you give me your sweater.'
'So you're the one making terms now?' He chuckles, 'Why?'
'Because I'm cold.'
'Dammit Calum,' he takes it off, 'Here take it.'

It was oversized for me.. of course it was. I saw that coming, but I wanted it regardless.
No specific reasons or anything..

The last few days this place actually got to feel like a home.
I was allowed to roam around and do whatever I want.
I had some conversations with the people who worked here.. I laughed with them. It felt like I was part of one big family and that felt so good.

'

"You do look good in my clothes."

That was the last thing he told me before taking me to the place where he would hand me over.

Somehow I'm afraid to go back.
If they really left me to die.. would they even want me back.

Nervously I bite my lip waiting for my people to show up.

'Calum listen,' His hand lands on my knee, 'I'm not handing you over to the people who were after you.. relax.'
'That's not it,' I mumble back.
'Then what is?'
'Do they even want me back?'
'Of course they do.'

'Speak of the devil..'

He gets out of the car and helps me out, but let's me walk freely.
He trusts me to not run away.. then again, why would I.

'Here, in one piece like I promised,' he slightly pushes me forward, 'Where's my part of the deal?'

A bag gets thrown at him and he catches it with ease.

'Pleasure doing business with you.'
'It won't happen again,' Felix turns to me, 'Are you alright?' 'Yes.'
'Let's go then.'

When we walk away I turn around one last time and meet the eyes of the enemy. He waves and turns around himself afterwards.