Destined By The Waves

When the past calls

Faith

I barely make it to the door of the locker room, when I hear footsteps following me. I turn my face around to ask Joy to not follow me, but before I can say anything, I accidentally bump into a broad, muscular chest.

"I knew you just can't resist me!," says the booming voice belonging to the chest, making me take two steps backward immediately in astonishment. I turn my head forward immediately and recognize the devil himself standing before me. 

Wasn't it enough torture to meet devil's apprentice today? Now he himself has arrived to grace the occasion too?

"That's two of my favorite ladies at one place! Isn't that one hell of a surprise princess?!," he says with amusement dripping from his voice, hinting at me and Alice present under the same roof.

This cocky bastard!

My blood boils at his comment immediately and I snap at him, "Don't you dare call me that, Gregory Williams! And, get out of my way. Now!"

He chuckles and continues to examine me from head to toe, as if I am his long lost toy that he can't decide whether he wants to play with or throw away. His gaze is so damn unnerving and disgusting, I can't stand to be in front of his crooked face for one more moment. I give him a death glare to silently warn him to leave me alone, but he just continues to flash his devilish smile at me.

I sigh deeply as I try to calm my nerves. 

Relax, Faith! Don't let him get to your head. You know the drill. Let him bark, and then once he is satisfied after barking at nothing, he will get tired and leave. Just like every other time in all these damn months. You can't let him have the satisfaction of hurting you again. 

Why can't he just fucking leave me alone?!

Fine, I just have to hear him out silently. I don't want to create a scene out here in the corridor.

But before he can continue irritating me more and I can act on my decision of staying calm, another booming voice ruins all of my plans.

"You heard her, asshole. Get. Out. Of. Her. Way!," Joy screams from behind me angrily, spitting out each word like poison.

"Joy Cooper! So glad to meet you too", Greg gives a sinister smile to Joy over my head, and continues, "I heard my princess here saved your life? That must have been either a coincidence or an accident gone right instead of wrong. I mean just look at her once. She is so dumb, she can't even tell a truth from a lie!"

He pauses to laugh at me, and my resolve to not let him get to my head dissolves faster than ice melts on fire. The tears that had stopped falling earlier, start trickling down again. Why does his monstrous presence and evil personality have such a drastic effect on me?!

"And, you were calling her brave and farsighted and all those dramatic things. It was a good speech though, really touched my heart!," he says and winks at Joy, his hand touching his chest to enhance the sarcasm in his words.

Was that all it was? Just a stupid speech?!

I hear footsteps from behind me coming closer, almost in a hurry. Within seconds, I feel a warm presence next to my side. I look up from my blurry vision to meet a fuming Joy, his eyes bloodshot, his jaw tensed and his hands constantly opening and closing into tight fists. 

No Joy, you're better than me. At least you can stay calm, and not let him get to your head too.

As if on cue, Joy instantly opens his fist and gently interlaces his fingers with mine. His firm and reassuring hand gives my shivering hand a gentle squeeze, as if letting me know he is there for me. He opens his mouth to say something evil back to Greg, just the kind of reaction Greg wants out of him, but I beat Joy to it.