by Xavier Neal
“She's fantastic,” Eiden whispers.
“Let's eat,” she suggests as if the Titanic of arguments didn't just happen.
Aiden, Eiden, Peter, and Belle head towards the kitchen leaving Justin and I alone, in the silence of my growing spite and discontent.
Under the sound of dishes clinking and chairs moving I sigh, “If this is the way you're going to treat someone you say you love...abandoning them when they need you most, then maybe it's best if we're not together.”
“You don't mean that.”
“Not that I'm really sure we were together before.”
“Peyton-”
“It's hard to tell with you if any of it was real or if it's just one long con that hasn't stopped.”
Justin's mouth moves, but doesn't reply. Doesn't that say it all?
I turn my back on him. “Hey. I didn't sleep well last night. Do you mind if I lie down?”
Belle's voice strains to stay upbeat. “Are you sure you're not hungry?”
“Positive.”
Peter says after a nasty chuckle, “Well we figured you'd just share a room with Justin, so since you've opted out of that, how about you sleep on the couch?”
Belle's hand swiftly pops him in the back of the head, hard and intentional.
“You can lay down in my room.” Aiden walks over to me before glancing at Justin. “You know, until you two get this worked out...”
“What's to work out?” My eyes drift to Justin's. “Actions speak much louder than your words will. That's not the first time I've had to say that, but you better believe it will be the last.”
He presses his lips together and turns his attention to the ground. Whether he's looking down in shame or to hide falling tears is uncertain. Whichever it is, one thing is for sure. Whatever we were, real or pretend, we aren't any more. I guess sometimes when you stop letting the world walk all over you, you risk losing more than you bargained.
Aiden has me follow him down a flight of stairs that are to the left of the elevator, opposite from the staircase that led up. Pointing to a solid brown door with an E carved into it, he informs, “That's Eiden's room.” He casually points to another door. “Our shared bathroom...” Quietly he mumbles, “Justin's room is across the hall from mine. He has his own on suite bathroom.”
I glance over at the door that's got a fancy keyhole displaying an obvious sign that his room is locked tight unlike Aiden and Eiden, whose doors don't give off the same overly cautious indication.
Twisting the knob to the door that's marked with a cursive A, he introduces his space. “And this my room.”
As soon as we're inside my jaw drops at the size of the screen literally embedded in the wall. It takes up the entire thing! I mean the entire wall is one giant T.V. screen! In front of it however, is a long clear glass desk with a series of computers including laptops, tablets, and even flat screen desktops. Each of them are a gorgeous white porcelain color.
My head tilts towards the display. “Nice toys.”
Aiden blushes profusely. He taps on a keyboard to one of the desktops and the white blinds covering the single set of windows to the left, lower, blocking some of the bright light.
On the far wall opposite of the windows is a door that I assume is the bathroom that connects him to his brother. Beside it is another door slightly propped open by a mountain of laundry.
The wall directly beside the door is home to his bed and nightstand. A small smile crawls on my face as I admire the stack of comic books on the stand. From the titles I can tell they are obviously from my world. The empty soda cans overflowing from the trashcan beside the stand lets me in on an addiction I didn't know he had. Can't say it surprises me. Neither does the unmade bed.
“I know it looks a mess-”
“It's fine,” I sigh looking around at the superhero posters on the wall above his bed. Some I recognize like Batman, Captain America, and The Flash. The others are more foreign, but still rock the same DC and Marvel labels.
Scratching the back of his neck he starts, “I know I should probably be neater-”
“Aiden.” The sound of his name hushes him. “Really. It's fine.”
“You probably want your suitcase huh?” He asks in a way that lets me know he's excited to play host to his first guest. The joy quickly fades. His fingers try not to point as he says, “But...your suitcase is uh...”
“Right.” I nod slowly. It's in the only room in this place I have no intention of ever stepping into. Trying not to express emotion or appear that anything is wrong, I shrug with a phony smile. “You know what? I don't really need it right now. I'll just grab it later.”
“OK.” He tosses one of his fallen pillows back on to the bed. “You sure you don't wanna eat lunch with us?”
“I'm sure.”
“Belle really is a fantastic cook. Want me to sneak you something back down when we're done?”
“Would that make you feel better?” Aiden anxiously nods. “If there are leftovers and you wanna sneak them down to me, feel free.”
“I'm on it.” He winks at me like he's been sent on some sort of top secret mission. “Just shout at me if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
With that said, he disappears. Finally alone, I let my shoulders finally relax on a deep exhale. For the first time since I've found them I'm given a minute to collect my thoughts. This should be a glorious thing. This is a perfect opportunity to pin point each and every question I need answers to about this place. Sadly, I don't have the energy. While the croc's breath was delicious it was anything but filling. Not that I have much of an appetite now anyway. The problem is I know my body is running on fumes and needs the boost. Hell, how I'm even still standing upright is beyond me.
On a heavy yawn, I flop onto the edge of Aiden's bed and wiggle my feet out of the heels they've been punished in for the last couple of days. I flex and stretch them unsure how Belle does this all day every day. She should be given some sort of shoe award. As I prepare to stretch out across his bed, I'm suddenly aware of the tightness of the clothes I've been stranded in. This is not ideal for napping. Not even a little. I really have to change. On a sigh I decide I can force myself to say one more sentence to Justin. Just one.
Quietly, I slip out of the room, and prepare to head back up the stairs, but am stopped at the conversation I can overhear. Not wanting to be seen, I press my back against the wall tightly and freeze just out of being visible.
“Are you kidding?” Peter's voice shouts. “You wanna do this at lunch?”
The only female voice at the table replies, “It's the perfect time to do it.”
“But I'm hungry....”
“You know not everything is about you Peter,” Belle's voice retorts.
“It was before Nerdy and The Beast took over the party!” Peter snaps, the sound of a fork hits a plate. I assume his.
She mocks her boyfriend. “Boo-hoo...”
“This is not our problem.”
“Of course it is.”
“No, it's theirs.”
“It's ours.”
“Why? We aren't the ones who are doing a Sleeping With the Enemy routine.”
The jab at me when I'm not even there to defend myself doesn't surprise me, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.
“This is serious Peter! One reason we function so well as a team―a family-- is because there is trust here. There is safety. We are lost to the rest of the world and found when we are together. Aiden and Eiden believe it or not have come to care about Peyton like a sister-”
“Yeah that sister that doesn't make you feel like you're alone when it comes to nerd stuff,” Aiden backs up Belle.
I smile faintly.
“But you are,” Peter's joke is followed by the sound of him wincing in pain.
I hope someone poked him with a fork in the shoulder.
Eiden chuckles to himself, food clearly in his mouth. “And she's kind of like that sister you can ask for girl advice without
feeling like a total moron.”
I didn't think telling him to ask about a girl's favorite book on a date was such a big deal.
“And while she apparently annoys you Peter-”
“Mildly put.”
“And you only need her for one reason, so you believe, but you enjoy having an extra mouth to fight with.”
In a grunt he groans, “I have to feed that mouth too.”
As if she was never interrupted, Belle finishes with a sigh, “She keeps you sharp.”
“I'm pretty sure I could do without it,” he insists.
“And you.” Her voice rises. “You're madly in love with her. You would lie down right now and give your life for hers.” There's a moment of silence. Unexpectedly a heel sounds like it's being stomped. “Wouldn't you?”
Too curious to see the reaction on Justin's face, I lean slightly closer, hoping to remain unnoticed.
Barely above a whisper Justin replies, “In a heartbeat.”
After getting just a glimpse I slide back down to my original eavesdropping spot.
“So what the hell is the problem?”
Stumbling over his own thoughts, Justin somehow manages to eventually blurt out, “It's not that simple.”
“It never is with you.”
“Belle-”
“Why is it you magically keep disappearing when she needs you?”
I suck in a breath, anxious for the answer. Isn't that really the only thing I need him to answer right now?
Not accepting his silence as an answer, she bangs her fist on the table. “Damn it Justin! I want answers!”
“I don't have them!”
“Liar! Why'd you let her get kidnapped on the sand star?”
“I didn't let her get kidnapped!” Justin’s frustration is clear. “Peter insisted we get the jewels out and go back for Peyton! He said she would be fine! That we had nothing to worry about!” After putting his tone back in check he continues at a lower volume, “And he was right-”
“By a technicality on the strand, on his inability to grow facial hair on his chin,” she corrects him.
Peter mutters, “I can grow facial hair...”
“That was stupid. It was stupid for us to be there! There was no real gain! In fact I'm still mad about that expedition! Do you have any idea how hard that sand is to get out of my hair let alone my wings?! Speaking of, you owe me a new bottle of Toliver.”
Justin questions, “Is that that expensive shampoo you can only get on Paragon Island?”
“Yup.”
He lets out a long groan, “Seriously Belle? It's on the other side of Neverland. Not to mention it's ridiculously expensive. Then there's the fact I can only buy it from Olly who I'm pretty sure is trying to marry me off to her daughter.”
Peter chuckles. “She's pretty.”
“She's a troll!” Justin snaps. “Not even an attractive troll! She's manlier than I am!”
Peter argues, “You're exaggerating.”
“I saw her bench press a tress stump!”
Trolls? Like real trolls? Those just are those little toys? I don't remember seeing trolls, but then again maybe I did and didn't even know it.
There's a low rumble and like a school teacher Belle claps her hands demanding everyone's attention, “Regardless. You owe me for that stunt. Peter has to pay up too and don't worry, he will.”
The table silences once more.
She continues, “Anyway, Peter wasn't right Justin. Another couple minutes in that prison and they would've killed her. Captain had given the orders to Hook. You're lucky he didn't comply.”
My hand flies over my mouth. So I had two Hooks save me in the same day?
“Peter,” Justin's voice drags out. “Is she wrong?”
No answer.
“Tell me she's wrong.”
More silence.
“Peter!”
“Probably not,” his nonchalant answer is followed by the sound of a chair scooting and dishes clattering.
“You son of a-”
“Oh give me a break,” Peter's voice sounds a bit like it's strangled.
Man, I hope Justin has him by the collar of his shirt. I sneak a quick peak to see I'm right. Good!
“I told you what I knew you needed to hear to get the damn job done! If your head was in the game-”
“My head is always in the game!”
“We all know that's not true.” The argument seems full of more animosity than I anticipated. I hear the sound of chairs being moved around again. “Look, don't blame me because you can't think for yourself.”
“I second that,” Belle agrees.
“You wanted that treasure as bad as I did. You knew if we got it we could fence most of it for an amazing price. You knew if we got that treasure we could afford to not take some high risks in the very near feature. And you knew what we were up against. It wasn't our first round with pirates and more importantly with the Savage Clan. The Savage Clan has the highest kill or be killed rate. You know that. If your head was in the game you would've left Peyton on the damn ship! But instead it wasn't. You waited until I told you what you wanted to hear, so you could feel less shitty for making a bad choice.”
“Stop blaming everyone else for the poor choices you make, Justin. Don't get me wrong Peter can be...persuasive, albeit more like obnoxiously manipulative, but at the end of the day you make up your own mind. You choose what you do. You let Peyton down. Man up.”
The long silence causes me to peek my head around once more to see Justin slouched down in his chair, fork tapping the table gently. He reminds me of a small child, being scolded by his mother. One that knows he's done wrong, and that his punishment will be severe yet well deserved.
“You know Justin, you have wined and dined yourself in and out of tons of girls’ lives. Always bragged it was easy. Ever stop to think, why that was? Because you lied the entire time! Everything you did was coldly calculated. Plotted to perfection. Groomed to be a piece of the bigger picture you wanted at the end! But when you're in a real relationship, when you're being honest with someone, things are not so black and white. Love, which is what you're in, just like Peyton. Yeah, she's livid with reason, but it doesn't change the fact she's in love with you. Justin, love is always going to be difficult. Complicated. And honestly, a terrible amount of work sometimes. There are going to be setbacks and slip ups. No one is perfect. Not even you almighty Casanova. So, I suggest you put on your big boy underwear and devise a plan to show the love of your life what makes her special to you. I'd also plan something to prove to her from this point forward you will in deed keep your word.”
Since when is Belle the insightful one? And why is she right? Why is love so complicated? No, he shouldn't have deserted me like that, but I'm not sure if he even really meant to. After all, he wanted me to get to be a part of the team rather than wait on the sidelines. And perhaps he meant to clue me in on the escape plan but we had started fighting again. But I can't fight the feeling that it always seems like he's trying to pull one over on me. Ugh. And you know, he did come back for me and spend half the night looking for me. God, I shouldn't have let Hook kiss me or kissed him back.
Justin lets out a heavy sigh. “I'm really not hungry, Belle. Can I go?”
“Oh no hearing the truth killed your appetite? Shocker. No. You can't. Eat something,” she demands. “You haven't eaten the last two days because you've been worried sick over Peyton. Well, she's safe and home now. Eat something.” There's no response, which is when she caves. “At least a bite, Justin.”
I hear a fork rattle around and shortly after Justin's voice croaks, “Can I go?”
She flatly says, “Fine.”
“We've got work in a couple of hours,” Peter reminds him. “So whatever it is you're going to do, beg for Peyton's forgiveness or sulk in the dark in your room like an emo kid, just keep that in mind.”
With another heavy sigh Justin questions, “Can't we just reschedule?”
“No,” Peter snaps
. “You be ready in your best suit, with your best smile, ready to make me some money. Got it?”
A chair scrapes across the floor. I assume it's his. “Got it.”
Quickly I scamper down the way I came and back into Aiden's room, my heart racing in fear of getting caught spying. I know! I know! It's not polite to eavesdrop! Shutting the door quietly behind me, I rest my head against the back of the door. For a moment I linger waiting to hear Justin's door open and close. When I don't, I push my ear against the door, hearing what sounds like a hand landing on the other side. My own hand touches where the sound landed, wanting to talk to him, desperate to take back some of what I said. To explain myself and even apologize. How does this always happen to us? How do we get so far apart even though we're so close? How do we always manage to get some sort of wedge between us? Finally the hand sounds like it's sliding away as he lets out a very deep breath. A few moments later I hear the sound of Justin's door opening and shutting.