Xavier’s mistreatment

“We each begin in innocence. We all become guilty.” – Leonard F. Peltier

Quickly turning away from the sight, I followed Kat through the crowd, hoping that he didn't see me.

Not knowing why, but I looked back and we locked gazes. I couldn't look away; he was staring at me intently like a lion watching its prey.

Feeling a tug on my hand, I lost my focus on Xavier. Kat was already pulling me with her. We then arrived at our booth, so I could take a seat.

"You wait here. I'll locate Mason and will get our drinks." I nodded and she strutted off.

As she left, I observed the crowd was dividing itself into half and was dispersing to their respective sides, making a void in the middle of the stage. A handsome man walked down the aisle with a drink in his hand, looking right into my eyes. And to my surprise, the man was none other than Xavier Knight himself.

What is he trying to do? I thought.

Xavier was standing in the middle of the stage, while the DJ announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, with a huge round of applause, please welcome Mr. Xavier Knight." A roar of applause erupted throughout the floor.

"What a precious night for everyone! You all know why?" The DJ asked.

"Nonoo!"

"Why?"

"What is it?!"

And several different questions were thrown in the air. Chuckling, he said, "Well, embrace yourself for the performance of the night. Give it up for Xavier Knight!"

Okay, I was definitely not ready for this!

Knowing that Xavier could really sing, I shuddered. He once performed for me, and I was so damn happy at the time. No one ever did that for me like he did.

The stage was all set, mic ready, audience ready, and more importantly, Xavier was ready with his guitar.

Guitar! The guitar! It was the same guitar that I gifted him, on his twenty-fourth birthday, which he took to the nearby tattoo shop and asked the man to engrave my middle name 'Rose' on his favorite instrument. I still remember the words he said that day when I asked him why he did that:

“I live for you Rose and music, they have to be together wherever I go.”

Tears gathered in my eyes, I didn't know what he was trying to accomplish, but Xavier Knight you would be the death of me.

Sitting on the bar stool, tuning the guitar, he looked at me through the distance and hit the very first note.

The moment his voice cracked, was the moment I realized I was crying with him. The difference was, he was doing it inside and I was doing it outside.

Everyone was shouting his name, applauding for him, praising him, thanking him for the performance. When I looked at the stage, he was gone, again. No proof, nothing. DJ started his tracks and the crowd gathered, enjoying their time.

"Okay, I definitely need a drink," I thought to myself.

Proceeding to get my drink, I walked up to the bar and ordered a bottle of bear from the bartender. It took him a while to get back with my order but I just waited for him until he served my drink. I then felt a hand slip around my waist. I stilled as I felt someone pulling me against their broad chest.

"Who do we have here?"

Xavier's breath fanned my ear. I was about to escape his grasp when he swiftly made me turn around to face him. Our eyes met and my heartbeat quickened when I saw anger in them. His forest greens, matching my dress, were glassy from having too much liquor in his system. He reeked of alcohol.

His face was only a few inches away from me. I wasn't scared of him, but I was scared of what he was capable of doing to me. What surprised me next was that he smirked like he enjoyed seeing through me trembling with fear.

One word, just one damn word and I was melting into him. "Rose…" his voice trailed off as he was leaning into me.

Reaching towards my ear, "I always had an idea you were that kind of girl, Miss Williams." He sneered as he said my name.

"W-What?" I stuttered and was confused. Xavier's sudden change of mood was really scaring me. My reply angered him even more.

"Don't be so dumb, Miss Williams." His jaw clenched as his words were now filled with disgust. "I know you're pretty good at giving satisfaction for getting paid. So, what do you say? Want to get out of here?"

I clenched my fists as it dawned on me what he was trying to say. He thought I was whoring around for what? Money?

His statement made me furious as I was shaking in anger. Xavier was still smirking as he waited for an answer.

Yes, I was roaming here and there to fulfill my needs, but I wasn't cheap! Next thing I knew, I lifted my arm to slap him, but he caught my wrist in the mid-air, twisting my arm towards my back as he pulled me to his chest. I was heaving with so much anger, that I didn't even notice the lack of distance between our bodies.

"Let go of me!" I screamed, trying to break away from his grasp. After a lot of trying, freeing my wrists from his grasp, I pushed him away. He stumbled a few steps back as he looked at me with an unreadable expression.

Needing to get away, I briskly walked past him. Managing to hit him with my shoulder as I left him standing there.

Making my way further into the crowd with a blurry sight from the tears that escaped my eyes. I spotted Kat and Mason, frantically looking around, maybe trying to locate me from the crowd.

"Mase…." My voice trembled when I grabbed him desperately from behind as he was standing a bit closer than Kat. Turning around to look at me and panicked when he saw something was wrong.

"I want to go home." I pleaded softly.

Pulling Kat to look at me as she was busy assessing the crowd, when she looked at me, I knew that she knew something was wrong. Without any further ado, they accompanied me until we were outside the club. Mason grabbed both of my arms and looked at me with concern.

"What's wrong? Did someone hurt you?" I shook my head. I couldn't hold back the tears as they slid down my face. It wasn't supposed to be like this again, crashing down again.

"Let's get you home." Kat led me to the car and Mason started driving to the apartment. When we got home, they let me change into my polka shorts and huge white tee.

Kat and I were now curled up on my bed as Mason sat at my side. I already had stopped crying, so we just waited for sleep to come. But I knew they wouldn't let go of what just happened at the club. They were looking for an opening so they could ask me about tonight.

"I saw him singing," Kat spoke as I looked at her with my puffy eyes.

"What happened Angel?" Mason finally asked, the thing which attached me to Mason was the nickname he gave me years ago.

Angel.

Only Marcus, my elder brother, was the one who used to call me Angel all the time. Mason reminded me of him when he first addressed me, Angel. And when I asked him why he was calling me that, his answer was:

“My sister is supposed to be an Angel. I'd rather call you Angel than anything else.”

Those words surprised me as they were the same as Marcus'.

"Xavier." I managed to croak out.

I hesitated a bit, but I continued anyway. "He was drunk and told me that I'm the kind of girl who's whoring around for money." I closed my eyes so that I could instantly fall asleep because knowing Mason, he wasn't going to like what I just said.

"He said what?! That fucking bastard-"

"He was drunk. I'm sure he didn't mean it." I defended him. Xavier's words hurt but I tried to look for a more reasonable explanation. I convinced Mason that it was probably an accident. Those words he blurted out were possibly out of anger towards me.

I heard him sigh from beside me as Kat spoke, "That doesn't give him any right to disrespect you. You're too nice, Eve. Take care of yourself and remember you don't deserve any of this if you're thinking of that." She knew me too well.

"And if he lays one finger on you, I swear he will never be able to reproduce." Mason said, I then made a snort-like laugh when I thought about it. "You're being silly." I was lying on my back and looking at Mason. "I'm sorry about tonight. I ruined your surprise."

Pinching my cheeks sweetly, said, "Nonsense. Your happiness is more important to us, right honey?" He asked Kat, who pouted at him.

"Shut up and kiss her already." I held my laughter since I knew how much they were craving to be in each other's arms but refraining to do so.

Smirking, he said, "Not in the presence of a kid, little girl. In fact, I would have pounced on her right way."

I scrunched my face in disgust as Kat's face was red in embarrassment. "Well, who's the little girl you're talking about?"

"You, obviously." He said as I slapped his chest playfully.

Three of us laughed at the impossibility. Soon, we were both gasping for air from laughing too much. They never failed to make me feel better. A yawn managed to escape as I already felt sleepy.

"Goodnight. You both are the best." I giggled as I snuggled back to my sheets.

"We know, babe." Kat chuckled, tucking me in as it was her favorite thing to do whenever I used to feel low.

"Goodnight, Angel." Mason said, placing a kiss on my forehead as Kat switched off the lights as went into the deep slumber.

I hope tomorrow would be different…