Chapter Ten

Any other sensible person would bolt right out, especially after having been given the option.

But I had a taste for danger.

Especially when it comes in form of a man with a voice that made my insides want to melt. Yes I admit it.

I walked as briskly as I possibly could trying to mask my nervousness and anxiety.

"Look at you, like a brave soldier to the slaughter table."

I wasn't sure whether to be horrified or amused.

"Have you started reading my mind?"

"Although I've been told I am a man of great accomplishments, I'm afraid my expertise hasn't reached the extent of knowing the contents of human mind."

"You could have just said no you know? I didn't need an essay."

"Where's the fun in that. And I find monosyllabic responses decreases the chance of an actual sensible conversation."

"And you want sensible conversation with me."

"Precisely. "

"I wasn't aware what men liked to do with strippers these days was... talk."

"I find you to be of adequate intelligence."

Now I actually laughed.

"Adequate? Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?"

"Its a fact. Catherina."

"My name is not Catherina."

"Isn't it?"

"You would have known if you had simply asked."

"Like you did?"

"So its fine cause I did it too? That sounds a bit kindergartener-ish."

"Is that even a word?"

Its stance but I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Was anything ever a word until someone made it up?"

"I take back what I said."

"You have said a lot things. Will you pray tell specify? "

"You are more than of adequate intelligence. You are quite....intelligent."

"Gracias."

"You speak Spanish."

"Very badly I'm afraid."

"Encantada de conocerlo"

"Let me rephrase, I can only speak one word and that is Gracias."

"Just as well, I`m french."

"I do speak french as good as voltaire himself."

He asked a question in French and she replied.

"Ah..."

He sounded impressed or confused and even though I had no idea of the meaning of the words I just said and just got lucky I made sense for some reason that made me giddy.

"I see I have stunned you."

"I'm not stunned, merely... reflecting. I am not a man easily stunned."

"Is that a challenge monsieur?"

"Oui mademoiselle."

"Did you call me here to test my language skills."

"What do you think?"

"I think that you are prepping me up for some grand...thing. I don't care very much for it."

"Why is it that a beautiful girl with a good brain is working as a stripper."

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"No you don't. But you want to. Otherwise you would have left."

"I have no choice."

I fought the urge to stay seated and went to the door.

"I'm glad I was able to make you smile though. Maybe next time we can drink wine and talk about why you were in such a mood. Bonjour mon ami." I heard the last part which translates to goodbye my love.Even though the only french word I knew was monsieur, despite the turmoils in my life, the first thing I did when I got home was to search the meaning.

Rizzzzzz! Rizzzzzz! Rizzzzzz!

I slap my bedside table multiple times trying to shut the damn alarm off. It stopped for a few seconds before I hear the sound again and this time I felt it right in the middle of my head.

I scream into the pillow before I get up. More like kick off my comforter and kick my legs off the bed till I’m in a standing position. I make sure to turn it off this time before heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

Mornings are beautiful in books and poems but to me, it’s the beginning of the sad reality that is my life so yes, I’m not a morning sunshine type of person.

A huff in the form of breath leaves my lips when I stand under the shower hoping the heating was fixed.

“Ah, what the fuck?!” I scream when the cold water slapped me on the back. Yes it slapped me.

Damn, fuck that witch I call stepmother. Can this day get any worse already? It’s freaking seven in the morning!

Beast comes to my mind and I realize that yes, the day can get worse, let’s add Emerald and my own sister that is giving me attitude for some shitty reason to that equation. What the hell have I done to deserve this?

I really wish I was the damsel in distress type of girl and I cry shit out but no, no tears on my part. At least not for the fortieth time today.

With my eyes closed and being a little bit more prepared than the first time I switch the shower on again. Well the bath was more of me jumping away from the spray until I needed it. I quickly stepped out and wrapped a towel around me when I decided that I was clean enough. My poor crazy hair didn’t get any attention so I just towel dry it and pull it in a ponytail. I’m sure I can’t use a hair dryer because even the current in this house isn’t right.

I don’t care what I look like which is why I pull on an oversized T-shirt and tight ripped jeans under it, I considered putting a jacket over it but decided I didn’t want to look like a complete failure so I leave it at that.

I pull my slightly damp hair from the ponytail and brush it with a hairbrush, yes I need to add that because I do have a bad habit of finger combing through my hair, it doesn’t help at all but I don’t give two flying fucks, if you’ve noticed I’m not very big on fashion.

Emma is the only I see sitting at the table, well I guess there’s still some part of today that didn’t start off terrible, God knows whenever I see that witch in the morning my day goes down the drain and seeing how I already have a long list of all the things that will go wrong today, her bad luck adding to it might just drive me over the edge to my death.

“Morning Emms,” she ignored me and my mouth hangs open. Okay, what the hell was going on?