I decided to go check up on the boys before work and I would just deal if he was there. I walked into the house and found it fairly tidy, most of the boys weren't up yet so I decided to make breakfast for them. Just I was finishing breakfast Ruby sauntered into the kitchen in a shirt and a pair of boxers that I was sure were Felix's. I looked at her and raised my eyebrow.
"So that's why I didn't hear you come in last night."
She blushed and she sauntered over and sat at the counter.
"Grab a plate I'm about to call everyone in for food, and I think you might actually want to eat, oh and I want details later."
"Okay."
She grabbed a plate and sat down on the counter. I grabbed a pan I hadn't used and a metal spatula.
"Plug your ears."
I lifted up the pan and spatula and I banged very loudly, soon I had around a dozen boys running down with different makeshift weapons in their hands, but as soon as I smiled at them they relaxed, until Felix came pummeling through yelling one name,
"Ruby?!"
He saw her and briskly walked over to her and grabbed her hugging her to him.
"You okay?" She nodded and I smiled sweetly, but my happiness soon changed into jealousy. He looked her up and down and hugged her again and then backed up pleased with her answer. Then he walked in with that harlot by his side, I put on a forced smile, and I tried to be courteous.
But that soon ended.
"Devin, get out of my way, hey ram sam sam." She ruffled the hair on their heads and I rose my eyebrows. She tried to hug Chet but he shied away, and as soon as she forced him into a hug I spoke,
"I made breakfast help yourself. I have to go to work I just wanted to see how everyone was doing?"
Chet glared and Kevin looked down. "We're fine."
I nodded and spoke again.
"Why don't we sleep outside tonight?"
Chet smiled and the boys nodded. "I'll be back after my shift and we can spend some time together."
They all nodded and I walked out and to work, the day was fairly boring with not many people coming in. Just as I was about to end my shift, Henry walked in,
"Hey Henry what's up?"
"Nothing much I was just wondering if you could hang out sometime, it's kinda boring around here without an immediate threat, I know we have that one dude but he isn't like here killing us all right now." I nodded
"Actually I was going over to the boys house, wanna come spend the night?"
Sure. I'll grab some stuff and see you over there?"
I nodded and Henry walked out as I clocked out. I walked over to Ruby's I had moved in with her just a bit ago, and we were so crazy with each other. I left her a note because she was still working, I walked over to the boys house and I was greeted to a group of rambunctious boys and a very exasperated Celeste. I scoffed and I threw down my bag and I began to run after Chet, I tackled him down and we had a small wrestling match. I laughed as we pulled ourselves up and to a standing position.
I walked over to the fire and I sat next to Felix, I nudged him with my shoulder and he nudged me back. Henry came into my line of sight and I smiled at him and motioned him over to sit next to me, once he was settled down I leaned my head on his shoulder. Soon I was pummeled over by Sam falling onto Henry's lap. I blushed and I got up gingerly, I quickly stood and ran after him, tackling him and tickling him.
We played well into the night and, I looked over to the new couple, I looked down melancholy filling my body and I lay down alone, again. Why am I always alone?
I fell asleep that night contemplating the stupidest things, I was very rudely awoken by Peter in the middle of the night, and I almost killed him, luckily he knows how to block a knife.
"We need to talk."
"No, now let me sleep."
"Not until we talk."
"In the morning Peter."
"No now."
"You won't let me sleep until we talk huh?"
"No I won't."
"Fine let's go where no one will hear us. "
I stood up and we walked into the woods,
"Now what do you need? I just want to sleep."
"You need to stay away from Celeste, god don't you have any manners?"
My eyebrows scrunched together confusion filling my face,
"What?"
"You heard me Celeste isn't comfortable around you and after tonight I don't want you around the house or around me, Celeste, or any of the boys."
"NO! Those boys are my family I will never leave them."
"Yes you will, unless you want me to tell this whole town about our little secret."
Shock, pain, anger hurt, denial, frustration, I felt all of these things within a span of a few seconds. But I settled on defeat,
"Fine."
Tears filled my eyes and I looked away, but before I left I had to know.
"Why did you dump me? What does she give you that I won't? What makes her so much better than me?" Tears flowed freely down my face and I reached for Peter's hand, he twisted around and pinned me against a tree.
"She gives me everything, every part I want, every part of her I want. And she's not damaged goods, and even then I am sugarcoating it."
Choked sobs left my mouth, every word creating a tight feeling in my chest and it felt like I had coils wrapped around my heart and he had the other ends in his hands and he just pulled at them,
"It's because I wouldn't put out?"
"Yes and the fact that she has no daddy issues, and a family, and she might actually be able to give me a future."
Kids. He was talking about kids.
"What if she can't have kids?"
"Well at least she isn't covered in ugly scars."
That last pull shattered my heart,
"I don't need you but you need me, good luck feeding everyone all the boys and yourself. I am going to leave and you will be begging for me to come back."
"We don't need your ugly ass, you hardly do anything, we'll be glad to be rid of you."
I nodded and I back away, "You say that now but good-bye. Peter." I ran back to the house and I grabbed all of my things left a note saying good-bye and I left. Alone.
While walking through the town late at night I pondered on what I did. Why does he hate me?
The next few days I told Granny I would take off and then I had the weekend off as well and I just dropped off of the grid. Monday morning I walked into the diner and everyone looked at me I rose and eyebrow and they all looked back down. I walked to the bar and Granny gave me a smile, I gave a timid one back to her and I got to work. The day was monotonous, and I could not wait to leave.
Peter walked in with the girl on his arm, but today he did not seem as into her as he normally was. I frowned none the less and I smiled and I walked to their table.
"What can I get you?"
"I'll have a water and a grilled cheese."
"Okay Peter?"
"Um, what?"
"What would you like?"
"A burger."
I nodded and Celeste smiled and spoke words into his ear. I rolled my eyes and went to put in their order. Celeste laughed at loudly and pawed at Peter's chest. It made me sick, but I knew that hurting them would be no use, so I smiled at pretended I didn't mind. I did my job and smiled while doing it. But something made me suspicious, when Celeste ate she ate quickly and when she was done she sat back and grinned an inhuman grin.
Suspicion filled me but hey who was I to judge I loved food. Killian walked through the door and made an effort to get to me quickly.
"Hello Killian, can I help you?"
"Yes, erm no love sorry." I smiled he was conflicted
"It's all right,"
"Erm actually love I was wondering if you wanted to hang out? Is that what kids call it nowadays?" I nodded and he mimicked me,
"That sounds great Killian." He beamed and he backed up a few steps.
"Erm when are you off?" I am off in about an hour if you wanted to come back and we can do something,"
"I can wait, in the meantime can I have a coffee and a burger?"
"Of course!"
He sat at the bar and Peter and Celeste left, I began to pick up the table a little bit so the busboy Darren didn't have to work so hard. I picked up the check and put the money into the register and kept the whole $0.50 as a tip. I then started on another table. By the end of my shift I was still very energetic and upbeat.
"Ready?" Killian nodded as I cleaned the area he was previously sitting at. I joined him as he walked around the town for a bit until turning somewhere I have never been to before. The docks.
"What are we doing here?"
"We are going to see something you used to love?"
"No! Nu uh!" Killian laughed and he pulled me onto the ship,
"Hello you beautiful thing! Oh! You shouldn't have, I missed her."
"Yes, I thought you would, have at her."
I ran to hug him and taken aback he stepped back but then embraced the hug,
"Thank you… dad."
"You are very much welcome Victory."
I shut my eyes and we spent the day on the ship I loved as a child. A few hours later we were sitting upon the quarter deck and just talking about nothing but everything, we caught up and we were father and daughter again.
"So Victory, how is that friend of yours? Red?"
"Yes she's good, her and Felix are going strong and they are the cutest!"
He nodded and we fell into a comfortable silence, he wanted to say something I could tell but every time his mouth opened it closed. So I stayed quiet and I looked at the deep rolling waves.
"What about Peter? He was head over heels for you when he came back but now he hardly looks or talks to you."
"He found something better." My curt voice sounded as it bounced from the waves. He nodded and we later went on our way. We were walking by an alley way and we heard whispering.
"You are entranced, let your mind take a dance. For you're mine for all of time. Respond to the Cat in the body and this will be your new hobby."
"Yes I shall respond." I looked at Killian; that was Peter, and Celeste. We turned to see them engulfed in dark smoke Celeste's face was contorted and twisted into a large smile and she had eyes too large for her face, her eyes shone red.
"Cheshire let my boyfriend go."
"He is not yours anymore Victoria, I have given him a new euphoria."
I leapt forward and I grabbed Peter and threw him to my father and I faced Cheshire.
"So many riddles, so many rhymes, with how long you are taking you will upset father time." Cheshire let out a deep laugh and I grabbed Celeste and he would have to come if he was still tied to her and I pulled her to Grannies. I pushed them in.
"Look who I found, Cheshire is about to go into the ground."
"No, no, not I, for it is you that shall die." I rose an eyebrow.
'Try me Kitty. I don't go down easy."
"Tut tut tut. Goodbye have fun with my old sweety pie." With that Cheshire left the body and Celeste fell asleep. Peter stumbled in and as soon as he saw me he broke down, he got to me as fast as he could and he sunk to the ground.
"I am so sorry I didn't mean what I said. I love you."
"I forgive you, it's okay." I held him to me his head against my chest and we sunk to the ground, I looked up to Felix and Red I smiled at them and Red beamed back at me. Celeste was later roused and very confused. Peter didn't leave my side. Now I hope now that she's out of the way we can get through Cheshire together.
The next few days were spent with Peter frantically apologizing, we have been here for a while and him and I have not had that much time together so we decided a day to go out. That was an interesting day, I mean it started with me spilling grape juice all over myself, then I tripped and fell and scratched my arm. But overall I got to talk with Peter and yes it had a few tears and a lot of laughing and kissing.
Once we got back to the house the boys were all very happy, happier than when she was here. Everything was somewhat controlled in this chaos. Despite the imminent threat coming our way.
