Thabo and Liv looked at each other as the voices approached. They grew louder. They looked in the direction of them and saw a man and woman emerge. Thabo's face turned cold and hard.
"Thabo." Lungile said shocked.
"Lungile!" Thabo hissed.
"Gilie?" the girl asked in a high pitched tone. "Do you know them? We having a double date?"
"Wish I didn't!" Liv spat.
"He is my brother Jessa and he is his little who…"
Thabo stood up fists clenched. "Don't you dare!" Thabo warned.
Lungile dismissed him.
"Brother?" Jessa murmured looked at Thabo. Liked the ways his eyes were flashing black. Liked the way his whole body was tensed and ready to spring. He looked big and dark and dangerous. And he was so much sexier than Lungile. She smiled predatorily.
Liv's eyes narrowed as she saw Jessa's perusal of Thabo. She knew she liked what she saw - Liv too stood up, beside her man. Was sending Jessa a warning with her eyes.
Jessa ignored the warning. "I didn't know Gilie had a brother." she took a step towards Thabo and lowered her head, looked up at him. "Not such a good looking one anyway."
Thabo twined his fingers with Liv's to stop her launching herself at this girl.
"I like brothers." Jessa purred seductively.
Thabo's face twisted at the innuendo. "You stayed true to form then Lungile." Thabo growled and motioned at the girl. "C'mon Liv, there's suddenly …"
Without warning a snake fell out of a tree onto Jessa's shoulders.
"Lungile help me!" The girl shrieked.
Lungile froze and backed off. Thabo looked nervous too.
"It's ok." Liv said. Unknowing why she was helping her after what she said to her boyfriend. "Just keep still." Liv whispered. Liv moved her hands slowly. Grabbed the back of the snakes head to stop it turning and biting her.
"Don't want to scare him." she murmured to herself. Grasped the bottom of the snakes body. Lifted it off her.
"There." she said smiling holding the snake.
"Whoa." the girl said shakily. Her hand on her chest. "Thanks." Jessa turned to Lungile. "You were no help! I could have died! I'm going home! Don't bother calling!"
"I'll just deal with this. Put him out of the way." Liv told Thabo.
Thabo nodded. Lungile was following Jessa then stopped and began to return
She reached up. "If you can get rid of him we can finish our picnic." she hinted.
"Yeah." he said smiling widely.
Lungile looked disgusted as he approached. "Where she going?"
"To deal with something you couldn't. Real heroic Gilie." he said the name with a sneer. "We can always count on you in a crisis!"
"What about you? You just stood there too!"
"If Liv needed me, anytime anywhere I'd help her. Even if it meant getting bit off a poisonous snake!" Thabo retorted quickly.
"Dad wants you home." Lungile said superiorly. "I keep telling him not to bother."
"Trust me I don't care." Thabo laughed.
"He listens to me!" Lungile said haughtily.
"O I really doubt that. See all you are his little lap dog yipping around his ankles praying for any little scrap of kindness he throws you." Thabo told him smugly. "He uses you. When he finds someone better, like me." he grinned cockily. "He'll just toss you away. Luckily for you I am no ones lap dog!"
"Shut up Thabo!" Lungile hissed.
"Whatamata?" he grinned arrogantly. "You messing up again? Tell me how often does he ask to bring me home?"
Lungile paled.
"More and more often now by the look on your face."
Lungiles eyes were black.
"One more cock up and that's it huh Lungile? Has he warned you that's he's gonna get rid yet?"
"Shut up Thabo!" Lungile screamed.
"I think I may have struck a nerve!" Thabo grinned.
"O I'll strike a nerve!" Lungile spat. "How about I tell you what I'm planning on doing to your precious little Liv when I get my hands on her."
Thabo's face hardened.
"Not so clever now." Lungile fumed. "Think about this, how about I drag her by the hair to the nearest dark corner and…"
Thabo roared with rage and flung himself at Lungile…
(X)
Liv was walking through the bush, giving Thabo plenty of time to get rid of that snake! Then she thought about the one in her hands. "Sorry I'm actually insulting you there." she murmured.
The snake was hissing.
"I know you dislike being held like this but if I hold you any other way you'll bite me - I don't want to go through that again! I'm finding you a nice dark place.
Liv got to thinking about what nearly happened between her and Thabo. They had agreed nothing until they had some protection and they nearly go and lose it. Then again once won't hurt would it? The thought still made her sick. Maybe it would be best if they went straight home. She nodded mind made up. She threw the snake into a bush realising he was angry and would turn on her as soon as she let him go. The she jogged away so he couldn't see her. Returned to her sexy boyfriend.
Thabo met her sooner, away from their picnic. "C'mon Liv." he said jerkily. "I'm going home."
"Thabo?"
He was rubbing his fists. "We're done here!"
"You ok?"
"Yes - so lets go!" he demanded.
"Ok." she replied softly. He had never spoke to her like that before. They walked in silence. He stopped her.
"I'm sorry." he said contritely. "Lungile put me on edge. There's no excuse for talking to you like that."
"What he say to you to make you so mad?"
"Just stuff about my family." he told her held her hand gently. "I don't wanna talk about him Liv. Talking about you is much better." he handed her the ring box that got dropped during their passionate embrace.
Liv smiled opened it and removed the ring.
He took it from her and slid it on her finger. They looked at it.
"I love it." she murmured. "Thank you."
He put his arm around her shoulders and they began to walk again. "No thanks necessary. Your worth any price.
If Liv turned to her left and looked at Thabo's hand she would have noticed his grazed and bloody knuckles as it was she was too busy looking up into his eyes.
(X) That Night
Danny carried a bowl of soup into his and Alice's bedroom. He walked in and saw Alice still crashed out on her back arms and legs spread in a star shape. Her mouth open slightly her head rested ion it's side. The blanket was bunched in a bundle at the bottom of the bed. He smiled as he saw one of Alice's arms and legs was hanging limply from the bed, her breathing was slow and deep. She was obviously deeply asleep and had been since he left her this afternoon. Her last meal had been nearly two days ago, hence the soup. He placed the bowl on the beside cabinet as he sat down.
"Alice honey wake up."
She frowned, turned onto her side and rolled into a tight ball mumbling about cake.
Cake? He though raising his eyebrows in amusement.
"Alice darling."" he said running his hand down her arm.
She groaned and clutched her stomach. "Sleep." she moaned.
"Just try and eat a little soup for me - then you can sleep as long as you want."
Alice lay silently for a moment. "You lie." she whispered.
"Huh?" he asked with a smile.
"You said you let me sleep as long as I want. As soon as I'm better you'll have me slaving away in the surgery." she opened her eyes and looked at him.
He smiled at her. Ill, cheeks flushed, tired she was still beautiful to him. Her eyes were just beyond gorgeous.
"That is what your paid for." he reminded and touched her cheek softly. "How'd you feel?"
"Sick." she moaned. He lifted her so her back was against the headboard.
He held a glass of water while she sipped.
"I can hold a glass."
"Humour me." he said picking up the bowl of soup.
Alice twisted her face.
"Just eat a little." he asked.
"I'll be sick." she told him seriously.
"Just try. You haven't had anything in days. You'll never get better if you have no energy and if you get any thinner you'll disappear!"
She exhaled. Grabbed the spoon. "I'm feeding myself!"
He smiled and placed the bowl on a tray that magically appeared from the floor.
"I planned ahead." he grinned.
Alice sat and stirred the contents. Staring down at the swirling liquid.
"Don't worry I haven't poisoned it."
Alice mad a pained face, lifted a tiny amount from the bowl. She out the spoon to her mouth and sipped. Swallowed tightly. After a second she clapped a hand over her mouth breathing through her nose.
Alice?" he stood up and lifted the tray.
She shook her head and removed her hand breathing slowly. My stomach lurched at the food. It must be empty. Thought it was gonna happen for a second though." he lowered the tray back down. She didn't feel like she could stomach anymore but carried on for Danny. She ate a quarter when she quit.
"I've had enough." she told him.
He nodded and handed her the water, she took a drink and swished it around her mouth and swallowed.
"Feel any better?" he asked hopefully.
"Not really."
"I hate this." he groaned. Moved so she could lie back down. Moved some more hair from her forehead. "It's not like you to be ill for so long."
"I know." she answered snuggling down into the covers. "I'm really gonna kill her!" Alice said half playfully. "Her germs are full on death warriors. Super strength germ machines! My poor little antibodies are too weak!"
Out of nowhere they heard Liv screaming and yelling.
"Stay here." he said urgently.
Alice ignored him and climbed from the bed.
(X)
Thabo and Liv were sat on the veranda. "Where'd you go when we got home?"
"Nowhere." Thabo said quickly.
Liv frowned. "Why you keeping secrets from me?"
"I'm not." he told her.
"Where'd you go then?"
"Just out. I needed to clear my head."
Liv exhaled.
"Don't push it Liv - please." he pleaded.
"You've been different since Lungile. You aren't thinking of leaving and going back?"
"NEVER!" he barked.
Liv jumped.
"Sorry."
"You can talk to me you know Thabo." She told him gently.
"I know, but there is nothing to tell." he glanced down at his grazed knuckles and frowned. "I did get the stuff we needed though."
"You mean the…" she lowered her voice.
He nodded and she smiled. Her mind taken off everything but them. "We'll have to make sure we carry them but like hide them coz gran will go spare!"
Thabo grinned. "Am I so irresistible."
"No, you just lead me astray, and I am so impressionable you know." she laughed.
"As long as I am the only one giving you all these impressions." he said lowly.
She looked deeply into his eyes. "You are." she purred.
He stood up and took her hand. "C'mon."
She froze. "You mean you wanna do it now?"
"Yeah." he told her.
She felt butterflies and smiled. Stood up.
They saw a car with blue flashing lights approaching. "Whose this?"
Thabo closed his eyes. "Go in the house Liv." he said softly.
2 men climbed from the car, dressed in uniforms.
"Thabo?"
He exhaled and kissed her softly. The men approached.
"Thabo Kani?"
"Yeah." he replied.
"We are placing you under arrest for assault on Lungile Kani."
"Thabo?" she asked voice raised eyes wide.
He looked at her as he was cuffed. Shrugged.
"Get off him!" she shouted to the officers. "Your wrong ok! I was with him! He didn't do anything wrong!" she screamed.
"Liv. Go inside please." he pleaded.
Danny and Alice appeared at the door.
"Thabo?" Danny asked in shock.
"Take Liv inside please." Thabo asked.
"What?"
"Assault." he told them.
Alice clapped her hand over her mouth. Her stomach churning sickeningly. She dashed to the bathroom.
Liv was just about to go for the officer holding Thabo. Danny ran out and grabbed her.
Thabo climbed into the car.
Danny held Liv tightly as he was drove away. Thabo looked back and saw tears streaming from her eyes.
A/N there is more to this than meets the eye, keep reading x
