Chap 9
Anya POV
Papa and I had a quiet drive home as I just peered into his thoughts taking in what I could about his talks with the staff. Which wasn't very helpful aside from the suspects not having any identification on them and that they were handed over to the authorities.
I have a picture of the hammer in my pocket, I drew two so I can keep one and give one to papa. I slide one out of my pocket and roll it between my fingers nervously.
Which Papa sees and says "what's that?" I sigh and open it. "Becky told me one of the men had this tattoo on his forearm." I show him the image and his face doesn't react. "It's probably nothing."
But his thoughts spike as he recognizes the symbol and all he says is he needs to contact HQ.
I handed it over to him, and put my head back looking out the window. "I just want to keep everyone safe, ya know." He nods empathizing with me.
His grip on the steering wheel tightens and before I can implore his mind he asks "What is your relationship with Damian?" I sigh internally knowing this was eventually going to come up.
I hold my blush down and try to respond casually. "We're friends now." I fidget with my thumb.
"Is that all?" He presses, suddenly feeling more like an interrogation. But if this is going to further the mission then it's best to be honest…like mama said.
"No…I like him…and he likes me… he thinks…I mean I think… I don't know, we're just friends Papa." I stumble a bit over my words not sounding as confident as I did in my head.
His grip on the wheel is so tight that his knuckles turn white; even if his face is stoic. The word came out like a knife, "No" I shook my head.
"No, what?" I ask clearly not understanding what he meant.
"You will not see Damian, Anya." He says looking at me his eyes narrowed, that cut right into me.
"Papa you can't I-" I practically plead once I realize what he was saying to me. My mind is too frantic to go into his and find out why he is saying this.
"No Anya, Damian is bad news, I won't allow my daughter to get dragged into this any further." He says sternly.
"Papa, you're wrong, you can't… you don't mean that!" The tears free falling down my face as they burned against my skin.
"You will do as I say, as your father!" He yells as he puts the car in park. Seeing him sit there under the guise of my father he has some nerve.
"But isn't that why I'm here? Isn't that why you chose me out of all the kids in the orphanage, Loid?" I say his name enunciating for him to hear venomously.
His eyes widened, "Anya I-" his eyes softened mournfully. But no, the damage had been done.
I open the door since we're clearly outside the house and go straight upstairs and lock myself in my room. Even though I can hear him calling after me and once we were upstairs he tried the door and pounded on it a few times before walking away.
Throwing myself on my bed hugging my chimera close but gently since he's fragile. I cried my eyes into the only comfort I've ever known since I can remember. I poured the feelings I've felt of inadequacy over the years. I've always thought if Loid had chosen a different kid that day, maybe the war would've ended sooner. If I hadn't put the feeling of wanting a family before the needs of the world maybe everyone would be better off if I was willing to sacrifice it all.
Being a spy is being willing to shed everything you are as an individual to be who you need to be for the mission…
I wipe off my face and grab my bookbag deciding that monotonous school work should help me relieve me from this painful train of thought.
I put my phone on the desk beside my workbook, as I dove straight into advanced calculus trying not to think of my father.
My phone buzzed and I was glad for the distraction. Becky said she's still recovering from last night and she might not go to school this week. I coo, knowing she wants attention letting her know how much I'd miss her if she didn't come.
Going back in my messages I see the one from Damian still unread. Thinking back to my fathers words on staying away, I click the message.
Damian: Good Morning beautiful
My heart skipped a beat reading it even if it was delayed. I bite my lip nervously as I choose to go against my father and reply to Damian.
Anya: What are you up to?
I tried to go back to my workbook but now I keep looking at my phone waiting for it to vibrate. Not focusing on my actual work. Brzzt
Damian: Studying
He doesn't say much after that, should I leave him alone? But I look up at his previous message, beautiful.
I lift my phone to get a good angle of my face and workbook, loving the peek of cleavage that just barely shows and snap a photo. I look it over and send it to him to show him I'm doing the same. My pulse races as I await a response wondering if he'll send me a picture back.
But then my phone rings which startles me out of my thoughts. Lifting it my eyes widened, the ID reads Damian.
I cleared my throat which was still raw from my crying fit earlier. "Hello?" I answer with a hint of confusion in my voice trying to hide the fact I was nervous.
"The page you're working on, you're using the wrong formula so it's all wrong." He says with no pleasantries at all.
"Oh" I say realizing this isn't going to go how I thought. I hear him sigh on the line "Do you need help?" I really don't like asking for help. But Damian has the academic Stella's for a reason, since he studies his ass off. It would be stupid for me to deny his help.
I exhale "That would be a big help if you could." Trying to center myself as I start to erase the page I was trying to do.
He explained Derivative Definition and the basic properties, but did it in a way that made it relate to something tangible for me to understand. Doing my work with Damian made everything go by so much faster. We sped through our work since we have the same schedule. It made it easier to do everything in one night, which we did.
But our conversation didn't end there, we talked about many things after we finished. Things we didn't realize we had in common. From types of games, music and movies we found we have similar tastes. We even talked about some of our past memories and I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt at times thinking back to the young angry Damian.
I'm just curious if he'll be the same once we're at school.
Damian POV
After being on the phone with her it made me feel less alone. Even though I know father and brother are home, for god knows what at this point. I'm just sick to my stomach as I'm constantly isolated at home.
Father won't loop me into anything until I graduate but after seeing some of the things that he's brought home. I contemplated going to college far away from here to get away.
After saying good night to Anya her voice was still bouncing around my head. Her laugh and the warmth she brings me even if she's not here. I wish to call her back but know her dad would not appreciate it I'm sure. She did briefly mention their argument but it was clear in her voice it bothered her so I didn't press further. I hate seeing or hearing Anya cry.
Although Anya has shown herself to be tough as nails, I know she's emotionally fragile. I have to take this slow, especially when she would have already been spooked because of fathers business. Now I have her father labeling me for whatever he may have heard about my father.
I should've known better than to bring her to the house, but I don't have any places because I'm rarely allowed to leave.
That night after I dropped her off, I showered and came to bed to pass out after the draining evening that it was.
But tonight I'm wired, because fathers summoned me. Now I'm starting to question everything as I make the long trek to his office.
I walk to his office with my chin high trying to show no fear. But as I entered the dark office that was lit by a small fire behind the desk which was masked by his tall chair that cast a silhouette, his features were unreadable.
But I hold my gaze on him as I know even if I can't see him, he can see me. "Damian… have a seat."
I put my hand up "I'd prefer to stand" trying to keep me in control of me. He snickers but doesn't press, "Fine then. How is the academy after the first week then? Eventful I'm sure."
I shrug, not wanting to implicate myself since I feel this line of questioning is coming with a purpose, which I'm afraid of.
"How was your Friday evening then? Care to tell." He said annoyed at my avoidance, but I continued to feign innocence.
"No more excitable than normal." I said apathetically, he slams his hand on the desk causing me to flinch.
He roared "Don't toy with me boy." He threw photos of me and Anya at Becky's party and those thugs across the desk for me to see.
Shit!
He points to Anya "Who is she?" He pushes a single photo forward of her.
"Father, she's a girl in my class she has been since grade school." I said firmly, "She was just protecting her friend."
He narrows his eyes at me as he processes the words. "I specifically recall telling you NOT to leave the property for any reason Friday evening." He stands from his seat and slowly rounds the table.
I lower my head knowing when to back down. "Yes, you did."
He's in front of me "Yet you thought it would be wise to disobey me nonetheless." I don't respond.
"You brought her on the property?" It was hardly a question, I nodded confirming, not wanting to prolong my punishment. "I did father."
"How much did she see?" I looked up at him and realized that was the real question. To know if she's seen too much, enough to do what?
"We saw nothing, she never entered the building and she was here for a few minutes outside, then we left." I say pointedly not wanting my voice to waver in the slightest.
He nods his head accepting my answer. I hold the breath of relief till after I know what's coming.
He takes the belt off his pants and I whimper. "Father no! I'll be better I promise." Just don't, I plead with my eyes. But I should've known that my father doesn't take to begging for mercy.
I turn and he whips my back 4 maybe 6 times, after the third it felt like my back was numb from the pain. He was exclaiming his proverbs at me, but I paid no mind.
Instead there was this voice in the recesses of my mind that tells me life doesn't have to be this way. I focus on that and try to think of a moment where I can be away from it all. All of this pain and torture both physical and emotional.
A knock sounds at the door which stops my fathers ministrations on my back. He fixes his belt to his pants and returns to his seat at his desk as if he hadn't just whipped me mercilessly.
"Stay focused on your studies Damian." He says curtly and motions for me to leave. Opening the door I see Demetrius standing at the door, my older brother places a hand on my shoulder squeezing it slightly and shots me a small smile. The more Demetrius spends with father the more estranged he's become with me. But walks past me into my fathers office and I close the door behind me.
Feeling uneasy about the entire conversation With father and if he's going to leave Anya be, I didn't realize I stayed by the door a moment longer than I should have.
Demetrius' voice says "We weren't able to get in. I don't know when we'll get another opening." My father pounds his fists on his desk. My interest piqued. I lean against the door trying to hear clearer.
"Damian and this damn girl ruined an opportunity to get access to the vault, I know those damn Blackbells are holding out on us. We'll need to make another opening." Father says venomously.
I lean away from the door realizing what this means, that is why he asked me about her. Clearly she's not a spy, she was protecting her friend from my fathers goons apparently.
I shouldn't tell Anya, then she'll never want to speak to me again.. but how long could I keep him from her?
I reached for my phone which vibrated in my hand luckily it muffled the sound as I made my way down the hall. I can't get caught eavesdropping or I'll get more lashings.
I glance at my phone hoping it was Anya, but see it's Emile asking if I'm coming back tomorrow before classes start back up.
But after everything that transpired with my dad, I head to my room and pack a bag to head to my dorm tonight. This is why I don't usually come home on the weekends. But since I figured he'd be gone I thought it would be safe to come home. Obviously that was a mistake…
After I finish I hop on my bike and speed off to Eden, my home away from this place.