I left Vince with a set of fresh clothes and instructed him to take rest.

My hair clung to my face with sweat and dirt, I cringed at my appearance in the mirror. My once white shirt was stained with blood that had dried out turning a brown colour making me nauseous. Not wanting to let the material stick to me any longer, I took the shirt off along with the rest of my clothes. The warm water of the shower helped me scrub off all the grime on my body. I lathered up with twice the amount of body wash I would usually use.

I stepped out of the washroom feeling clean and blood free. Just as I tugged on my sweats, a knocked sounded.

"Melissa, I'd like you to come out please." I froze at the sound of the timid voice of my mother.

"What's up, mom?" I asked casually leaning against the door frame and grinning at her nonchalantly.

"I'll tell you, an injured boy looking very close to a jail escapee is dressed in your father's clothing and is resting in our guest room rather comfortably. How is that for a situation?" She raised her eyebrow challengingly at me, taunting me to say one thing wrong.

"He's a friend, mom, he was hurt. I couldn't shirk my responsibility in this matter. It's not like he committed any crime-"

"Yet."

"Mother!"

"What do you expect me to think, Melissa? He could be dangerous!" She exclaimed. She let out a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I want him gone before your father comes home."

"I can't do that. If you must know, he is the one who got stranded with me in the forest. Atleast be grateful of that before you bury him with your prejudices." I snapped, I held back a glare looking straight in her eyes.

"Let Robert come home then, I will not take any responsibility for his actions. As for your friend, I think one chance is all he'll get from us." She didn't say anything more as she turned on her heel and left.

I left out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I protected him now, but what if mom was right? I didn't know how he got his injuries or who gave it to him. Vince was dangerous, just how much?

I left my room to go to the kitchen and get some food for him to eat. My dad shouldn't be home for another hour or two but now that I'm sure the news of the newcomer has fallen to his ears, he'll be racing home.

I assembled a ham sandwich, took out a piece of cake from the fridge and balanced the plate on my hand to the guest room.

The door to the guest room was the same mahogany as the rest of the wood work in the house yet, it stood in the light like a new object of uncertainty. Perhaps the fact that my knock was no short of a horror movie commencing was causing me to shake a little.

"Yes?" He asked in a hesitant voice. I pushed the door open and I knew all my trembles we're gone, maybe my mom is right but a strong instinct in me assured me that he never hurt me.
Man is a being of instinct, right?

"Feeling any better? I got you some food." I placed the tray on the bedside ignoring the fact that Vince was no longer in bed but seated on the chair on the end fiddling with his phone.

"I'm feeling great, thank you. I'm sorry for all this, you were never meant to see me like that." I frowned some more noticing how normal he seemed, like it was an every second day occurrence. He didn't care that he got hurt but the fact that I saw him in that state, it made my heart ache a bit more.

"Is this because of the street fighting?" I asked in a small voice.

"Of sorts." Vince came up to me and placed a hand on my cheek.

"You don't need to worry, I'll be fine." I only nodded at his words, looking at his face which was yet to heal.

"Oh, and, my parents may want to kill you too, are you ready?"

"Always."

"You're so cliché, Vince."

After he finished eating, I knew dad was home because I could hear him and mom talking undoubtedly about Vince.

"Try to keep the illegal businesses on the low, okay?" I said, to which Vince replied with a chuckle. I don't see the funny in that sentence.

"You seem more tensed, Jinx. Relax."
Dad was seated in the living room still in his office attire, his face held a grim expression and mom was whispering things to him.

"Hey, Mom-Dad." They both turned to look at us and I felt Vince freeze.

Who's relaxing now?

"Aren't you Montero's employee?" Dad asked making me frown.
Vince only shook his head and extended his hand for a shake as my father came to stand before us.

"I knew I had seen him somewhere." Mom added from behind, her face now held an motherly expression like she wanted to pull him into a hug and buy him a fortress. But that left as soon as it came, perhaps upon seeing my questioning eyes.

"What's going on?" I tugged at his arm, trying to grab his attention.
"Your father's one of our clients. We met at the event last week. I'm Vince Montero, his son." I was still clueless as I knew nothing about Vince or what his father did. But my dad seemed to know it all as his eyes widened.

"Your his son?" Vince nodded. My dad's eyes glanced over at his hand, taking in his tattoos and probably placing him in the dangerous category as my mother.

"Stay for dinner. We have a lot to discuss."

And stayed for dinner, he sure did.
I felt like an outsider, my father and Vince discussed business. My mother joining in on parts too.

Turned out, Vince's father's company sold metals which our company bought from them but the way they spoke it seemed so much more.

As all cutlery was set down, it was late. I excused myself along with Vince from the table so I could talk to him.

The sun had set and the poolside looked as beautiful as ever, the clean blue water and white tiles all visible lit delicately by the underwater lights.

"What was that about?" I asked Vince.

"Do you trust me?" I only nodded, as he inched closer. Did I? I wasn't sure, everything was just happening so fast.

"Then don't think about it." With those words he kissed me. Our lips connected in a slow and passionate kiss which left me breathless. I'd never felt that way with any guy before, the tingles, the butterflies in the stomach and the mind numbing sensations.

"I'll see you in school tomorrow. Take care, okay?" He whispered as he kept his forehead on mine.
"You said this early in the morning today, I'm taking your word for it, Vince." He chuckled and pressed his lips on mine again.

He took my hand and we went back inside where Vince said his thank you's and goodbye's.

"What was that about?" I cringed at how desperate I sounded. None of them were giving me answers.
"Don't see him again, Melissa. He's bad news." My mother said in a no-nonsense voice.

"You never tell me why. And it didn't seem like he was bad news at dinner when you bonded over mutual connections?" I retorted, feeling the need to add a small glare by the end of it.

"He isn't bad, Melissa, the people he's involved with are. We don't want you there." Dad added, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"If he isn't bad, then why stay away from him. If he has survived the hoodlums you claim he surrounds himself by, isn't he good? You can't forbid me from talking to him."

"We are your parents, we know what's best for you, don't make such a mistake." Dad threatened but I wouldn't back down. I realised I didn't trust Vince but I wanted to and I knew he'd never do anything to hurt me. Quite a bug assumption, no?

"What if it isn't a mistake? What if just because of your preconceived notions I lose my chance at having someone real in my life?" I wasn't shouting anymore, just whispering.

"Me-" My mom stopped him from talking and gave him a look that I didn't understand.

"Go ahead, Melissa. Make your own mistakes. But I can assure you that boy is up to no good. The scars you saw today were nothing but a scratch to what he's getting himself into."

*******

Mama scary.

Love,
Rojesta. 💜