"Dad, you said you'd be here for Christmas," Ava's shoulders slumped in sadness.
"I'm sorry, honey. The workload is hectic. I'll try my best to come," Jacob said on the phone.
Ava sighed. He always does this. It has been three years since they last met. Sometimes she feels like he has forgotten that he even has daughters.
"You always do this," She complained. Her voice was a lot meeker than before.
Jacob sighed. "I'm sorry, honey. Please, understand." His voice sounded bleak which gave her a little hope. At least he wants to meet them.
"I'll wait for you, Dad. Annie misses you," She said with a small smile. "I miss you both more," Jacob said as they said their goodbyes, and her dad dropped the call.
Ava tossed the phone on the bed as she plopped down with a sigh.
Blinking, she gazed at the cream-colored ceiling of her room. She missed her dad so much. Three years was a lot of time for them not to meet. Though she could understand her father, Annie was just ten years old. She had cried on her last three birthdays when Dad only FaceTimed them.
They didn't live that far though. She was born in Mexico City but she was sent to a hostel in New York. Her mother died while giving birth to Annie. Ava was eight years old then. She cried a lot at her mother's funeral as her father was holding baby Annie.
Things were difficult for them especially for her father as he sent Ava far away. She begged him that she didn't want to leave but he thought it was for the best. He drowned himself in his work and handed Annie to his sister. After elementary school, Annie was also sent to New York for middle school.
Ava always tried her best to spend all of her free time with her younger sister. They only had each other in such a big city.
Jacob often used to visit them, on Father's Day, Christmas, and new-year Eve but slowly his visits deteriorated to their birthdays only. But they lost this small happiness also when he didn't visit them for the last three years. From the meetings only once a year, they now Facetime once a year.
Though she was glad she had her father. But oddly she felt like an orphan with no parents. If not for her father taking care of all her expenses she would've believed she had no one in this world except for Annie. She understands he was working hard for them but all they wanted was to be with him.
Whenever he talked to them. They felt happy.
Jacob bought an apartment for her in Greenwich Village when Ava graduated from high school. It was her gift and she loved it.
She was waiting for Annie to complete middle school because after that both the girls would live together in the apartment. Annie could go to High school in Greenwich and Ava would apply for university and look for a part-time job for some extra cash.
The money her father sent her was only enough to pay the bills and keep her belly full and she was more than thankful to him for that.
But Annie would start living with her too. She wanted to fulfill her small wishes.
She got up and walked into the kitchen. Her eyes fell on the calendar as she was making a sandwich for herself and her eyes lit up.
The day after tomorrow was her father's birthday and Christmas was in the same week. Though she knew he didn't like to celebrate his birthday. But how would he react if she would surprise him? She missed him a lot. She wanted to talk to him about so many things.
Ava felt so lonely. And it has been 8 years since she last saw her hometown back in Mexico.
She hurriedly made the sandwich. Sauntering into her room she grabbed the envelope from under her bed. Sitting down on the bed crossed legs. She munched on her sandwich with one hand while with the other she counted the bills.
She had little savings and it was more than enough for her round trip.
Her hazel eyes shined with delight. Grabbing her phone she checked for the cheapest airline ticket.
She breathed the air of Mexico as soon as she stepped out of the airport. Her big hazel eyes looked around the place in pure joy. It felt surreal to be back after so many years.
She was smiling ear to ear in joy. Hailing a cab she got inside as the driver put her duffle bag in the trunk.
She gave him the address. Rolling down the window she gazed out in awe. She wouldn't dare to tell Annie about this stunt of hers, Annie would start crying that Ava didn't take her along.
The sky was dark as the ghastly grey clouds were slowly covering the shining stars. It will rain soon.
Her heart was beating faster as she got closer to her destination. She wondered how her father would react. She just hoped he wouldn't get mad at her. Every time she mentioned coming for a visit, he would panic and curtly tell her that he was busy and she must not come there because she was not old enough to travel alone.
It hurt her but now she was a big girl. He won't mind it. She felt like crying in excitement. Three years. She'll be seeing him after such a long time.
The driver stopped the car as she paid him the fare. She got out of the car as he handed her her duffle and left.
Ava noticed at least five sleek black cars parked on the sideway. All of them screamed money and she was sure they didn't belong to anyone living in this area because they cost a fortune.
She ambled to one of the cars and stared at her reflection in the tinted black window. She looked presentable enough.
The taxi couldn't go further so she walked through a long alley before she could reach her house.
She noticed that there was a blackout in the area. Power cuts were a regular thing in the local areas. She sighed, turning on the flashlight in her cell as she padded closer to her destination.
A loud rumble of clouds had her gasping as she turned off the flashlight and shoved her phone in her pocket before jogging to the nearest door that had a shade on it.
Before she could notice the little pitter-patter of rain someone got her attention.
"You bastard!" A deep animalistic growl was heard.
She flinched as her eyes shot up and her gaze flitted to a mob of men. They were all dressed in black. They were huge, like giants. All muscular from her line of vision. All of them had either buzz cuts or undercuts.
"Why do you look so pale!" A booming snarl echoed in the place making her jolt badly as her heart came to her mouth at the menacing tone. This man didn't sound like a human, he had shoulder-length hair.
She gulped. They were far away. They couldn't see her. If she had to get home then she had to walk past them but looking at the scene right now that would be the stupidest thing to do.
These men looked dangerous. Their presence explains those expensive cars parked there. They looked like loan sharks or gangsters.
The scattered pieces of ghastly grey clouds rumbled with a clap of thunder. She stifled her gasp by cupping her mouth.
It was an incessant untimely downpour. The rain droplets were heavy as they clashed on the floor where the puddles of water were already forming.
Ava glanced at the bunch of men. She noticed a guy crouching on the floor in the middle but she couldn't have a proper look. This looked like criminal activity and she was the witness.
The rain was too strong and she could feel her shoulder getting wet. She fidgeted with her phone and dialed the cops hoping to get help for the poor man kneeling amidst those scary men. She pulled back to gaze at the screen only to realize there was no network coverage at the moment.
There was no soul out there to help the guy who was being harassed by such a mob. She wanted to help the poor guy by calling the cops but it seemed like she couldn't help him.
She heard a groan of pain as her head snapped in that direction. "Where is the rest of your unit?" That deep growl again had chills going down her spine as fear started to swell inside her heart.
She looked at the pathway she came from. She wasn't safe here. She should leave this place ASAP. She could stay in a hotel for the night and call her dad first thing in the morning.
Why did she think she was brave enough to travel alone and come all the way here?
She barely took a step away from her hiding place when she heard an all too familiar voice.
"I don't know," She turned her head with such speed that she would've had a breakneck.
"Dad," the word left her lips in a mere whisper before everything froze. A rumble of thunder echoed and her heart stopped beating when her eyes met with the luminous golden swirls of the man standing in the middle of the mob. Her stomach churned when she noticed wolfish canines.
And just like that the rumble of thunder disappeared and darkness surrounded them again but her wide horrified eyes were fixed on the spot where he stood.
The image of those terrifying eyes was printed inside her head. Her eyes flickered down to the man on the floor and all she heard was her father's loud yell.
"RUN!"
She didn't want to run. Instead, she wanted to help her father but she was so terrified, her body having a mind of its own as she dashed in the direction from where she came from.
"GET HER!" That deep voice growled and she felt goosebumps on her flesh despite the heavy rain pouring down on her.
Heavy footsteps sprinted after her and her heart pounded in her ears as she ran faster.
Ava was clutching her duffle to her chest as she ran with all her might.
Was it her father or had she misjudged that voice? If he wasn't her father the guy would've never yelled at her to run but screamed for help.
Her guts churned in anxiety as big fat tears poured out of her eyes and they got mixed with rain.
She could hear the heavy footsteps approaching fast behind her. At this rate, she'd be caught in no time.
Her footing slipped as she stumbled badly and barely saved herself from tripping and falling.
"Stop right there or else I'll shoot you!" A growl was heard from behind her and the fear in her heart doubled over.
She was going to die. They will kill her. What about her dad?
Just as she got on the road a car honked at her. But she didn't stop. She kept on running. The car zoomed right behind her as she crossed the road.
Instead of running into the alley in front of her she changed her direction and ran towards the club that was down the road. That street was lit with fairy lights and gave off the vibes of approaching Christmas.
There were no heavy footsteps behind her and it scared her even more. She looked over her shoulder while running and there was no one there. She showed her ID with shaky hands as the bouncers looked at her weirdly before checking her duffle, she rushed inside.
The place was fully packed and everyone was enjoying themselves. So many people were dancing on the floor.
It was her first time at a place like this but she was so thankful for being there. Walking to the corner she stood in the shadows and kept her eyes on the door. Afraid that at any moment those men would barge in.
Some of the people gave her weird looks. She was wet because of the rain and was clutching the duffle to her chest.
She immediately took out her phone and cleaned it hoping for it to be still working.
Opening her bag she took a black jacket and wore it. She tied her wet hair up in a ponytail and wore a cap. Trying to change her appearance in the hope they won't recognize her.
She noticed how her hands were shaking. Her dad was in trouble. Who were those men? What should she do? She had to get to the cops before they did anything to her father. They even had guns.
Walking to the back she looked for the backdoor before she finally found it. She stepped out only to pause when she noticed a bunch of men smoking and drinking. All of their eyes whipped in her direction and she abruptly stepped back inside, closing the door in fright.
She bumped into a drunkard and stumbled back. "I'm s...sorry," She stammered.
"Watch it, bitch!" The man hissed, making her flinch back. Bowing her head in an apology she stepped out of the front door. Standing on the side still hidden behind a wall in the alley, she looked in the direction she came from only for her heart to lurch to her mouth when she found those men in black on the street.
She pivoted to go back into the club when someone cupped her mouth and she was yanked from there before she was tossed into a van. She inhaled something and then everything went black.
An eerie silence resided in each corner as anxiety clutched at the dying man's heart. The room was filled with the smell of dried blood as the man on the floor trembled, scared of his almost written fate.Strong footsteps echoed in the empty basement as they reached the trembling man's body on the floor. Footsteps halted as the man with power and dominance radiating off of his large posture sat down on the chair in front of the lying man."Boss, he hasn't said a word." One of his men spoke tensing slightly when the man folded his sleeves up at such a slow and menacing pace, that his men gulped in anticipation.The boss placed his elbows on his knees and ever so slowly he moved forward. His face came out of the shadows as he placed two fingers on his lips with his thumb beneath his chin as if calculating the ways to kill the man lying in front.The man who was lying on the floor stared at the ruthless man and all the blood drained out of his system when his eyes met with the man.Sto
Her head was pounding in pain as she slowly blinked her eyes open. Her eyelids felt so heavy. A groan of pain escaped her lips as she turned around on the hard mattress. She gazed at the dull ceiling. This wasn't her room. And just like that, the events of last night bombarded her head and she abruptly sat up.Her wide eyes bounced around the room to find it empty. The furniture looked old and dirty. She got out of bed only to freeze when she found herself wearing a loose dress that reached her calves. She wasn't wearing anything inside and her bag was nowhere in sight.Her eyes glossed up as dread started to creep into her bones. Where was she? Her clothes. Did someone do something bad to her? Her heart squeezed in pain in her chest.She heard footsteps approaching and her eyes broadened in fear. She looked around the room but there was no window or restroom where she could hide. Grabbing the lamp from the bedside table she held it like a weapon as she waited like a scared kitten for
Ava couldn't sleep properly for two weeks straight. She was drained and cried every night. She even missed the date for submitting her university application. She kept thinking about how they would've killed her father. How much they had tortured him.Her life was not on the right track and she was afraid to share the loss of her father with Annie. She couldn't even imagine how Annie would react. She'll be so heartbroken. Annie never got to meet their mother because her mother died while birthing Annie and now she lost her father as well. They were orphans. Ava was in depression and staying at home all the time wasn't helping her. She wasn't even eating properly. Sitting on the couch in the lounge, she was silently weeping again. She cried for a while before she wiped her tears and pulled to her feet. She had to compose herself. Ava made up her mind to look for a job. Her father wasn't there to help her with the finances anymore and the amount he left will be used for Annie's educ
Ava was walking down the street. She woke up early, had a shower, got ready, and quickly had a sandwich and coffee before stepping out. She checked the time and there were still twenty minutes left before the bakery opened. She was going through her phone when she heard a yelp. Her eyes snapped up and she noticed a cyclist bumping against something he lost balance and the next thing he crashed into her as they tumbled down. She winced in pain feeling weight on top of her. "Oh, I'm sorry," The person quickly moved back and she tried to sit up but a whimper left her lips feeling pain in her arm. She looked down to find blood. She got her arm scratched through something from the cycle. "I'm so sorry, are you alright?" The guy asked, panicking as he saw the blood. Grabbing his handkerchief he wiped the blood. More people approached as a lady helped her to the street cafe and helped her sit on the chair. The guy wiped her blood. It was a small cut. After a couple of minutes, it stoppe
"How are you, potato?" Ava asked her sister while keeping her eyes on the door. There were no customers at the moment. "Stop calling me that! I'm good. How are you? I miss you so much, Ava. Claire and I baked lava cake last night in our dorm. It tasted awesome. I'll make it for you next time only if you'll be nice to me and ask nicely," Annie said like the little cute brat she was. Ava's heart twisted up in knots. She had to tell Annie about their father soon. "I'd love to taste it but you'll make it anyway for me so I ain't asking nicely, potato. When are your finals?" She asked. "You're aka bully. The finals are probably at the end of next week. The date is not confirmed yet. I can't wait to meet you after that." Annie's cheerful voice was heard. "Me too, I love you, potato" Ava said. "I love you too, bully" Annie responded as they said their goodbyes. Her phone vibrated with a message and she smiled at her screen. It was Annie's picture with the lava cake as she grinned at th
Ava stepped out of the bathroom freshly showered and donning her night shorts. Drying her hair with her towel, Ava plopped on the sofa and took a bite of her sandwich. The doorbell rang and her brows creased for a fleeting second before it was gone. It must be Mrs. Smith, her neighbor. She was a very kind woman. Always brought her souvenirs and food. Sinking her feet into fluffy flats, Ava checked the door. The girl paused as the small towel dropped from her hand. Her eyes widened in shock as she blinked once and then twice. A Greek God was standing at the door. It was no one other than Mr. Whitlock. He was freaking shirtless. Holy moly! The man was built through and through like the perfect sculpture. As if God created him with divine attention. Those massive shoulders, sturdy chest, chiseled abs, the contours of every muscle. Her eyes glided over the number of scars that littered his body. Was he in a war or something?She wasn't breathing. Her sole focus was on the art crafted
"This is your first time?" Vanessa was a bit stunned by Ava's confession. They were at the club and it was her first time there. Though she wasn't wearing anything fancy. Ava was in waist-length jeans and a crop top. Her wavy long hair was up in a ponytail. They got off work and Vanessa dragged her to the club. When Vanessa found out Ava had no friends, she made up her mission to introduce her to her friend circle and help her get a life."Yeah, you see, going to such places requires friends or a partner but I'm single and lack friends. I wasn't the adventurous type but I do like having fun occasionally," Ava said, staring down at her juice. "You're boring as f*ck. Let me guess, the adventure in your nerdy dictionary is reading your favorite book at home or going out on a walk at night to get fresh air and feel as if you've achieved something incredible because you make it back home alive.""How did you know?" Ava asked, a bit stunned. Vanessa's eyes flew wide. "You f*cking kiddin
"The f*ck!" Vanessa was dumbfounded. "Quiet down," Ava tried to hush her. "What the actual f*ck! So you're telling me, that handsome hunk you were drooling over is your neighbor. You found it out five days ago and thought of informing me now! And to top the charts, he showed up wounded at your door and you tended to his wound last night." "Pretty much sums up." "You f*cking kidding me?" "Do I look like I'm kidding?" "What is this? A romantic series of hot neighbors?" "I thought that too. No wonder we bond too well, Van." The bell dinged and customers stepped in. "You better tell me all the deets once our shift ends," Vanessa said before hurrying to the kitchen as Ava greeted the customers and took their orders. Retrieving her phone she texted Annie. Ava: How was your exam? Tucking it in her pocket she looked up only to gasp. This was the second time he had walked in without any sound. Ava glared at the bell and wondered why the hell it wouldn't jiggle when he stepped in.