Song: Boom Bang Bang - Kuami Eugene (Elorm relates to this song so hardddd!)

"Of course not, she doesn't take drugs," Wolfgang said, his jaw ticking, "this is a date rape drug."

"What?" I choked on thin air.

Kofi looked at me with something akin to pity in his eyes. "You were drugged with gamma-hydroxybutyric acid. Do you have any idea who'd want to do something like this to you?"

"Of course," I groaned, face-palming when I thought of how stupid I'd been. "He's such a disgusting pig."

"Who exactly? Your fiancé?" Wolfgang asked, looking so angry that I was confused.

"No, no. Michael wouldn't do something like this." I shook my head.

"Who else then? His father?" Wolfgang looked so mad that I glared up at him.

"What is it to you anyway?"

He glared back at me. "Let's just say that I have a fervent hatred for rapists. Especially the ones who are cowardly enough to resort to date rape drugs."

I sighed. I should've known that he was just baiting me with that stupid story about having his heart broken. People like him didn't have reasons for being the way they were. They were just naturally evil people. "It was Justus. When I went out that day, I went to see a guy I'd met sometime back before my engagement to Michael."

Kofi scoffed. "I guess it's your own fault then."

Both brothers eyed him sharply.

"It's not her fault," Wolfgang said angrily. "Her fiancé was a jerk most of the time, I honestly have no idea why she put up with him. Besides, their marriage was just a marriage of convenience, they weren't being exclusive."

"Michael wasn't a jerk. If anyone was a jerk, it was me. I cheated after all," I sighed.

"You did?" Nate asked, frowning at me.

"Yes," I hugged myself. "Don't make feel guilty about it, you have no right."

"You slept with someone else? Is it this same guy?" Kofi asked.

I rolled my eyes. Like I would be stupid enough to sleep with Justus. "No, it was a kiss that wasn't reciprocated anyway."

They all laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked indignantly.

"That's hardly cheating Ellie," Nate laughed. "Not that I'm encouraging people to go around kissing people other than their partner, but that is a stupid mistake that can be easily overlooked."

"You don't understand," I shook my head. None of them had been in love before, if they found this funny. "Even entertaining thoughts of someone else is wrong. I don't blame him for getting mad. I would've kicked him to the curb, but he gave me a second chance. Then I went ahead and turned our marriage into a business deal." My head hung in my hands. I'm so stupid.

"Did you love him?" Wolfgang asked.

I looked at him. "I do. A lot. We were just kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was." I smiled sadly.

"Too bad you're never seeing him again," Kofi laughed.

"Are you really that heartless, brother?" Nate asked Kofi incredulously.

"Please, she's not in love with him. She's just confused." Kofi rolled his eyes.

"And how would you know that?" Wolfgang retorted.

"I just know. Besides, she's too young to be in love."

"Love doesn't know age," Nate said with a warm smile. I averted my eyes.

"I'm sure that's what the paedophiles say. Since when did you two become hopeless romantics?" He asked, glaring at me.

"Since when did you become a heartless monster?" Wolfgang retorted. He took my hand and led me back to the bed. When we were seated, he said, "All jokes aside, I'm really sorry. I didn't know you loved him."

"Still, you had no right to uproot me from my home," I replied. I didn't even have it in me to put that vehemence in my voice. I was too busy reeling from the pain of what I'd lost. Who I'd lost.

"I know that now. Let's just say that sometimes, I go overboard when trying to do good things," he sighed. "I grew up in a family of criminals. Running a prostitution business doesn't seem so bad, does it? But it's illegal, nonetheless and there's something else that our parents are hiding from us. Something more sinister, I fear. I don't want the family I grew up in to determine who I become, I don't want to be a bad person, yet I can't seem to do anything right."

I stared back at his handsome troubled face. "When you said that you had to 'fetch the merchandise', what did you mean?"

He laughed. "Just some theatrics."

"There was no merchandise?" I asked.

"Nope," he said, popping the 'p'.

"So, no one thinks I stole anything?"

"I don't think so," he smiled ruefully. "Sorry for putting you through that."

I shoved him. He fell off the bed, then I kicked him and struck him anywhere I could. It mustn't have hurt because I was too weak to put up much fight and he kept laughing. We only ended the tomfoolery because Nathan was getting uncomfortable. He was really protective of his younger brothers. It was almost like he was their father.

When I had helped him sit back on the bed, I asked him, "So what exactly were you doing at my village?"

He frowned like he had just sucked on a lemon. "I don't know if this next bit is good or bad news."

"To be honest, I don't even have it in me to be angry right now. I should've disembowelled you for making me sick with worry thinking that they believed that I was a thief."

"Oh, if you were planning on disembowelling me then, I don't know what you're going to do to me now." He knew that there was nothing I could actually do to him, but his nervousness and the uncomfortable air to him made me sure that I was going to wish I could kill him after he said whatever he was going to say.

"Tell me, Rhys."

He offered me a small smile. "That horrible name sounds much better when you say it."

"Just go ahead and tell us what you did Wolfie!" Kofi like a petulant child.

I realised the two-thirds of the Faye brothers were listening to our conversation like they were part of it. Nathan looked like he wanted some popcorn and Kofi was being as grumpy as usually with that annoying poker face and those unreadable eyes.

"Did you just call me Wolfie? Who told you that you get to call me that? Heck, when did that even become a thing?"

Before they could start bickering - they certainly were about to; Kofi was saying something along the lines of 'I'm older than you are and this is a free country' - I cut in. "I don't know if you didn't realise but we're having an adult conversation over here." I deadpan.

Kofi gasped indignantly. "What the heck are you implying?" I had no idea how he made something as childish as what he just did and said sound so serious and look so menacing.

I rolled my eyes. "You were saying something?" I said to Wolfgang.

"Yes," he scratched his chin. "There was no merchandise. Well, in the end, there was. Not that that merchandise is very useful to our business."

"I'm that merchandise?" I asked, pointing at myself.

"Yes, I did steal you, not that you're benefitting the business anyway," he glared at me.

"So, what do they think at home?" I asked.

"Be patient, I'm getting to that," he rolled his eyes.

"And you stop beating about the bush!" My heart was beating with anticipation.

"I just know that this isn't going to be any better than what they previously thought," Nate commented to Kofi. Kofi nodded, albeit grumpily. I could just see them popping popcorn into their mouths.

"Okay, there are two rounds of bad news, and there's good news."

"The bad news first. The bad news," I said quickly. At least I needed something to lift my spirits after.

"Okay. I went to your village because I have business with the chief. Well, my parents have business with your chief, but I don't really know what it entails."

"That's the bad news?"

"First round," he corrected. "And you don't seem mortified."

"I don't really care. I always knew that chief was corrupt and I have a strong dislike for him, if you hadn't noticed."

"Then this must be the real bad news. I don't know why I did it this time, I must be a sadist. When you left, I told..." he faltered and I felt my heartbeat cease. I knew what he was going to say, and I prayed hard that he wouldn't say it. Because out loud, it would feel too real. "I-I told the chief that you wanted to become a pros..." he trailed off; he couldn't finish. He couldn't even look at me.

I didn't know what had changed between us but he seemed more aware of my feelings now more than ever. Maybe he pitied me for almost being raped. I blocked out my thoughts pertaining to what he couldn't say. I'd deal with that later. "They think I came here willingly?"

He nodded apologetically.

"Any more bad news?"

"It gets worse from here. The chief announced it to the whole village. Your parents were punished with some sort of segregation. They were ejected from their house and they were given a small hut on the outskirts of the village. No one talks to them. They're treated like they don't exist. Your fiancé, he was heartbroken and that's putting it mildly."

Everyone was as quiet as my thoughts.

"I realised what you said before, 'a good name is better than riches', it's... wow, the whole village lives by those rules. It's bad Elorm. Really bad. Everyone talks about you, all the time. There was one girl, Sara and this other one called Etornam. They in particular were really vicious."

All was quiet for a long while.

"Rhys..." said Kofi.

"I know, I know," he said, his head hanging down in shame. "I didn't know that they'd do that to her family. It was meant to be a harmless joke."

"And you guys say I'm the cruel one," Kofi, the ever inappropriate one said.

Wolfgang looked like he wanted to say something else but was finding it difficult to.

"Go ahead. Nothing you say can be worse," I urged.

He looked at me but was he quick to look away. "Michael was like a zombie when I left. He refused to eat, he didn't want to see anybody, it was just awful. He just spent all his time in your room doing God knows what. Eventually, he came out, and he asked his father to arrange a marriage for him. He said he was ready to assume his chiefly duties."

"He's getting married then?" I asked.

Wolfgang nodded.

"Then I hope she deserves him," I said, taking in a deep breath.

Wolfgang scoffed. "She doesn't. He's marrying the prettier of the snakes. Etornam."

"At this point, is there even any good news?" Kofi asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Yeah, please, tell us the good news," Nate said, looking at me compassionately. I was glad there wasn't any pity in his eyes, and he wasn't acting like all this was a joke like his callous brother, Kofi.

"You're going to get to see him again."

"Him? Who?" I asked, my heart pounding with fear and disbelief. It was like everything he had just told me had suddenly hit me.

"Michael. He wanted to see you, so his father allowed him to come over for a few days."

"That's the good news?" Nathan asked in shock and disbelief just as I asked, "Why?" I felt my heart plummet into my stomach.

"Because he's a leech and he doesn't understand that she doesn't want to be with him?" Kofi offered.

His brothers glared at him.

I stood up and faced Kofi. "You can take me back now."

"Elorm, I thought you didn't want to go back. You can stay here if you want."

"No thank you," I smiled painfully at Nathan. I turned to Wolfgang. "You might not want to be a bad person, but you are. You destroyed my entire life. You doomed my parents to a life of discrimination, you ruined my reputation in a way I never thought possible, and you made sure that the man I love would marry someone else. You're a horrible person."

* * *

Kofi and I sat in the car in silence as I leaned my head against the window. The thoughts were shoved into a corner in my mind and placed under a lock and key. I knew I'd have to think of it soon, but not now. For now, I'd live in blissful oblivion.

"Get out," Kofi ordered. Now that his brothers weren't around, I wasn't going to see much of his emotions. I'd get that poker face all day, every day. I got out of the car wordlessly.

Before I realised what was happening, I was backed-up against the wall, held in place by my neck.

"My brothers might be lovable teddy bears, but I'm not," he began, his face a mask of indifference. His hold on my neck wasn't strong enough to restrict my breathing, but it sure was uncomfortable. At the moment, I didn't care enough about anything to try and pry his hand off me. Heck there could be an earthquake and I wouldn't care. "You are going to work. You're not a guest and you won't even try and escape with your ex-fiancé when he gets here, or so help me God, I will end him."

I looked at him indifferently. "He wouldn't want anything to do with me anyway."

"Good. Also, smile. You'll smile a lot when he gets here. Your fiancé does know that prostitution is illegal, but he probably doesn't know that you had been kidnapped, and he's not going to find out. I don't care how sad you are on the inside, but you will look like the happiest person alive when he gets here. I hope I'm making myself clear."

I swallowed. "Crystal."

"Don't try to play smart with me. I won't hesitate to end his pathetic life if you try to do anything stupid."

"I won't."

He released my neck, satisfied.

"Can I ask for a favour?"

"What part of you're not a guest - or my friend - do you not understand?"

"I am an employee, aren't I?"

He paused, then nodded.

"That means I get paid?"

He nodded again.

"Can you send my salary to my parents?"

He frowned. "It's not my business what you do with your money, but I won't do anything for you. Figure out a way to get it to them yourself."

I nodded, that was fair enough. "One last thing?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "What now?"

"Is it okay if I stay in my room when he's here?" I asked.

"Again, I don't care. You do have to work at night though, so you'll have to come out."

I nodded. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. I'm not doing anything for you," he replied. He grabbed my forearm and pulled me into the building.

"Do I have my room yet?" I asked.

He groaned, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. "I forgot, yet again."

I would've loved some personal space to space out. "Is it that there's no space left for me?"

"Something like that. But we can easily have another room built for you." He said just as we were nearing his room. He pushed open the door and groaned again. "Just take the rug and stay far away from me."

I dragged the rug - which was surprisingly heavier than it looked - to the farthest corner from him, then went back for the blanket. I lay on the rug and pulled the blanket over me, covering my face. It felt a bit suffocating, even though I'd never been claustrophobic all my life.

"If you're trying to kill yourself, I want you to know that I won't let you. You won't starve yourself or refuse to leave your bed or any stupid depressing thing you're planning."

"Okay," I replied.

"I won't allow you to stay with me either if you refuse to clean yourself. I loathe people with a lack of personal hygiene."

"Okay."

"You won't be boring with your clients. One complaint and I swear..." he let the threat hang.

"Okay."

"Would you stop that?" He asked, sounding exasperated.

"Sure."

It was quiet for a while, then I felt - rather than saw - him sit on my rug.

"Your attempts to shut me down aren't working."

"Okay."

"To be honest, I disliked you less when you were being a spitfire. Now you're just weak, annoying and disgusting."

I sighed. "It's not working."

"Look! She has a vocabulary wider than 'okay'." He jested. "What's not working?"

I sat up. Maybe having company would help stow the thoughts and emotions away. "I know you're trying to make me feel more pathetic than I already do. It's not going to work. I'm already at my lowest point."

"How does it feel like? Can you describe it?" He asked.

"How does what feel like? Being pathetic? It's pretty easy, just-"

"No. The heartbreak. What does it feel like?"

I smiled awkwardly. "Are you really incapable of emotions? Other than hatred for me and love for your brothers?"

He frowned. "I do have feelings. Don't think I'm going to open up to you like Wolfgang did. That boy completely lacks self-control. He gets emotionally attached too easily. He and Nathan."

"I don't want to talk about him." The thought of him alone brought bile to my throat.

"Good thing I don't care about what you want. Tell me, what does it feel like?"

"Well, I don't know right now. I'm trying so hard to be numb, trying to bottle up all these feelings." Why on earth was I opening up to him?

"Are you that desperate to talk to someone?" He asked, probably thinking the same thing.

"Maybe," I replied with an agonizing smile. "You asked anyway so if there's anyone to blame, it's you."

"Keep talking," he urged.

"I get glimpses of the kind of pain I should be feeling when the lid slips. I don't want to feel that. I wish I were like you."

He nearly growled. "I have feelings."

"Yeah right," I rolled my eyes.

"I do. I dislike you."

"Seems like the only thing you're capable of."

"And I... I don't dislike my brothers... too much. I - I don't understand how I feel about them actually." He scrunched up his face in confusion. "You either."

"A second ago, you said you dislike me."

"I read somewhere that to dislike is to feel distaste for or hostility to. You make my hands ball into fists and you make me grind my teeth. Wolfgang told me that that means any emotion I must be feeling towards you mustn't be good, because you use fists to punch and if there was something between grinding teeth, it'd be torn to pieces or damaged at most."

I frowned at him. He didn't seem to understand or be able express his feelings. "Yes, I guess so too."

"Go on," he urged.

"With what?"

"The heartbreak. How does it feel to be in love? Can you describe it?" He asked.

"Has anyone told you that you're weird?" I asked him.

He closed off immediately, shooting up from my rug like he'd been burned.

"Hey, I was just joking. You don't have to leave."

"I don't feel like talking to you anymore. You're boring. I wonder how your fiancé was able to stand you, honestly. I guess I can ask him tomorrow."

"He's coming tomorrow?" I asked, just as I felt my heart begin to race in my chest.

"You didn't know?" He asked.

"No, I didn't know!"

"Now you do. Now we're both going to get something to eat."

"I don't feel like..." I trailed off when I saw the harsh glare directed at me.

"I warned you that you won't do this nonsense, you agreed. Not that it would've mattered if you didn't anyway. Now get up."

I sighed and pushed myself up. I felt dizzy at once and my legs nearly gave up beneath me. "This gamma oxy acid thing, what are the side effects and how long do they last?"

"Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid," he corrected with an eyeroll. "Victims become extremely sick after being drugged and it can be fatal sometimes."

"Oh." Was all I could say. "Could I die?" I added.

"Do you not understand the word 'fatal'?"

Honestly, I didn't. "Never mind."

We were back in the pretentious dining hall and I nearly gagged at the sight of the place. My head was spinning and my body was warm to the touch. Now that I knew what was happening to me, it felt all the more real and I felt the jolts from the pain ten times more.

"I don't think I'm well enough to work tonight," I said, sitting beside him. He sat at the head of the table this time and I was on the seat on his right.

"You don't have to sit so close," he said.

"I'm not contagious. We both know that now," I sighed.

"Yes, but I just don't want you close."

I rubbed my forehead in frustration but did as I was told anyway. I moved three seats away. "Happy now? How is this going to make communication any easier?"

"It's a bad habit to talk while eating."

"No, it's not. It's a bad habit to talk with your mouth full. Conversation is encouraged on any dining table."

He rolled his eyes at me, then frowned in confusion. He shook his head and his face returned to the indifferent mask.

Weird.

"Now what is this?" I asked, exasperated. The servers had just come in with their fancy bowls and everything and I just knew that when they removed those metal bowls covering the food, I wouldn't like it.

"Carne Asada," he said.

I groaned. "I don't have much of an appetite anyway."

"It's just roasted meat. Everyone loves roasted meat," he said.

When they removed the metal bowls, I realised that he was quite right. The meat looked tantalisingly delicious. I wanted to devour it there and then. As if suddenly realising that I was hungry, my stomach grumbled. He laughed silently but I heard it.

"What are we eating along with it?"

"Nothing," he smirked. "I know that in your village, the meat is like some prize on top of your food, but things are different here. The meat is the main dish."

My eyes widened in shock. "Wow."

He kept smiling, more genuine this time, seemingly amused by my shock and ignorance. "Yeah, wow."

"I want beer," I blurted. Why did I just say that?

He laughed. "Why?"

"I don't know. I'm eighteen, I have the right to drink alcohol," I stated, remembering that I was legal.

"Okay," he shrugged. He made the server people come back and soon enough, they returned with a can of beer.

"Becker's Pils?" I asked, reading the name on the can. "What is that? I thought you'd be giving me some Vodka or Adonko bitters."

He laughed out loud, throwing his head back. "Just be quiet. You have what you asked for."

I rolled my eyes and popped the can open.

"Eat first at least," he urged.

I decided to eat first. Who knows what this might taste like? If it was like the palm wine I'd drank back at the village, then it was going to be strong and unpleasant. I steeled myself as my thoughts tried to drift to the village and my parents. I'm not going to think about them.

The meat was something different. It was definitely delicious, but it wasn't quite like my own Ghanaian dishes. They would always have a special place amongst my taste buds. I didn't eat the vegetables that came along with the meat because vegetables were annoyingly tasteless. When I was halfway done inhaling the meat down my throat, I raised the can of alcohol, swirled it around a little, then tipped the contents into my mouth.

And unpleasant it was. It was disgusting. It didn't burn its way down my throat like the palm wine did. This one just had the most unpleasant taste ever.

"I'm assuming you don't like it?"

"It's disgusting," I said, taking another sip. I was determined to get drunk if only just to know what it felt like. I also wanted to experience a hangover the next morning. It had absolutely nothing to do with whoever was coming tomorrow.

"I'm glad," Kofi said, the amusement clear on his face. We ate the rest of the meal in silence and when we were done, he said, "See? Eating in silence is even quite pleasant."

I nodded. "Just because I annoy you."

"How are you so sure you annoy me?" He asked me.

I gave him a 'duh' look. "You say it sometimes."

"Right," he said. "I'd suggest that you get some sleep. Tonight, is going to be the longest night of your life."

***  

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