Justice

We finally get back and its almost ten pm. Rhedon leads me inside and Nickolai takes the shadow man and takes him in another small building beside Karlisle’s house. Karlisle is waiting for us and I can’t help but just want to go to sleep. As we step inside Karlisle instantly embarrasses me and examines my face.

‘Why didn’t anybody call me from the hospital?’ Karlisle looks at me and Rhedon. We both look at each other not wanting to say the obvious… which is that no one really yet knows that he is my father.

‘Because I was with Nickolai, who they thought was my boyfriend and we’re both over eighteen years old. I and Nickolai both left our phones in the car, so we couldn’t call either.’ I answer with a slight smile. I’m freezing cold, cut in several places and my clothes are dirty. I really just need to go home and shower and sleep this nightmare off.

‘Your face and …’ Karlisle begins to say and quickly stops talking. I rub my lightly dirty sleeve across my cheek to clean the dry blood.

‘I have a room ready for you, let me take you. Rhedon please wait in my office, with Nickolai.’ Karlisle finishes his sentence in a harsher tone than started. We both head for the stairs and for my new and unfortunately permanent room. We walk upstairs in silence and I struggle to walk up the stairs with my scratched up and cut knees.

We go into a room on the left of the hallway. He unlocks the door and hands me the key to it. I feel like there is a brick wall between me and the doorway. I take a step inside and it smells of fresh, just washed clothing. I suppose they have a maid too. I take a few more steps inside and I do like the room a lot. It has everything and anything I need. A bed, cupboards and wardrobes. A bathroom. It’s amazing and looks so incredibly expensive. How do you just get used to something like that? How do I deal with the facts that stand in front of me? How do I live this life? I feel my heart beat faster and my eyes get heavier. It’s raining outside and my room looks so cosy.

‘Is this okay?’ Karlisle asks taking a step inside it and stands next to me. I nod a few times with a little smile and don’t say anything else. I instantly get into the shower and clean all of the dirt and dried blood on my body.

‘Do you need me to get a nurse over here?’ Karlisle says as I try to slowly sit down without hurting my hands or knees. I shake my head and he comes to sit with me. Karlisle gets a medicine box from the bathroom and helps me put medicine and wrap the cuts on my elbows and one of my palms.

‘I’ll leave you to do the rest.’ He says as I have to change into something else to do my knees.

‘Your things are all here.’ He says gesturing to the boxes by my wardrobe and table.

‘Can I talk to you about something for a minute?’ I ask him and he nods and comes back to sit with me. I try to not have too much eye contact with him, since I’m still a little uncomfortable with him.

‘Nickolai was a little worried about losing his job, because of what happened today. I’m not trying to defend him, but he did save my life twice. He got us both out of the car with a bomb in it. I know I got a few cuts and so did he and we both ended up in the hospital. He got hurt a lot more than I did and that’s because he put my safety first, as he is supposed to. And when the man attacked me while we waited for the car to arrive. I guess what I’m trying to say is if he is going to be in any trouble over this?’ I say looking up at Karlisle. He gives me a smile and nods a few times agreeing with what I am saying and agreeing that he did save my life not once but twice.

‘I promise I will take all of this into consideration when I speak to him.’ He says kissing the top of my head before leaving the room. I get up off the bed and open a few boxes to find some shorts to wear so I can clean up the cuts on my knees.

I go out in the hall way and a bunch of police men pass me. They all nod their heads at me as a way to say hello. There is a lot of bodyguards and policemen stood next to every door and outside. The windows in the hallways are enormous. I look through one of the windows and see a garden full of flowers and trees. I walk downstairs to see if Nick and Rhedon left Karlisle’s office yet and to see what he said to them. My hair is still dripping little drops of water on the stairs as I slowly try to walk down them. I see Rhedon and Nick both leave Karlisle’s office and I rush on to talk to them.

‘What did Karlisle say?’ I say almost slipping and falling over as I reach them. They both let out a little laugh and I stand still biting my lips and crossing my arms as a way of moving on.

‘We discussed some private matters and about the man that we caught.’ I look up at Nick and he slightly nods his head as if thanking me for talking to Karlisle.

‘So what about the man?’ I say walking after them and watching Nickolai limp towards the door.

‘He isn’t talking to us.’ Rhedon says and they stand by the door as they are about to leave. I exhale disappointed.

‘Can I talk to him?’ I burst out without realising. I look up at Rhedon and so does Nickolai. Rhedon stands a little confused and shocked that I would suggest that.

‘Absolutely not. It’s much too dangerous and my boss would chop my head off.’ Rhedon says turning around and leaving the house.

‘Please?’ I say following him out with my thin socks on and wet hair.

‘Go back inside Miss Montel.’ Rhedon says waiting for me to go back inside. I shake my head and stand still with crossed arms refusing to give in. 

‘You’re being very immature.’ He says crossing his arms and walking back with me and Nick.

‘Shoes?’ He says as I stand not sure if I’m allowed to go. I put on my shoes and stand with a smile on my face. We walk out of the house and go to the building nearby. As we walk in, a few of the officers stare at me and I bite my lip and try to keep my head down as I walk past them all.

‘Why are they staring?’ I whisper to Rhedon and look around and see a few of the officers stare and talk about me.

‘Well you’re the prime ministers daughter, and also they’re men and you’re in shorts and a top.’ He awkwardly says and Nickolai laughs along with Rhedon. I put my head down embarrassed and lower my shorts a little.

We walk into one of the rooms and there is a big window, just like in movies where I can see the man sat with his head down. I stand and watch him for a minute and someone begins to barge into the room.

‘Why is she here? She can’t be here!’ The older man yells at Rhedon and Nickolai and they both look at each other as if deciding who explains. Rhedon takes the man outside to talk while I and Nickolai stay in the room.

‘His name is Feliks Malinov.’ Nickolai says, handing me his file for a few minutes and I hover for a few seconds by the window before going inside. I feel nervous and as I walk in he doesn’t even move. He doesn’t look up or care to see who came in. I pull the chair from under the table and sit down on the other end of him.

‘Hi.’ I say quietly. As he hears my voice he quickly lifts up his head and brushes his hair with his both cuffed hands. He bows his head a little and stares at me.

‘You’re Feliks, right?’ I say with a little smile. The man stares at me and doesn’t agree or disagree. I take in a breath and try to carry on.

‘My grandfather’s name was Felix. He passed away a few years ago. He was half Russian.’ I say with a smile and the man’s lip twitches almost into a smile. He carries on to stare with his big brown eyes and I can’t help but feel slightly scared.

‘Feliks, if you don’t tell us who hired you, you might never get to see your daughter again.’ I say and see him lift his head in surprise. He stares at me and it looks like his eyes are beginning to water.

‘Ja nemogu vam skazat’, yesli ya sdelayu to oni ub’yut menya.’ He says covering his face with his hands. As he moves his hands I can see a tear run down his cheek. I look back at the window and the camera in the corner and don’t know what to say or do. I stand up and walk out of the room. I feel so guilty and so sad for him.

‘What did he say?’ Nickolai asks and stands by the door ready to go inside. He looks angry and impatient.

‘He said if he tells us, they will kill him.’ I say and Rhedon and the older man both walk in. I bite my lip and look down slightly disappointed.

‘If he doesn’t tell us, I will kill him.’ Nickolai says grabbing onto the handle and ready to walk in. I grab his hand from the handle and move it.

‘He isn’t going to tell us. He has a daughter and a family. He only did this for money. He isn’t going to risk his family’s life just to save mine.’ I say angry and walk out of the room. Rhedon, Nickolai and the older man don’t follow me and I leave the station. I don’t care what they do now, as long as they don’t tell me about it. Today has been so stressful " all I feel is anger. I’m just angry and irritated by everything. Maybe I should go to sleep. I walk back to room and lay down in my new bed.

The next morning I awake to a very loud bang downstairs, following guys laughter. I feel a smile set my face too and I shake my head stopping myself. As I try to sit up I notice Karlisle sat on the other end of the room reading something that looks to be mine.

‘Is that my notebook?’ I say sitting down in my bed and he quickly looks up and puts the notebook on the makeup table.

‘Yes, sorry I was just… looking through it. I was wondering if you would have breakfast with me.’ He says getting up and walking a little closer to the bed. He looks embarrassed and nervous.

‘Sure, wait for me in the dining hall.’ I say slowly getting out of bed and watching him leave a little suspicious. I walk over to my makeup table and look down to what he was reading. Thank god it’s only my lecture notes and not my journal. I get dressed and walk down stairs to eat breakfast for the first time with my real father. How awkward and weird is that? I sit down at the table and wait for Karlisle to arrive.

‘How’s your mother?’ Karlisle asks as we eat. I swallow my bite and take a few seconds to answer. I knew he would ask, yet I haven’t planned an answer.

‘Good I suppose.’ I say looking down to my plate. I have no other answer. I haven’t seen my mother since I have moved out. Why would I?

‘I know you have a younger brother, and she has a long time partner?’ Karlisle says looking up at me, as if these questions are nothing. I struggle to answer and take a sip of my water to clear my throat.

‘Yup.’ I reply quietly. I hate that my brother lives with them. If I could I would have him live with me in my apartment. I know I am way too young to look after him, but I hate him being there. I was more of a mother to him, than she ever was.

‘How is he?’ Karlisle asks looking down to his plate awkwardly. I look up at him and back to my plate. I don’t know if to lie or tell the truth. I stay stuck in between and can’t answer. I push the plate away from myself as I have lost my appetite.

‘I guess not very good?’ Karlisle says laughing a little and looking up at my speechless face. I swallow a lump in my throat and give him a paralyzed smile. He carries on to stare at me and waits for me to properly answer.

‘Does he not like you or you don’t like him?’ He carries on to interrogate me. I stare into one spot and my mind goes blank. I don’t want to talk to him about this.

‘Did he do something he shouldn’t?’ He adds on almost angry. I bite my lip and get very annoyed by his questions. My heart is racing and I feel like I am about to have a panic attack.

‘I really rather not talk about this.’ I say with a slight smile on my face. I look up at him and he carries on to stare at me with his mean grin. I breathe in and hold that breath for what feels like several minutes.

‘I know we only just met, but I think I should know if he did something to hurt you?’ He says clearly angry and annoyed. Of course now he suspects that he did do something because I didn’t deny it. I am terrible at lying and holding onto secrets.

‘He didn’t. Okay?’ I say look at him with a fake smile and getting up from the table and leaving the dining room. I take a deep breath and go back to my room. Like things weren’t awkward enough between us, I had to go and make it worse.

A few minutes after I get there four police officers come up to my room with even more things from my apartment. They begin to put everything in my wardrobe and bathroom. They are all so young and so handsome and tall. I now understand where all of the hot guys go. They are all avoiding eye contact with me, I feel more than uncomfortable.

‘That’s okay, I can do it myself. Thanks.’ I say as I take one of the boxes from one of the policemen. I give him a smile and put the box on my bed. I look back at the man as he seems to be very familiar. He looks back at me a few times as if also recognising me.

‘Ari?’ He walks up to me and says smiling. I look up at him a little confused and not sure who he is yet. I feel like I have met him, but it’s very hard to tell. Can’t remember meeting someone so handsome before.

‘It’s me, Rayaan Edwards? We used to be neighbours when you lived with Miss Newhman.’ He says giving me a warm smile. Rayaan? Huh… the name does seem familiar. Wow he sure has grown up since we were neighbours. We never really got a long but still tried to every time we went outside. He was older so he would bully me a lot. He’s so handsome now. How weird is it to meet someone I know in such an important job, makes me feel quite useless and stupid, knowing I have never done or worked at such an important place.

‘Wow you look incredible!’ I say and he hugs me. He looks so handsome and mature in police uniform.

‘Rayaan?! This is unacceptable!’ Rhedon says stood by my open door. We both let go of each other and stand still. Rayaan’s head is down and he looks almost ashamed and guilty.

‘You’re right sir, I apologise.’ He says looking down to the floor. Sir? Rhedon must be a big deal around here. I watch them both as the man has a harsh and mean look on his face and Rayaan has a guilt free, cheeky smirk. Rhedon moves a little from the door and Rayaan leaves my room. I turn around and take a box off of the floor and begin to unpack.

‘Miss Montel?’ Rhedon says walking closer to me and all of the other police officers leave the room. I turn around slightly annoyed and he takes a step back away from me.

‘It’s either Ari or Arielle.’ I say and Rhedon nods his head agreeing.

‘Your father thinks it would be a good idea to not abandon your old life and still go out whenever you want and go to your classes. Of course all of that would be under our supervision, but he doesn’t want you to feel like anything has changed.’ He says stood beside me and I cross my arms and listen to what he has to say. He looks and sounds confident but so awkward. I feel anger slowly build inside me. I don’t know why, but since breakfast I feel like everything and everyone is annoying me.

‘But it has all changed… Leaving and going out in public only means more bombs, more guys coming after me, more people hating me and wanting to kidnap me or kill me.’ I say even more angered and Rhedon’s eyes widen a little and he looks impressed.

‘Why don’t we go to one of your classes tomorrow and see how it goes.’ Rhedon says trying to make things a little less scary and complicated. Shouldn’t I be scared? After the bomb in the car just the other day. Of course I don’t want to go anywhere.

‘So we would just see how dangerous it is? And if we don’t get killed we try again tomorrow.’ I say annoyed and stand with crossed arms. Rhedon begins to smile and quickly bites both of his lips to stop himself. I didn’t know this was funny.

‘I guarantee that we are here to protect you and do everything to make you feel safe.’ He says still with a slight smile on his face. I return the smile and stand for a few seconds.

‘But everybody makes mistakes. I am not okay with having somebody die instead of me.’ I say turning around and carrying on to unpack my stuff. Rhedon lingers in my room a little longer, but doesn’t say a word. A few seconds later he leaves the room. I feel bad for being so blunt, but I’m not wrong.

I spend quite a few hours in my room by myself. I unpack most of my stuff and wait for Karlisle to call me in to talk to him. After our almost argument this morning I doubt he’s very happy with me. It’s been quite a few hours and nobody has come in. Not to be selfish but I don’t think he has time for me what so ever. So I suppose nothing will change, it will still feel like I almost don’t have a father.

I lay down on my bed and begin to hear somebody run down the hallway towards my room. I see a large man that I have now seen twice stood outside of my room.

‘Miss Montel, someone is on the phone for you.’ He says handing me the phone and I give him a smile and he goes back and stands outside of my door.

‘Hello?’ I answer the phone and it’s my mother. A few seconds pass and I feel frozen. I stand still not moving or talking. I don’t say anything at all and I can’t think my mind is completely empty. She hangs up the phone and I take in a deep breath and stay stood in the same spot. The man outside of my door looks inside and quickly marches away somewhere. I sit down on my bed with the phone still in my hands. I lay down and exhale.

‘Miss Montel?’ I hear Rhedon walk into my room. I don’t answer and he walks towards my bed and looks down on me.

‘We can’t go to class tomorrow…’ I say staring at the ceiling emotionless. I can feel him still stare at me.

‘Why not?’

‘I have to go to my grandmother’s funeral at eleven.’ I say still staring at the ceiling and notice Rhedon move uncomfortably. I look down on him and his lips part as if to say something but nothing comes out. I sit up and hand him the phone. He slowly takes it and stays stood by my bed. I get off the bed and walk to my bathroom closing the door and locking it. This is the worst timing ever. I knew it was coming of course. She’s over ninety years old, but right now, when everything is so crazy… I sit down on the bathroom floor and hope that everyone will just leave me alone and won’t bother me today.

I sit in the bathroom for over an hour just staring at one spot thinking about all my moments with my grandmother and how my life will change now that I live here with Karlisle. I can’t even imagine how different it is to live with your father than your mother.

‘Miss Montel? You’ve been there for a while…’ I hear the man that stands outside of my room say. I don’t say anything and carry on to just sit there.

‘I’m Michelangelo. You can call me Mike.’ He adds on trying to get me to speak to him.

‘I know it might be a little weird, but we can talk if you want? Rhedon left for a few hours and I am not as scary as I look.’ He says with a little laugh. His voice is so deep and he is so tall and muscly, he does look pretty scary. I smile for a few seconds and stand up to open the door. As I stand up I feel a little dizzy, the bathroom is cold and my hands and feet are frozen cold. I can’t even feel the cold, I just feel numb. I unlock and open the door slowly. I stand by the door and lean by the side.

‘You look very pale.’ He says moving a little away from me as if scared to touch me by accident. I let out a little laugh and begin to walk towards my bed.

‘I feel a little sick and cold.’ I say excusing my pale skin. He stays stood close to my bathroom and room door. I gesture for him to come closer and he begins to smile. He’s actually so cute, even though he is so bulky and scary.

‘Nickolai didn’t come in to work today?’ I say sitting down on my bed and use the blanket on top of it to warm myself up a little. Mike comes to stand by my bed and I feel awkward about asking him to sit with me. Would that be too weird?

‘No, he took a day off for his leg.’ He says with a slight smile on his face. How can you work in a job, which you know you will get hurt or even die in any day?

‘How long have you worked here?’ I say patting my hand on one side of the bed, inviting him to sit down beside me. He stands still for a few seconds not sure of his decision and then finally gives in and sits down beside me.

‘Six years.’ He says with a smile.

‘Two more years and I can be the Prime Ministers personal bodyguard.’ He says really happy and excited. He sounds and looks so passionate about his job. I wish I was passionate about something the same way.

‘My husband thinks I’m insane for doing such a dangerous job.’ He says laughing. I definitely agree with his husband.

‘Do you guys have kids?’ I say with a smile.

‘Yes, two boys and a baby girl.’ He says and looks very happy. Their family sounds so nice. I wish my parents never split. How different would my life be? It’s nice to have somebody to talk to that doesn’t treat me as a child or feel over protective of me. We both go quiet and sit in silence for a few minutes.

‘I’m sorry, about your grandma. I know this is the last thing you needed right now.’ Mike says hesitant and I look up and give him a smile. I wrap both of my arms around his very muscly arm and lay my head on it. He puts his chin on top of my head and I can feel a tear run down my cheek.  

‘I think I’m going to go make us some tea, before I start crying too.’ Mike says laughing and gets off the bed. I clean my tears and give him a smile. I lay down properly in my bed and my mind is completely blank. I wish Aspyn was here. I close my eyes and several minutes later I’m fast asleep.

A couple hours later I awake and see Mike sat by my makeup table reading something. I rub my eyes and try to see what it is, but I can’t tell because he’s turned a little away from me.

‘Mike?’ I say sitting up and he quickly shuts the book placing it back on my table and standing up from the chair. I quickly stand up and walk to my makeup table. I freeze instantly as I see the book he was reading and he wipes his face.

‘Are you kidding me? Is this why you were nice to me? So you could look through my things and then tell Karlisle what you found out about Gabriel?’ I say angered and he shakes his head. His cheeks are red and his eyes look swollen. Of course he was reading my journal.

‘I didn’t…’ He begins to try and explain himself and I shake my head and take my journal away from the table. I place it in my draw for the time being. I thought the times passed where you had to hide your journal so your sibling wouldn’t read it and then make fun of you.

‘I know you read what he did, that’s why you cried.’ I let out a little angry moan and walk out of my room. I march down the stairs as loud as I can. I walk into Karlisle’s room and he isn’t there. I walk across the hall to his office and barge into his secretary’s room.

‘Miss Montel, I’m sorry but your father is in a meet…’ She begins to explain with a smile and I walk right past her and into Karlisle’s office. As I walk in he quickly stands up shocked and a few older men begin to stare at me as I interrupt their meeting.

‘Are you serious?’ I say taking a step a little closer to their table and they all stare at me. I don’t care if this is rude, going through my things is rude! 

‘Excuse me? I’m in a middle of a meeting Arielle.’ He says with an awkward smile on his face. He gives a smile to a few of the people and looks very embarrassed and a little annoyed.

‘Did you or did you not ask Mike to go through my things?’ I say angry and ignore the men staring at me. I don’t care what they think or what they will think of me.

‘Who?’ He says walking a little closer to me.

‘Michelangelo.’

‘No I did not.’ He says walking to me and slightly pushing me to leave the office with him.

‘No don’t touch me. So you would rather let Mike get in trouble than admit that you asked him to look through my things. You probably told Rhedon and Nick to look through my stuff too, didn’t you?’ I say getting very upset and angry. I just can’t stop myself. I feel like there should be smoke coming from my ears.

‘Please…’ He says gesturing for me to leave his office with him. I turn around and leave the room. The secretary goes into the office to probably apologise for my behaviour. I stand still waiting for his explanation. My face and body has heated to an unbearable amount and the anger has complete control of my body.

‘Are you purposely trying to embarrass me in front of them?’ He says slightly yelling at me and walking me out into the hallway.

‘If I choose not to tell you something, it means that it isn’t your business, it doesn’t relate to you and you don’t need to get involved. Not " go through my things!’ I yell back and his face gets slightly red and he looks really angry.

‘It is my business because you are my daughter and you…’ He begins to shout and then suddenly stops. I cross my arms and stand waiting for him to carry on.

‘And I belong to you? Did you forget? You met me a few days ago, right now you’re still a stranger to me. I don’t know if I can trust you? If you haven’t noticed my family isn’t the best. Mother lied that you died, even took me to a funeral. How can I trust any of you?!’ I say and tears begin to flow down my cheeks. He stares at me for a few seconds completely frozen and looks back to his office.

‘I hate this house…’ I say laughing through my tears.

‘Yes, my room is great but it’s like living with a hundred men. I can’t do what I want, I can’t go where I want. What was the point of you finding me if I don’t see you anyway. I feel like everything is just back to how it was when I had no father. You don’t even know that grandma died and I have to go to her funeral tomorrow.’ I say crying even more and it looks like he’s getting angrier and impatient.

‘What do you want me to do? Drop everything, my job all of my responsibilities so I could spend all of my time with you?’ He says annoyed. He begins to fidget and I feel my heart ache from how much I am crying.

‘Even when you had no responsibilities, you weren’t there. You weren’t there when I cried, you weren’t there when I was hurting.’ I say walking away from him and he walks after me, still really angry and annoyed.

‘I wasn’t there because I didn’t know where you were!’ He begins to yell even louder and the whole floor echoes.

‘Stop using that as an excuse! You had so many years to find me and the only time you decided to, was when you knew that the press would find out about me for you and judge you for it! At the end of the day you missed out on my happiness, you weren’t there when I was hurt, when I needed you and when another man was hurting me. You weren’t there to protect me.’ I say running down the stairs and he stays frozen and doesn’t follow me. I put on my shoes and take my bag hung by the door. I walk out of the house without telling anybody and run off so they wouldn’t come right after me. 

Author's Note

Do you like that I used another language in the story? what do you think Ari is hiding from her father? Sorry for any mistakes.