Chapter 17
The Porch of Grindoria
Simmering and soaring, the Commonda Ocean roars underneath the starry skies.
My eyelids are highlighted in gold, mixed with little silver sparkles.
My radiant cheeks warm, nervous on what’s about to happen.
A full moon reflects against my eyes, and I inhale the smell of fresh air wafting through my nose.
Stepping inside the Porch of Grindoria, sparks of yellow light from a blazing fire illuminates my face.
I step on wet limestone rocks encircling the concrete fire pit.
I adjust my white dress with golden sequins, rubbing my hands against the hem.
Pesh said dinner, but I think it is a first date.
Though I am not completely sure. I try to enjoy the feel of the gentle breeze on my skin while I’m waiting for him.
I release a deep breath, then it all hits me: a billion thoughts run through my mind: My sister’s mysterious whereabouts…
why has it been so difficult to get Pesh to say anything substantial about it?
But he promised to tell me everything tonight.
I’m sure he wouldn’t be so nonchalant about locating her if she was in danger of death or something like that...
Right? I’d assume so… but then again, Pesh is always calm.
I look around, about to take another deep breath to let go of the worry, then another thought hits me: I’ve never been on a date before.
What on earth do people do on these things?
But Pesh is not like other people, and I suppose that takes away some weight, about a hundred pounds, I’d say.
But the fact that he is not like other people adds another five hundred pounds of weight on me.
It doesn’t help to analyze this in such a way.
I try to remember the verbiage he used when he asked me to dinner.
He said the timing was important, but in what way, he did not say.
Before I can think of another question, I feel his breath on my skin.
He approaches from behind, locking my legs with his, whispering into my ear, “What are you thinking?” He takes my hands and swirls me into his enchanting embrace.
“I—” I stutter.
“About me?” he continues, and pulls me tighter to himself.
“I—” I am caught off guard. My lips open, contemplating how to respond, but I am caught up in his alluring gaze. I open my lips again to respond, but he cuts me off with his finger on my lips.
“Shh—” Pesh says. “Make me a promise. Let’s talk about us first. Let me talk. Then you can ask all the questions. Deal?”
I nod, hypnotized by his commands. I am dazzled by his regal presence.
I melt in his strong gaze, then suddenly I look down, almost terrified of his effect on me, so I try to flirt with him.
Key word… try. “Does the same rule of eye contact apply now with you?” I ask, head bent with a twinkle of a smile.
He reciprocates with a slight smile, then pulls my chin up with his strong hands. “It never applied with you. And it definitely doesn’t apply to the girl that I’m in love with.”
I blink, hypnotized by his confession. “You’re in love with me?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I can’t think without seeing you in my thoughts.
I can’t speak without feeling you on my lips.
I can’t exist without needing to know you’re okay.
I can’t go on doing anything, without the impulse to help you in everything.
I can’t help but respond to your endless ethical questions and detective-like demands.
And no matter how much I try to stay away, I find that I can’t.
I’m addicted to you, Shantavia. And I can’t let you leave without leaving with you.
I won’t spend another day not having you be mine.
From the moment I met you, to the moment I first kissed you, till now, I have been obsessed with entangling my life with yours, with tying your tongue into a thrilling tempest and letting it loose to swallow every secret in my soul with its sweet dominance. ”
I have no words to respond, captivated by his entire soul.
He pulls my waist closer. I cannot resist him even for a second.
My throat is trapped in the thirst of his tongue’s tantalizing thrills, yearning to be imprisoned by his passionate affection.
He does not give me a second to think before he begins to indulge in the depths of my mouth.
His tongue tightens itself around mine like a tidal wave, and it eats mine up in its tempest, leaving no tiny tip untamed to its enticing taste.
I surrender with every inch of my soul, losing every inch of independence over my lips.
I am completely overpowered by his ocean of love.
I am simply drowning in the depths of his passion.
And just when I think I cannot surrender anymore, his mouth dives in ferociously to swallow my lips like a predator that has just caught its prey, taming and training my tongue to yield to his alluring temptation.
He has absolutely no mercy in his absolute judgment of relentless passion, as though he is punishing my lips for the times spent apart all our lives.
I do not want him to stop. I am lost in his island of love.
I am about to release an intense gasp when he pulls my bottom lip with a strong thrust, then instantly stops kissing me.
I exhale, electrified and terrified in his passion-infused affection.
My body is heated from his fiery hands holding tightly onto me.
He whispers in my ear, “Come, let me show you something!”
I release an unintentional gasp again and look down, still overwhelmed. He smiles with a satisfied beam, staring at me with his heavenly gaze. He takes my hands and swirls me to himself, locking me in his hold. He kisses the side of my forehead, then walks me toward the water.
We stop on the beach. We are both silent.
There are golden stones and marbles on the floor. The sea is alive with golden lights, like the water is glowing when it flows to the shore.
He looks in my direction as I stare at the serene scenery. “I come here every night to watch the ships,” Pesh says.
“What are they for?”
“The study abroad students.”
“I thought you said there was no such thing.”
“I did, but you figured that out, didn’t you?” Pesh responds.
“So, the ships are going to The Seventh Zone? Are we here to board or what?”
“Something like that.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“You found out the truth since you started reading that book, didn’t you? The Commons will let go of anyone uncommon who has a tendency to deviate, like your sister. They get sent to The Seventh Zone,” he says.
I’m worried, but I stay calm. “And what do they do with them in The Seventh Zone?”
“They’re forced into horrible working conditions. They even install a special Evaper on some of them that tracks their every movement, amongst other things, so they can’t escape.”
I can hardly feel my chest. I pant in shock, greatly disturbed.
A thousand thoughts are crowding my brain—my sister, The Commons, where I am, who I’m with, the time of night—my mind is running wild to try and comprehend.
“Oh my God, I knew it! These rules... don’t come out past 8 p.m., don’t look a Patron in the eye, don’t read a book twice, don’t use your phone alone...
they weren’t meant to protect us... they were meant to protect them,” I rant.
“Yeah, quite precisely,” he says.
“Is my sister still there? Can we get to her?”
“I can’t tell you that. But you will be.”
“I will be what?” I turn to him, confused.
“Taken to The Seventh Zone, alone and without me.”
I hear footsteps and turn back. I am startled to see a group of three Water Patrons approaching me.
That’s when my heart stops.
It can’t be.
He wouldn’t.
What?
I am at loss.
He couldn’t.
No.
He wouldn’t.
Did he just outcast me?
I am completely blindsided.
I think he just betrayed me.
Or is it I who betrayed myself by thinking I could trust someone from The Commons?
In one last try to humanize who I felt he was, I cry. For the first time—I am desperate for my life. “You’re joking. You wouldn’t. Please, no! Pesh! You just said you loved me!”
He steps closer and speaks, emotionless, “I just said that to trick you into staying here till they came by. You were right about me. You can’t trust me.”
My heart stops. I freeze in disbelief. I don’t have the time to react or fight.
The Water Patrons hold me down. I struggle and try to fight, but I can’t.
I was caught by surprise. It was all a bit too much.
My strength fails me because my heart is in pieces.
I can’t believe what is happening. I’m in denial.
My body is frozen. I scream, “No! Noo! Nooo!”
“Goodbye, Shantavia.” I hear his voice in a blur.
“Why would you do this!?” I scream, confused.
He steps closer to my face and stares straight into my eyes. Stubborn, I struggle against his entire being.
“My father is Patron De Londe,” Pesh exposes.
I gasp in shock. His words run deep, crashing into the cold crevices of my heart. I did not see this coming. How did I not discover this? How could I be so stupid?
I resist and scream as I am pulled into the ship. Maybe he had a soul somewhere. Maybe I meant something to him in some second somewhere, maybe. I scream his name, but still, he says nothing.
I am taken away.
He simply watches.
Does nothing.
I am speechless.
I am heartbroken.
I am livid.
The ship rolls away.
In the distance, I see Patron De Londe smile at Pesh from a balcony above, just as a man with a dark mask covers my face with a hood, dragging me and shoving me to the floor. He growls at me before I hear a door lock. I breathe heavily, afraid.
Ripping the hood off my face, I fall to the ground to see that I am in a metal room.
My tears drop to the floor; I’m devastated.
Roaring rain drums down outside the ship.
It’s a stormy night and my heart thunders in fear, while my benumbed body shivers in disbelief.
I can’t sleep. I contemplate everything that I did wrong.
Why did I stop to help Pesh in the fire?
Why did I go on that date with him? Why did I let myself fall for him?
I contemplate how it all happened so fast. I contemplate every emotion that I had felt.
I am distraught.
There is a part of me that keeps wishing that I will wake up in the morning and it will all be a nightmare.
There is a part of me that cannot believe that Pesh would do such a thing to me.
I don’t know what to think on the worst night of my entire life.
I had gotten the closest and furthest I had been to finding Levon. And all because I trusted. A boy.
At this point, I know nothing. Everything he told me might have been a lie. I cannot trust anyone anymore, not even myself. So, I decide to shut my eyes and think of the stars outside my dorm room, the one I would watch and feel like there was someone looking out for me.
I close my eyes and a cascade of tears flood down, drowning me in an avalanche of despair. I cross my arms over my bent knees and send a prayer up to Heaven, hoping that somehow, somewhere, a miracle will happen.