The Angel Within

Runa was calm on the outside, but inside she was freaking out. How was she going to explain this to her parents? They accepted nothing less than perfection, and a “B” on a test was definitely not perfection. . .
Taking a deep breath she crushed her report card and stuffed it into her jean pocket. The jeans that her mom really hated. They were one of her favorite pairs; ripped and chained with suspenders hanging down off her belt to crisscross behind her legs. They were tight and tucked into her pair of worn combat boots. Yeah, she was a real winner, as her mom liked to remind her.
Sighing, she pushed open the gate to her mansion and walked up the large driveway. The grass on the lawns was cleanly cut, and kept to utter perfection, like everything else, and there was no point in making the staff’s life harder by treading through it just so she could track mud in foyer to piss her mother off. Besides, she liked the staff.
She scowled as she stopped at the bottom step of the mansion’s porch. Why her parents insisted on living in such a gaudy palace was beyond her. She really didn’t understand why they felt such a need to keep up appearances. Or why it mattered so much that they felt the need to buy her an apartment nearly on the other side of town just so they didn’t have to deal with the sight of her. Not that it mattered to her much. She’d rather live alone than with them. The thing was, though, she had to check in every night personally.
Opening the door, she sucked in a breath and walked into her own personal hell.
The brightly lit foyer was blinding with its shiny surfaces and white walls and tile. It was gaudy and ugly to Runa, full of too much money and too many memories she’d rather forget.
“Darling!” Linda exclaimed, sweeping down the large staircase with a fake smile in an equally fake show of emotion. “It’s so nice to see you.”
Runa returned the hug, wishing it was real, but knowing in her heart that it was just a show for the staff, until they got alone.
Linda dragged her into one of the many rooms on the first floor meant for entertaining guests. Obviously, it was a dig telling her that this was no longer home. This room was like the foyer, just as bright and pristine, but in every shade of sickening yellow she could possibly think of.
She plopped onto the couch as Linda waved Stefan out, leaving them alone with a click of the door.
“Well?” Linda asked, her smile completely disappearing, replaced by the normal frown of derision and distaste she used when confronting her daughter. “Why have you come? And what are you wearing? Don’t you have anything decent? I send you clothes all the time.”
Runa smiled sarcastically. “Thanks so much.”
Linda stiffened, which seemed like it would be impossible considering she was already sitting ramrod straight. “Your report card came today, Runa. Give it here.”
Scowling, Runa reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper. All “A’s” and one “B”. She was in for it big time.
The slap reverberated off the walls of the room and left her cheek stinging and her eyes watering.
“What is this?!” Linda shouted. “A ‘B’? Do you think your father and I will accept this?!” She glared at Runa and Runa glared right back. “It’s those. . . friends you’ve been hanging out with. They’re a bad influence. Get rid of them. I won’t tell you again.”
Runa stood, finally pissed, her hands becoming fists. “It’s my choice who I hang out with, not yours. It’s one letter grade. I’ll get it back up - you know I will - so leave me the hell alone and let me get on with my life.”
“Watch your mouth,” Linda snapped.
Runa sniffed in derision. “Because you actually give a damn.” She turned, her business done, and headed towards the door, tossing over her shoulder, “How about this? When you start caring, I’ll stop cussing.”
Leaving Linda steaming behind her, she left. She really needed a drink.
Getting on her motorcycle--a Harley that made an obnoxious racket that set her mother off and her father grimacing--and shoving on her helmet (she may be rebellious, but she wasn’t stupid), she revved the engine and fishtailed off the sidewalk, speeding down the roads without a look behind her.
She loved her bike. It was like flying, and she used that to her advantage to speed away as fast as possible from the House of Hell. If she could just go a little faster, maybe her tattered wings would spread and she could fly away from here. Far away. With Les.
But she knew that she couldn’t get away. Her wings had been clipped a long time ago and she had been chained with invisible shackles that she knew she could never get rid of. There was nothing about her life that didn’t feel caged. Sure, she lived away from her parents, but her empty and cold apartment was just another gilded cage. Another way to keep her in line. Another chain.
Revving the engine again, Runa went faster, speeding between cars and ignoring the lights flashing by. She really wanted that drink. Getting to Hackles was all that was on her mind. That and Les. But he was always there, warning her to keep it safe, to not go overboard. And she couldn’t help but obey.
Pulling up to the club, she parked her bike, took out the key and left it there. No one would mess with it, even in this part of town. Not if they wanted to keep certain extremities.
Walking into the club without having to get in line, she waved to the bouncer, Lucas, and braced herself for the blast of music, laser lights, and smells of alcohol, drugs, smoke, and sexual desire. Runa didn’t really care for this place, but Les liked it. Not to mention, he worked here part-time, along with the auto shop in the middle of town.
Runa looked around, squinting into the odd dimness and ignored the guy that came up to her when she spotted Les, sitting alone in the usual corner booth and smoking. He was a gorgeous, tall, smart guy with light-brown hair and infinitesimally long legs. He was always turning heads, but was almost never approached. He didn’t exactly give off the impression of the “good guy”. But Runa knew better. Having known him since elementary as the kid who always got picked on, he was older than her by a year, having failed due to frequent absences because of his jobs. And he wasn’t bad at all. In fact, he was the most upright, righteous person she knew. Bad things just seemed to find him. His home life didn’t help much, either. Not to mention his quiet demeanor.
“Hey, Runa.” Les raised a hand in greeting. He was lounging back in black jeans tucked into his normal biker boots (though Runa knew he couldn’t afford a bike, nor would he accept one from her) and his hooded sweatshirt was a little tight across his broad shoulders, his hair stuffed under a beanie - probably to hide the fact that he’d forgotten to brush it again.
Runa frowned, crossed her arms on the table top. Looked like they needed to go shopping again.
“How’s everything at home?” Runa asked. “Sean and Shane?” Runa loved his little twin brothers. They were little replicas of Les with opposite personalities. “And Kenny?” Kenny was the youngest at five. He was a cry baby and completely silent except for the wailing. He really was adorable.
“They’re fine,” he told her. “Got my pay check this week and Mom finally has a day off.”
Runa smiled. “That’s wonderful! Becca needs a day to relax with you guys.”
Les nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips as he took a pull on his cig. “Yeah.”
Knowing that was probably all the conversation she was going to get on that subject, Runa looked out to the dance floor, scanning the crowd. When she spotted Karen, she waved and smiled, the petite little brunette bouncing on the floor as she danced with anyone she could get her hands on.
Karen was Les’s girlfriend, having showed up last year and snagged him right out from under Runa’s nose after she’d introduced them. The thing was, Karen wasn’t what she’d thought Les would go for. She was short and cute and kind of clueless, but she was sort of . . . off. Runa didn’t know what it was, but something was weird about the green-eyed naivety that just didn’t seem right. But it was her fault. She was the one who’d introduced them. And now she was kicking her own ass for doing so.
She really loved Karen and Les, she did, but where Les was concerned. . . She really could only sigh. As much as she loved him, as much as she wanted to be with him, he was clueless to her desire. Clueless to her feelings and how she looked at him with longing. But Runa could never let him know that. Not when he saw her as another sibling. It would ruin everything they had, and she’d rather have Les in her life as a friend then not at all.
“You went to Linda’s again.” It wasn’t a question, but the conversation opener surprised Runa.
“Uh, yeah,” Runa confirmed. She frowned and reached over, grabbing the arm of a sever. “That beer taken or empty?” she asked him. When he shook his head, she grabbed it, saluting him. “Thanks.”
“Take it easy,” Les warned, watching Runa chug the beer. She always seemed to over do it.
Runa clacked the bottle down on the table, “Linda was exactly the way she always was.”
He straightened abruptly and his hand snaked out to grab her chin as he leaned across the booth. He turned her head to the side and his fingers tightened, his eyes going hard. “She hit you. Again. That bitch. That’s going to bruise.”
Runa pulled away, a blush rising to her cheeks as she looked at her beer, unable to meet his eyes. “It’s nothing unusual,” she muttered. At least she could take it now. When she was younger, she remembered not being able to stand after a smack like that. “Don’t worry.”
“I will worry,” he said firmly. “I always worry about you. Why do you let them treat you like that?”
They’d been over this before and there was no point in doing it again. Downing the rest of her beer - which was awful, she had to admit - she stood. “I’m leaving, Les.”
“Runa. . .” he said with disappointment.
“I know,” she snapped, then she softened when he turned worried eyes on her. “I know. It’s all right. No worries. I’m just gonna go back to my apartment. No reckless driving tonight or daring disasters.”
He pinned her with hard eyes, stubbing out his cig. “Promise?”
Damn him. He knew she would never break a promise.
Sighing, she turned, but he caught her wrist.
“Runa. Please.”
She didn’t look at him, her heart thumping. Why couldn’t he just figure out what he did to her insides? “Yeah--yes. I promise.”
He let go of her, relief obvious in features and voice. “Good. Be safe.”
“You, too,” Runa said, and then walked away from him like she did every night, and out of the club.
That had wasted all of twenty minutes, and the drive back to her apartment would only take ten.
She sighed as she got on her bike.
Life was the same. Secrets and lies, and more routine within cages that liked to block out the stars. Speeding down the streets was starting to wear thin nowadays, as well. Everything was becoming blurred in her search for something new and exciting, or something even worthwhile. There was nothing for her.
Just the empty apartment she hated going back to.