Burn

Music was blasting through the house when Trystan returned home. The melody playing throughout the two-story building was so loud that Trystan could hear it outside, making her wince. She knew that when the music was playing that loudly, that her flat mate was angry, though what about she couldn’t be sure.

The night before, Trystan had ended up becoming too intoxicated to find a way home. She ended up sleeping on the couch at Louis’s house, which she was assuming was the reason for her best friends anger. It was no secret to Trystan that Rae did not trust Louis or any of his friends- Trys only did to an extent. But drunken Trys didn’t know the difference between good and bad decisions.

Letting herself into their home, she instantly knew Rae was cleaning; definitely a sign that she was angry. It wasn’t that Rae was a messy person, she was mostly good about cleaning up after herself and generally keeping her room somewhat nice. But Rae rarely cleaned the entire house herself, usually having a maid come by once a month to do so.

The smell of lemon scented cleaner was in the air as Trystan slowly made her way into the living room, wear she found her best friend cleaning every inch of surface with polishing spray. Rae’s dark brown locks were tied in a wet knot on her head, and she was dressed in sweats, standing on her tiptoes to reach a spot from her short height.

“Would you like some help?” the blonde called over the music, which wasn’t that loud in the living room. She now guessed that the windows were open to air out the smell of clean, which is why she heard it so clearly.

“If I want your help,” Rae replied in somewhat of a growl, not turning to face her. “I’ll ask Harry Styles to help me, since he knows where our bloody house is.”

The taller girl furrowed her brows, not entirely sure what Rae’s biting comment was supposed to mean. “What are you talking about?”

Rae turned around then, anger lit in her green eyes. Trystan fought the urge to grimace, knowing that once Rae had that look in her eyes, there was no way to turn it around for a while. Rae Bastian did not get angry very often- annoyed, yes, but angry? Not quite. But when she did, there was always hell to pay, and her best friend knew this well.

Stabbing a finger at her, Rae spat, “You let the likes of Harry Styles know where we live and he showed up on our bloody porch this morning! Do you know how dangerous that is, to have a psycho like him know where we live?”

Trys bit her lip as Rae gave a disgusted growl, throwing the can of cleaner down, causing a loud bang. “Alright, no need to throw things!”

“I can throw damn well what I want, Trystan! You know that boy is a damn bad omen! You know the stories about him, how he has a history of violence and showing up at peoples houses looking for a fight.” Trystan looked at the ground, feeling guilty. She did in fact know all of that, and she never really thought that it was a bad idea for him to know where two girls lived all alone. “Need I remind you that my father bought this house for us- you don’t pay rent- so there really is absolutely no need to bring those damn savages near our home!”

“Wait just a minute,” Trystan began as Rae kicked the can, storming past her. For someone who only stood at 5’2, Rae could seem much bigger than she actually was when angry. “You don’t have to go all ‘my daddy bought me this flat’ on me, Rae! I get that you’re mad and I’m sorry! I clearly didn’t think it through, but do not go all high and mighty on me! I’ll not have you being a spoiled brat.”

“Fine,” she snapped as Trystan trailed her into the kitchen, where she began furiously doing dishes. “Sorry for the daddy card. But it still doesn’t change the fact that not only did that- that boy show up on our porch, but I had to sleep on the bloody veranda because you failed to come home and I had left my purse there!”

“Well why didn’t you phone me?”

“It was dead!”

“Okay, okay!” Trystan said, holding up her hand in a white flag. She hated being on the receiving end of Rae’s anger. After a while it really could wear on you, especially in the guilt department. Rae was extremely sweet, so for her to be like this, Trystan knew she truly upset her. “I’m really sorry, I’m a big tosser, okay? But why was Harry Styles on our porch?”

“Because the bastard brought me my bag.” Rae threw her rag on the counter and turned around, the angry dying from her, replaced with annoyance for the boy of their conversation. “Last night I ran into him when going to the loo, and left it there. I suppose he thought he was doing me a favor by bringing it bag.”

“It still had everything inside of it, yes?”

She nodded. “Everything, I even called credit card holders to make sure he didn’t use them; he didn’t.”

“Huh. Surprising.”

Rae nodded, looking at her feet. A silence fell between them. “Look, I’m sorry for the thing about rent, you’re welcome to bring whoever you like home. Just… not those kinds of people, Trys, not the kinds that have a history like them. By rights we shouldn’t have even been at that party.”

“I know.” Trystan kicked at invisible dust on the floor. It seemed Rae had already done the floors while venting. “I just knew that it would be a good party and I wanted you to get out for once, especially on your birthday.”
“I get that. How about I go out more often, just not to those places, okay?” Trys nodded. “Deal. I’m going to see my dad in a bit, you joining?”
“No, I’m going to get a proper nap in. I’m knackered.”
“Wonder why.”

*

High in the London sky the sun hung suspended in the middle of the vast blue, signaling the middle of the day. Clouds were scarce as Rae walked under the warmth of the sun, the gravel of her father’s drive crunching beneath her shoes as she walked towards the huge home, tucked safely behind iron gates.

The Bastian home was extremely large in size, seeing as it had once held the family of three as well as guests who were often visiting. The Bastian’s had a long line of relatives who were known for their long stays and vacationing.

Rae waved to her older gardener as she planted flowers. The gardener smiled at the girl as she jogged up the steps, remembering how Rae used to sit and ask her about each and every flower in the garden. Rae had always been a quizzical child.

Inside the home, Rae was met with the scent of her past. Something about the house had a significant smell, and even though it was massive, each room carried the familiar, comforting scent.
Dr. Bastian was sitting in the living area, classically music playing in the back round as he sipped on a warm cup of tea, his glasses studiously on the end of his fine nose as he read the daily paper. Upon hearing Rae’s light footsteps, he looked up, happiness spreading across his face.

Rae Bastian was her fathers everything. She had always been a daddy’s girl, and that only increased tenfold when her mother died. Though she often felt like she was being smothered by her father and thought that he was overbearing and overprotective, she loved him dearly.

“Darling,” he greeted, standing and embracing her, kissing the top of her head. “You smell like cleaner.”

She rolled her eyes, which were the color of the lightest blue today, matching her outfit. “I suppose it’s because I was doing this phenomenon called ‘cleaning the house.’”

“Hm. Never heard of it.”

Rae was always struck by how sarcastic her father could be right back. She assumed that she had gotten her sarcasm and wit from her father, whereas she got her soft heart and the programming to be kind from her mother. Her father was a kind man, but he had the ability to withhold kindness, whereas it was hardwired into her mother’s brain.

“Trystan didn’t come along?” he inquired, surprised. It was rare for the other girl, who he saw as a second daughter not to come. “Or were you two out late for your birthday?”

“Correction, she was out late. I came home earlier, so take the frown out of your voice.”

“I wasn’t frowning,” he insisted, leaning back and picking the paper back up, scanning it. “I was simply interested is all.”

“Yes, just like you’re interested in where I am every day.”

“It’s my job.”

“Huh. I thought being a surgeon was your job.”

Rae and her father exchanged banter and simple news for the next hour, genuinely enjoying their time together. Rae did take special care not to mention she slept on her veranda or mention who had shown up to her home. Though her father had given her a home and allowed her to do as she pleased, he would have her back into the place she grew up in within minutes if he knew the likes of Harry had shown up unannounced.

After her mother passed, Rae had lived under the hand of a very caring father, who was sometimes too caring. She remembered all the times she got in trouble for not telling him where she was, or how many times she had to sneak out because he didn’t want her to do things.

Though that remained true, she was still thankful to have a protective father. She wouldn’t trade him for the world, though she did hope that one day he would relax and realize that she was an adult fully capable of taking care of herself.

After two hours, Rae wished her father a goodbye with a kiss on the cheek, heading back to her car. It wasn’t until she was all the way to her car that she checked her phone, seeing two missed calls from Trys as well as a text. Opening the text, Rae stopped, reading the message.

We have visitors, you’re not going to like them.