Chapter 2: Questions

I stormed out of the library, shutting out Mrs. Hoe's desperate calls in the distance. I knew exactly where I was heading and I wouldn't allow anything to get into my way.

"So, where are we going?"

I jumped

"Christ!" I slapped him "What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled and he shrugged, a satisfied smirk creeping across his lips.

"So?" he inquired, looking everywhere else but at me.

"Leave me alone Ray"

He paused for a moment before nodding "Okay"

I frowned, I couldn't believe it was that easy to get rid of him. The thought stung a little. Obviously, I meant nothing to him. I sighed inwardly. What was I even saying? Why would he care? Why do I?

I watched him walk away before continuing my journey. Where did he even come from anyways? I shook the thoughts from my head.

A few moments later I spotted the village hall secretary at the door of the closed building.

"Mitchell?" I called, she was fumbling with a bunch of keys. She smiled briefly at me before returning to the task at hand. Once she found the key she was looking for, she attempted to try it, without luck. She couldn't quite get the key into the hole, it kept missing. I fought the urge to laugh and once I had reached up to her, I took the keys and opened the door.

"Thank you" she grimaced and I nodded.

"Is the mayor here?" I asked with much more force than intended.

"We aren't open yet"

I looked at the door I just helped her open and she followed my gaze

"What do you want?"

Not to be around cranky old ladies.

"Answers" I smiled.

"Are you sass talking me?"

"No ma'am" I stressed

"Do I look old to you? Who are you calling ma'am?"

"Um" I tried to speak

"So now you're giving me the attitude. I tell you these youngsters nowadays, no manners" She ranted.

I froze, not wanting to do or say anything else to upset her. She eyed me from head to toe.

"She's at Miss Ven's Restaurant" she concluded and I nodded my head thanks

"Not even a decent thank you? God, what are they teaching you in the schools these days?" She shook her head and entered the building. It took me a moment to recover but when I did, I decided that my next destination was the restaurant.

I crossed the dusty road, it wasn't paved with tar-like you're probably used to. Everything here was so far from civilization. I mean seriously, no phones, no cars, no trucks, no gadgets- no technology. The island was solar-powered and completely secluded. As far as I was aware, there was only one way in and one way out.

The island has its own cruise ship, only docks at one place and it takes exactly two days to reach here. When you've reached the island, you are searched and everything that doesn't add up to the island's standards. are taken away and destroyed. For example, my phone.

I opened the door to the restaurant and the bell tingled above my head. I looked up at it with distaste and then at all the old people who stared.

Unlike most days, the restaurant was a bit empty. For the first time in months I could finally see its beauty; furnished round top tables draped with fresh white table cloths lined with orange strips. Glistening baby blue tiles and classic paintings on the orange painted walls, over each corner table.

I took a deep breath, savouring the aroma spewing from the kitchen. My mouth began to water and for a moment, I forgot completely about what I was there for. Before I could comprehend my actions, my feet had carried me to the counter and as if under a spell, I took a seat.

"Mia?"

"Mhmm"

"Mia?!"

"Yes?" I half yelled, forcing myself to snap out of my food spell.

"Are you okay?"

I shook my head, getting rid of the effects the smell of the food was having on me. With my mind a bit cleared, I soon realized I was speaking to Mal, Ray's bestfriend.

"Are you okay?" she repeated and I nodded my head slowly, trying to process her words. Are you okay? What was that? What did it mean?

"O" I whispered after I finally grasped the wealth of her query. I looked around.

"Where is the mayor?"

"What mayor? Have you ever actually seen her before?"

I shook my head "But…?"

"But what?"

"Mitchel said she'd be here" I moped in frustration

Mal laughed "I heard she was on a business trip" she said sitting down. I sighed. So much for getting answers.

Mal was mixed, she had soft brown skin and really long, straight, well managed hair, unlike my own. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel and she looked like someone out of a television show. She was 23 years old, one year younger than I was and she kind of reminded me of my mother.

I heard the bell ring behind me, right about the same time Miss Ven came out front.

"Vanessa!" I yelled

"Shut up Hot Blood. Are you soft in the head or something?" she glared at me.

"Vanessa?" Mal enquired and Ven threw an apple at my head. I was getting so used to things being thrown at me that I caught it. I furrowed my eyebrows playfully before taking such a big bite, I could hardly chew.

Miss Ven was just wonderful. She was Mexican, with black bouncy hair that ended just above her shoulders, a fat juicy face and a big ole heart of ice and love.

"Boo"

I choked, he was right in my ear again, appearing from nowhere. I swallowed the piece of apple before giving him my undivided attention.

"You piece of unwanted, undeserving shi…"

He raised his eyebrows and I just couldn't get that last word out.

"Shiny stallion" I finished, unsatisfied and disappointed. I returned my focus to the counter and realized that Miss Ven was gone.

He leaned into me and I could feel his hot breath fanning my ear lobe, sending warm excited swirls throughout my entire body. I closed my eyes, savouring the feeling but opened them a few seconds later at the realization that this was actually Ray, not some desperate guy, my imagination, a book or some weird reality rom-com.

"You think I'm a shiny horse or that I'm good in bed" he whispered in my ear "Because I am"

My heart stopped and I choked on my own spit. How could any normal person even derive a sexual meaning from what I said? What did he mean? Was he a horse or was he good in bed? Why was he saying that to me? Was he flirting? And why the hell was I even thinking so hard about this?

He took a seat beside Mal and even though I wasn't looking at him I could feel his smug expression daunting me. In that same moment, Ven appeared with Milkshakes.

"Shakes for the lovelies?" She offered but I couldn't even respond. Suddenly, I wasn't feeling food or answers. I was feeling sick, really sick.

"You're not looking too goo..?" Mal managed before all the contents in my somewhat empty stomach came plummeting unto her.