Remnya

Nightmares plagued Remnya's head as she turned over in bed and sweated through the cold morning. She almost missed her classes but woke up in time thanks to Maria. Despite the concern in her head, Remnya passed her test, impressing her teacher, who always thought she was dense and distracted.

However, Remnya didn't care about grades. As soon as her classes ended, she wandered the mansion in search of answers.

She questioned Maria and the rest of the servants, but no one knew anything. "Where are Magenta and Marcus?" Remnya asked as she strode through the corridor.

"Lady Magenta is out, she left yesterday and is not coming back until tomorrow," Maria said, struggling to follow Remnya. "And Mr. Marcus is busy with work right now."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Remnya opened a door, peeked inside, and then slammed it.

"I didn't think—"

"You never think!" Remnya cut her off with a glare. "What about Mr. Ronner?"

"Mr. Ronner is, uh . . . " Maria smiled and looked away.

"What?"

"I honestly don't know where he is, young lady. I apologize." Maria bowed to her, her purple dress dancing nervously around her legs.

"You don't know?" Remnya scowled at her and exhaled deeply. "Find him right now!" she yelled, her voice echoing throughout every hall.

Maria widened her eyes as her smile faded. "As you wish, young lady." She bowed again and dashed toward the garden.

Remnya realized how loud she had been speaking, or rather, shouting orders. That was not her. She sounded like Marcus. After spending so much time with him, she had begun to pick up some of his habits. At that rate, she would start hitting the servants too.

Remnya dropped to a couch and bit her lower lip.

I should apologize to Maria. She did nothing wrong.

After a short wait, Ronner stepped into the room. He looked sleepy, and his hair was a stylish mess. He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. Remnya had never seen him without his impeccable blue suit. Despite his short stature, his arms were huge and dense like rocks.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, his teeth sparkling.

"Mr. Ronner!" Remnya shouted, running up to him with a wide smile. "There's a problem!"

"Tell me about it." He messed up her hair and sat on the couch next to her.

Remnya did her best to explain the situation. Ronner listened in silence, yawning and rubbing his eyes. His face remained expressionless as Remnya revealed the awful details.

"Who could do something like that, Mr. Ronner?"

Ronner rubbed his chin and kept a serious expression. He glanced at the door, over the windows, and finally, his blue orbs halted on Remnya's crimson gaze.

"I think I know who did this."

"Who?"

"Marcus."

"What?" Remnya's face froze as her breath stopped. "No way, he wouldn't . . . "

"He said he would punish Brisa for having broken some jewelry. I forbid him from doing so, but he's a stubborn man." Ronner sighed.

Remnya shook her head nervously. "But . . . Brisa told me he didn't."

"Of course. She's scared of him, no way she would admit it. He would beat her again and fire her from the mansion."

"But . . . " Remnya held her head in her hands. Her chest hurt as her feelings wrestled each other in a vicious fight.

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. I had hoped you didn't have to see her like that. I'm sorry, my girl." Ronner wrapped his arms around her.

Remnya gripped him and leaned her head on his perfumed chest. She wanted to scream, but Ronner's heartbeats calmed her down. "Where is Brisa now?" she whispered.

"Home." Ronner ruffled her hair. "She's recovering. Fortunately, it's not serious, and she will be back soon."

"I'm glad to hear that." Remnya felt slightly relieved and forced a smile.

"Though, Marcus." Ronner shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "He needs to be punished for this."

Remnya clenched her fists and hesitated to speak. "Even if Brisa made a mistake, hurting her was wrong."

He caressed her face and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "Don't be sad about it. I'll do everything I can to find a fair solution. Brisa will recover, and Marcus will learn his lesson."

Remnya nodded slowly and then realized how tight she was holding Ronner. His body felt like a rock.

She released him. "Sorry."

"You're really something, aren't you?" Ronner chuckled.

She blushed and looked away.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have a business to attend. We will meet again later, okay?" He kissed her forehead, beamed at her, and left the room.

Remnya's whole face turned bright red as her heart jumped to her throat. She didn't know how to react. Remnya fell on the couch and buried her face in the cushions.

"Everything is so confusing here!" she yelled and punched the couch with all her strength, almost ripping the velvet apart. "Marcus . . . Did you really do something like this?"

*°*°*

Zeo

The days had been long and painful, but Zeo recovered. His regenerative capabilities never ceased to amaze the doctors. Orena ordered the caregivers to find him a new room where he could be alone. Zeo didn't understand; the old lady had never cared about him.

The kids still made fun of him, but without Liam around, the cruel pranks had stopped. He hadn't seen his bully in weeks, and Santi always ignored him, even when Zeo tried to talk to him.

That night, he sat with Amy and her friends in a corner of the dining hall. Since Rem's departure, Amy clung to him more than ever, making him feel like an older brother. Zeo enjoyed her company and felt guilty for worrying her so much.

When the little girls finished, he offered to wash their dishes and headed to the kitchen. Everyone had to be in their rooms after dinner. Hence the corridors felt as still as the night. However, two familiar voices caught his attention; a girl arguing with an adult. Zeo assumed the caregivers were scolding someone for being out of their room.

Though, the girl's voice revealed a hint of desperation and fear. Unable to ignore it, Zeo left the plates on the floor and turned toward the old dorms where some caregivers spent the night.

Near a dark corridor, he found Gina arguing with a caregiver called Coscu. He was one of the few males working in the orphanage: a tall, slender man without a single hair that made his head look like a shiny egg. Coscu's reputation was questionable, but Orena wanted the cheapest staff she could get.

Coscu held Gina by the arm and leaned closer to her face, whispering. She recoiled with disgust at each one of his approaches, which caused him to become more aggressive.

Zeo knew Remnya and every other girl hated that man. Coscu had made a habit of watching the young girls playing every morning and made them uncomfortable with his penetrating eyes.

Suddenly, Coscu slapped Gina across the face, almost sending her to the ground in tears. However, he caught her and tried to drag her to his room.

Unable to understand the situation, Zeo's body moved on its own, knowing something was wrong. Even though his flight instincts kicked in, his heart pushed him forward mindlessly.

"What are you doing?" Words escaped his mouth while his heart kicked wildly against his ribcage.

Coscu turned to him with a glare. "What are you doing here, brat? Go back to your room before I give you a beating too!"

Zeo realized how stupid his behavior was being, and for a moment, decided to walk away, but Gina spoke to him, "Don't let him do it, please . . . " Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Help me!"

Silence.

At that moment, an unknown feeling took over Zeo's body, and he walked forward, clenching his fists. "Leave her alone," he muttered, trembling. Zeo knew that man wasn't trying to punish her; he wanted something else.

Coscu's face turned red with anger. He pushed Gina violently against the wall and stomped toward Zeo.

The time slowed.

What would Remnya do?

The bald man loomed over him and raised his fist, ready to strike him.

Again, Zeo's body moved on its own and dodged Coscu's punches skillfully before running toward Gina. He grabbed her hand, helping her to stand up, and dragged her with him toward the exit corridor.

Coscu chased them, shouting out curses and threats. His long legs, trained by countless escapes from the police, were much faster than theirs.

"You go ahead," Zeo said firmly, without thinking, and faced the monster behind them.

"Zeo, you're crazy!" Gina tried to grab his arm to take him with her, but Zeo pushed her away.

"Please, go . . . " he murmured, fighting the fear paralyzing his body.

Gina hesitated for a moment, but as Coscu closed the distance between them, she obeyed and ran away.

She shouted something, but Zeo couldn't hear her anymore. Everything was spinning around him, and pain traveled through his head. Zeo staggered and leaned on the wall, and then another blow crushed his jaw, sending him to the ground.

Coscu tried to run after Gina. But from the ground, Zeo snatched his ankles, causing the man to fall like a tower and hit his head violently against the floor. He let out a groan of anger and pain while Zeo took advantage of his confusion to escape.

His heart kicked against his ribs, and his legs burned, but Zep ran as fast as he could, not looking behind until he reached his new room.

Zeo locked the place and leaned against the wooded door, panting loudly as his brain began to comprehend the consequences of what he had just done.

Nonetheless, deep in him, Zeo knew he had done the right thing.

*°*°*

The night felt eternal until Zeo's heart calmed down, and he could finally rest, hoping the hairless monster didn't try to open his door.

In the morning, he woke up sore, with a metallic taste in his mouth. He washed his teeth and observed the contusion on his cheekbone. Being used to pain and bruises, he shrugged it off, changed clothes, and gathered the strength to walk outside. It was time to face the consequences of his crazy actions.

The halls felt weirdly calm and silent, and everyone ignored him as he crossed the main corridor. Zeo took a broom from the cleaning room and began sweeping the floors, wondering when the caregivers would punish him and how harsh it would be.

In the distance, he spotted Gina walking along with her friends. His face turned red, thinking about how stupid he must have looked last night. Gina's friends left, and then she trotted toward him. Zeo hid his face behind a door and pretended not to see her, but she grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn at her.

"You!" she said, scowling.

"I'm sorry." Those were the only words that dared to come out of his mouth.

Gina giggled. "I wanted to thank you." She smiled.

Zeo's cheeks turned red like a tomato as he averted his eyes from her intense gaze.

"If you weren't there, I don't know what would have happened to me."

"I . . . did nothing," he stammered.

"I thought you'd run for help or something, but I never imagined you'd dare to face that ugly pervert." She stifled a chuckle and grabbed his chin, lifting his face to stare into his eyes. "Why, though? I've always been a bitch to you."

Zeo forced himself to look at her and realized she wasn't as scary anymore. He had never seen her freckles before, and her undyed black hair in a long ponytail looked better than her blonde and pink mess.

"I don't know," he said. "It was stupid."

Gina shook her head. "No, you were brave. Braver than any other guy here." She beamed at him. "I don't understand why you allow everyone to hurt you, though."

"Because I am not brave . . . " Zeo clenched his fists.

"I was wrong about you." Gina bit her lips and averted her coffee-brown eyes. "I am sorry about what happened that day . . . I promise I never asked Liam to hurt you. He came out of nowhere and did that!"

"I know. Liam hates me, so it's okay. No hard feelings." Zeo smiled, clasping his sweaty hands.

"I want to make up to you." She snatched the broom from his hands. "You go read or do any of your nerdy things. I'll clean the floors for you."

Zeo widened his eyes. "No, no, it's okay!" He tried to take the broom back from her, but she dodged his clumsy attempts.

"I said I will do it!" Gina faked an angry face. "Unless, you want to fight me again?" She winked, making Zeo blush and choke.

"Uh . . . " he stammered, unable to find words.

The floor shook under his feet.

"There you are!" Orena roared, stomping toward them in the distance.

"Oh, crap," Gina whispered. "The stupid old hag."

"I'm done for," Zeo said, sighing with resignation.

"I'll defend you!" Gina wrapped her arm around Zeo in a friendly way, but he froze, feeling his cheeks about to burst in embarrassment.

"Why didn't you tell me, you punk?" Orena shoved her index finger on Zeo's chest.

"I'm sorry, miss." Zeo bowed to the old lady. "But I did it to help someone."

"Coscu is a pervert!" Gina shouted angrily. "He was asking me to take my clothes off and then asked me to accompany him to his room!"

"What were you doing out of your room, anyway?" Orena questioned, giving her a dirty look.

"Coscu told me he needed help in the kitchen and didn't even let me have dinner. All he wanted was me cooking for him!"

Orena pointed her finger at Gina and opened her mouth to yell, yet she remained silent and spoke softly, "No one can know about this."

"Why?" Zeo asked.

"Because I say so!" Orena roared, threatening to slap him. "You keep quiet about this or there will be consequences!" She turned to Gina. "The same goes for you, brat. And if you don't want stuff like this happening again, better start dressing more modestly. That way, you won't attract unnecessary attention." The old lady turned her back to them. "And we won't talk about this again!"

She stomped away while Gina and Zeo exchanged confused looks. Once again, anger seemed to fill his chest, and words almost escaped his mouth, but he slammed his hand on his lips to remain silent.

"That old bitch. I hate her!" Gina snapped, flipping Orena off until the old lady disappeared in the corridor.

Zeo swallowed his anger and let out a deep sigh. "I don't care what she says. I won't let him hurt you or Amy or anyone else," he said, a fire burning in his chest. "I'm tired of this . . . " For the first time, Zeo felt no shame in his words and didn't care about the consequences.

Gina widened her eyes as if she was looking at someone else, someone braver, not a coward. Finally, a shy smile drew across her face. "Thank you."

*°*°*