Isa's POV

"Isa, tell me you're kidding," Alice says for what I feel is the hundredth time.

"Alice, I'm literally standing outside your house, waiting for my Uber to arrive," I reply, "if it isn't apparent enough that I'm leaving. I don't know what would be." I shake my head. I had been telling Alice I was going to move out for the past month. Yet, today is the day, and she is still acting like this is my first time mentioning it.

"Isa, we have literally been together since our days in the military. Now suddenly, you're leaving?"

I look to look at Alice, who is staring at me in shock. Her expression is actually quite comical and, albeit under different circumstances, I might have found it funny.

"I know we have been together since the military. But you and I both know that this relationship isn't going anywhere. I think we've known that for a while." I definitely had known that for a while. Honestly, this is something I should have done a long time ago.

"So then, what are you gonna do? Where are you gonna live?" Alice asks, wisps of her blonde hair fall into her eyes.

"I have a new bodyguard assignment, so that will keep me busy for the time being. I'd figure the rest out afterwards."

"You'd figure it all out after?" Alice repeats, disbelief is clear in her tone. It is moments like this that it is apparent to me that Alice is of the belief that I'm dependent on her. That is not at all the case and I wonder for a moment what it was that ever gave her that impression.

"I'd figure it out after." I repeat, my tone slightly taking a hard edge to it.

A silence ensues between us, and I look onwards at the traffic passing us by. It's daylight, almost noon, and the streets are busy as they usually are around this time. I tap my feet impatiently, waiting for my Uber to arrive. The sooner I get out of here, the better it is for everyone.

"Well, what about me?" Alice asks, her voice breaking slightly, but I see right through it. Afterwards, I had known Alice for years, I knew her ways.

"I know you'd figure it out, Alice." I say. "Besides, if you feel lonely you could always call up Nicki or Tasha like you usually do."

A look of guilt passes through Alice's features.

"It was one time, I swear." Alice lies, but I'm already shaking my head. I'm not really bothered by the fact Alice had been cheating on me. After all, I had known for a while. It had also been a while since I had felt anything towards Alice. This entire ordeal was a long time coming.

"It wasn't one time, Alice. You and I both know that. Despite that, it doesn't matter anymore."

At that moment, a grey Toyota pulls up to the curb; my Uber. I much prefer Ubers over the Agency assigned cars, much more discreet. More up to my speed.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." I say, turning to Alice, who is staring at me like a deer caught in headlights. It is as if she is seeing me for the first time. This ticks me off and I turn and start loading the little luggage I have into the Uber before getting into the backseat.

"Is everything okay?" The driver asks me, catching sight of Alice standing at the curb through his rearview mirror.

"Yup," I reply, as the car moves en route to the airport.

I exchange a few more pleasantries with the driver before pulling out my laptop to survey my new assignment.

Temilola Adeola, the daughter of Senator Adeola. I will be her bodyguard for the time being. Typical stuff.

Ever since leaving the military, I had started taking up jobs as bodyguards for rich kids and children of politicians. It wasn't the most pleasant job, but the pay was excellent, exactly what I needed for the time being.

There was no end date of this new assignment, signifying that I'd be working on it till I was told otherwise from the Agency. I didn't mind too much, though. The longer a job lasted, the more pay I got. The closer I came to my goal.

I close my laptop, slipping it back into my bag, before resting my head against the seat. I had gotten little sleep last night, too busy arguing with Alice. But things will be different soon.

I feel into my pocket, cross checking that my gun is there. I let my hand rest securely on the cold metal before I shut my eyes.

Temi's POV

I shut my eyes tight, hoping desperately that if I squeeze hard enough, I'd disappear. I'd give anything to disappear right now. I don't know how long I stay like this, but I could soon taste salt mixed in with some blood from my dry, cracked lips. My stomach rumbles. I don't know the last time I ate a full meal. I had just eaten bags of crisps from my bed and once I ran out, I couldn't be bothered to get more, so now I just starve. Seems right.

Why should I eat when Grace is dead?

There is a loud ringing in my head and I take a while to realize it is the doorbell. The sound has become totally unfamiliar to me these past weeks.

I squeeze my eyes tighter, hoping that whoever it is would just leave. I don't want to see anyone. This doesn't work and the ringing only seems to get louder as the seconds pass by until I'm finally on my feet, for the first time in ages.

Not surprisingly, I immediately lose my balance and fall back onto my bed. I stand up again, trying to stabilize myself. Everything seems to spin, and it takes a while before the world stills. In this time period, the ringing of the doorbell has only grown more insufferable.

I leave my room, like a zombie, and walk down the corridor, past Grace's room- past what was Grace's room without so much as a glance. It hurts to even glance in its direction. I have not been there ever since. I know beyond the closed door it is still filled with Grace's stuff. Her family has not yet gotten round to coming to get her stuff.

I make it to my front door after what seems like years and fling open the door, not bothering to look through the peephole.

Instinctively, my hands come up to my eyes to shield them from the bright sunlight. It has been a while since exposure to sunlight. I feel like a vampire being forced into direct sunlight.

"Temi,"

For the first time, I remember the reason that I had opened my front door in the first place and I squinted through the sunlight, blinding me to see my mom standing there. She is dressed in a blouse and a pencil skirt with her permed hair packed back in a tight bun. The initial shock of seeing my mom standing there passes and I am now looking at the woman standing beside her.

She is a strange woman. Tall and dressed in a pant-suit. For a moment I wonder who she is but realize I didn't care and am soon bored with her, returning my attention to my mom, who is looking at me with an expression somewhere between concern and anger.

"Temi, I have been calling your phone." She says.

"My phone died," I reply.

"For three days?"

I don't reply. I don't see the point in replying to that question, so I just look at my mom for a while longer. I can see her inspecting me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"What do you think I am doing here?" My mom snaps back at me, before brushing past me into my apartment. The strange woman follows behind her and my mom heads straight toward my kitchen.

I follow behind them. My mom lives and works in a different state than I do, so it's a bit weird seeing her standing in my apartment. She works in the senate and never really comes visiting. Her schedule is way too busy for that.

My mom immediately starts looking through my kitchen cupboards and fridge, shaking her head and mumbling to herself as she brings foodstuffs out. The strange woman is standing to the side with her hands in her pocket.

"I'm worried about you," my mom finally says, "nobody has heard from you in weeks."

I say nothing because I don't know what to say. I just stand by watching her. A shiver runs through me and I awkwardly wrap my hands around my body. I'm wearing nothing but an oversized shirt and my feet are bare against the carpeted floors.

"Go take a shower," my mom says after a few moments of silence, "you look awful."

I wonder why.

I don't argue, but just walk to my bathroom as I feel irritation bubbling within me.

The water feels nice against my skin. Comforting. It's hot already, but I turn it all the way till it is burning me. It hurts, but I don't care. I welcome the pain as I scrub my body, getting rid of layers of filth. I had barely taken any showers in the past few weeks because all I seemed to do was cry- but I did not cry this time. I feel too weak to do so, and my legs wobble slightly as I step out of the shower.

Back in my room, I search around in my closet for clean clothes before throwing on an enormous shirt and a pair of sweatpants. What I want more than anything is to curl back onto my bed. To close my eyes and be unconscious for a few moments. To be unaware of the fact that Grace is no longer here. But that plan is quickly scrapped from my mind once I look at my bed and realize that my sheets are gone. No doubt, my mom took them off while I was in the shower to put in the laundry.

I let out a low groan and drag myself into my apartment kitchen.

"There you are," my mom says once she notices me. I watch her drop a plate of food on the table and pull up a chair. "Eat up. You're so skinny, you're going to disappear soon."

In my mind, I roll my eyes, but don't argue. Instead, I take a seat in the chair and pull the plate of food towards me. It's Jollof rice, complete with plantains and chicken. My favorite. But I don't really care about it right now. I'm aware of the presence of the strange woman sitting a little distance from me, but I don't spare her a second thought.

I notice my mom eyeing me warily from the corner of her eyes so I put a forkful of food in my mouth. It's hot, and it burns my tongue, but I shove another forkful in my mouth. My mom appears content, and she turns back to whatever it is she is doing while I continue to put more food in my mouth.

I taste the food, but I don't really taste it. I cannot enjoy it as I have in the past. Quite honestly, it seems a bit bland. But I keep eating, welcoming the heat as it goes down my throat.

"Temi, I'd like for you to meet Isabella." My mom says suddenly.

"Who is Isabella?" I ask, not taking my eyes off from the plate of food in front of me.

"This is Isabella," my mom replies, irritation clear in her voice from my lack of interest. I look up to see that she is motioning at the strange woman that had come in with her. I stare at Isabella, and she nods at me slightly. Her expression is unreadable and I find it kind of daunting, so I look away.

"Okay."

My mom sighs in exasperation. Clearly, she doesn't like my reaction to being introduced to Isabella.

"Aren't you going to ask who Isabella is?" My mom asks.

"I already know who Isabella is, she's Isabella." I put another forkful of rice in my mouth. My tongue is slightly sore from the harsh heat against it, but I continue on as if I am not fazed.

"Aren't you going to ask why Isabella is here?"

That question gets my attention, and I am filled with a strange form of discomfort. I look up at my mom, staring at me sternly. I can tell she doesn't really appreciate my sarcasm. Most people don't.

I don't say anything. I'm scared of what my mom is going to say. After a while of silence, she speaks up.

"Isabella is going to be staying with you here for a while. She is going to keep watch over you."

For the first time in a while, I laugh.

-------

hi my loves,

new chapters would be posted every friday,

i hope you're all enjoying the book so far (:

-U