Chapter 41: A True Demoness II
The mood shifted, Andrew's gaze drifted back to the abandoned stall even as Alicia pulled him away. He didn't know what to do or say, not only had the kiss been mindblowing, but Maya's reaction to it was very much so as well.
'Why would she suddenly get ill like that?'.
"I'll get a private driver for you, Andrew" Alicia's tone had changed as well, it sounded like she was in a rush, Andrew stopped abruptly, pulling her wrist.
"Wait, you have to go and help Maya… I don't know what happened to her".
"Don't worry about her, she will be okay. We must set you up first, here, I already picked up these sneakers for you" Alicia handed him over a pair of white Dior trainers that went perfectly with his navy cream outlook. Andrew accepted them but he still wanted to insist on Maya's circumstances. Nevertheless, Alicia didn't allow him to do so.
She made a call after leading them out of the shop towards the bustling streets.
"Yes, pickup from fifth avenue, charge it to my card. All day. Hmn... Bentley Bentayga. A Male driver, definitely not female…"
Alicia continued to mumble on the phone while passing back and forth. After she finally hung up with a sigh, Andrew addressed her.
"What was that all about? A cab?"
"You can't take your date on the train, that would be pitiful. Just wait and see what I prepared for you, no need to worry".
...
Faster than lightning a vehicle arrived in front of them as if it had been waiting for the call all along, Andrew could swear it was less than twenty minutes. Something impossible to take place in New York at this time of the day.
He was awed by the vehicle that just arrived.
A Midnight-blue Bentley Bentayga.
'It is gorgeous'.
"Boys... you don't look at me like that..." Alicia groaned before shaking her head in exasperation upon seeing Andrew technically drooling. She then addressed the man that departed the SUV after parking it. A tall muscular man wearing a black tux with a white tie.
"Good to see you, Rocco~ long time".
"Long time, Ma'am… Mr Mayers" Rocco bowed down slightly towards her first before placing his gaze on Andrew and doing much the same, surprised that the boy who according to the call was supposed to be sixteen years old, was as high as him.
"This is Rocco, your private driver for the day. He will take you wherever you want, pick up anyone you wish for the whole day and drop you off at eleven at the latest at the Bronx, I already provided your address".
Andrew gasped, in truth, he also felt it was quite lame to pick up Clare and go to their date by train, it was the way they usually did... whenever he invited her out, in the case of her being the one to invite out, she had their family driver.
"Thank you, I won't forget this".
"You're welcome… just make sure to call me, alright?~ now go, I have to see what's wrong with Maya".
Alicia dismissed him and Rocco real fast, heading back into the shop but Andrew's resonating words stopped her.
"Alicia! Tell her that I'm not upset and also, I'll see her tonight" Scratching his head, there was nothing else he could say. Although Maya's actions planted doubts in his mind... there was only one real truth.
'It is not like I didn't like it'.
Sadly, his words were completely misunderstood, especially the last phrase. Alicia blushed with a wicked snicker while Rocco whistled at his audacity.
"Oh?~ Okay, I'll tell her to wait for you tonight with one nice and sexy lingerie, alright?!~".
"..."
"I don't know what happened, but... you're quite bold, Mr Mayers".
'I didn't mean that!'.
**
**
An exasperated Andrew boarded the luxurious vehicle still in awe, it was likely the most expensive vehicle he had been at, or at least it looked expensive.
"Five hundred thousand dollars if you were wondering, Mr Mayers. This is a special edition manufactured especially for our company. We do escort services across all major capitals so it is like a sponsor of sorts. My apologies, that must be like pocket money for you".
'It is not!' He yelled inwardly even more exasperated now, trying to calculate how many shifts he had to do in McRonards to get one of these.
"How much did this service cost Alicia?"
"A thousand and five hundred dollars plus tax for the day with full attention and security extra. Please tell me where you wish to go and we will be there as fast as New York's traffic allows us".
It sounded like a reasonable price considering the luxury of the car.
"To the twelfth avenue, please. Also, what's full attention and security extra if you don't mind?" The SUV started and the noise of the engine alone made Andrew feel goosebumps, it was a hybrid car.
"It means I'll wait for you regardless of how long you take. This is an escorting service… as for security".
The man lifted a compartment of the vehicle and there was a gun in there, a desert eagle.
"No worries boss, I got you and your girl today. Any choice in music?".
"New York's Philarmonic will do, thank you".
Rocco's visage switched to one of confusion, 'The hell with kids these days, wait... he's an exception'.
"… as expected of a billionaire I guess".
'I'm not!'
Andrew sighed and slumped back on his seat, checking up every corner of the vehicle while the subtle intonation of Johannes Bach started to play with the highest definition and noise insulation available in the market.
'Where are you, Sophia?'
What happened with Maya was not something he could easily take out of his mind and in a way, it had messed up the date.
'I don't think I can focus on Clare after that, but… why did Sophia do nothing?'
Considering how clingy she usually is, it was odd that she hadn't been as present as usual. He was expecting her to slap Maya away at any given time while repeatedly calling her a 'titty monster'. But such an event didn't take place.
After that time in the morning, he hadn't seen her again. Little did he know, the ghost girl was going through her own struggles.
**
**
The night prior, Sophia hadn't been restless, worried or filled with apprehension. That night she yawned and lifted herself up from the bed where she usually slept with Andrew (after sneaking in).
She stretched, looked at the clock and noticed it was still two in the morning.
'So early…'
Taking a glimpse to the side she noticed Andrew spread like a submarine star, snoring.
She nudged him but it was for nought.
'He's deep in… he's unexpectedly cute into the dreamland'.
Without even noticing, her lips curled up.
'You have been helping me so much. I don't care if they don't find my assailant, as long as there is justice for Sasha… but why do you have to go on a date with Clare...?'
'Does it feel like you can leave it in his hands?'
!!!
'Who?!'
Sophia's body levitated above the bed, watching the darkness all around, wondering where that voice came from if not her mind.
'You are a strong spirit, Sophia Jones. Look at me in the eye'.
The darkness disappeared from the room and what she witnessed for the life of her was light everywhere. So bright it was blinding, but at the same time… warm and soothing.
The open blinds gave way to a shower of shine, the door towards the living room much the same, except that on the other side, there was no living room, but instead a blindingly white world.
Sophia's eyes fixed on that light and it was as if she could see her own life through them.
'Who are you?'
'Come on in, everything will be okay… it is time to go'.
When she heard the voice and placed the context together, Sophia finally realised what this light was and the realisation didn't come with reassurance but instead, unexpected fear.
'I-I'm not ready'.
'You are, otherwise, I wouldn't be here… leave your worries in his hands. A dependable boy with an equally powerful background, if it is him-'
'I'm not ready! Please, I don't want to go!'
'Are you sure?~'
This time, the voice wasn't as warm and beautiful, instead… it was hideous and eerie.
The door closed with a bang and the blinds fell down like a cascade of darkness.
What originally was a world filled with lights and peace, morphed into a pit of chilling darkness. Sophia didn't notice… she was covering her eyes and ears, clutching onto Andrew and hoping whoever that person was, they'd just leave her alone.
'Yes, I'm sure! I don't want to go!'
In front of her, and unbeknownst to the girl and the boy, a pair of crimson eyes opened in the darkness together with a curled wicked smile.
The voice transformed into a rather seductive yet threatening intonation.
'If you don't wish to leave, then stay~ what is the problem? you can stay with him all you want'.
'Yes, that's what I want... I can stay as long as necessary, right?'
With a little more security, Sophia's gaze lifted up, matching that of the person who she believed she was speaking to, what she saw was an image of herself... standing right in front.
'Of course, you can stay as long as you need... there is no rush. There is nothing funny about the afterlife, about the heavens. Trust me, hell is so much funnier~'.
'H-Huh?'.
As Sophia looked at herself, as if watching a mirror, the silhouette that represented her started to turn ever so slightly, eerie.
'Just sleep for now, you don't need to worry about the afterlife anymore, she won't come again to take you away...'
'R-Really? c-can I stay?' The drowsiness started to take over, and Sophia felt herself falling down, back to the warmth of Andrew's arms. Unaware of how 'she' grinned with wickedness.
'Yes... you can continue to be selfish, Sophia... stay here for eternity, never to move on~'.
**
**
The next day Sophia woke up again, this time right before Andrew's alarm triggered, the sun hanging high up in the sky. She panted and recalled the dream which felt more like a nightmare, even if she didn't understand the context.
'Afterlife... it happened...'
'She won't come again to take you away'.
Even if those words resonated in her mind, Sophia was restless.
All she could do was look at Andrew's sleeping face and realise that no matter how much she wished for it, it wasn't right.
'I don't belong here, Andrew... but I want to stay... I want to stay with you'.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone