Page 5 of TAINTED by TWINS

Happy birthday main author Ashley!! The gift we bought (a book, suggested by the sinners) is at the bottom. Although there was a problem huhu

"..."

I sighed. "I try to financially support you, really. But every dollar I give you goes to buying alcohol. At this point, you need to rehab."

My mother is not a violent drunk. She's not a dangerous drunk. She just sits here watching TV while drinking alcohol like it's juice, waiting for it to make her pass out. Because if it doesn't... well, she's always crying where she's at.

"I have to go to work. If you don't wake up when I'm back, I'm using your allowance to put you in rehab." Just when I left, a hand grabbed my wrist.

She was awake, looking at me with dead red eyes. God, my mom is beautiful. Long pin-straight black hair, pale skin, small eyes—everything I was insecure about myself, looks gorgeous on my mother. Barely 40 and she still looks 20. Is this the power of being Chinese and allergic to the sun?

"Oh... are you my Li-An?" She says with a smile, pulling me back to touch my neck and admire my face. "My Li-An... awww, you're so cute. Really nice hairstyle."

"Th-thanks, mom."

"You... with that face... have to be careful, my Li-An." She smiled at me with empty, drunk eyes. "These men... are out to destroy us. They do nothing... but destroy what's beautiful..."

I look at her confused, while she releases my arm to take some pills.

I scold her for taking too many and stopped her from doing so, but what she said I can't take out of my mind. I haven't even told her my preference for men.

.

.

I haven't told her about my current male partner. Why would she warn me about men specifically?

Maybe it's about my father, who left us while she was pregnant. My mom—a beautiful college valedictorian, left by a man? It's almost too impossible to be true unless... I've suspected I'm an affair baby, an illegitimate who's shamed by my father. Wherever he is now...

"Wow, thrifting-core... it looks so nice, sir!"

"Yeah, fast fashion, though? Unsustainable... it's cute though."

I'm not sure how to tell these kids that shopping from Walmart isn't for aesthetic, I'm just lower middle class. But then again, these are the types of students to thrift shop from second hand Birkin retailers.

"Oh my god!" I yell out when I was once again almost ran over by a godd*mn Kawasaki Ninja. "Jade Deveroux, stop doing that!"

The man took off his helmet and smirked at me with that smokey black eyeliner surrounding light blue eyes. "Don't forget about our deal, Miller."

"That's Mr. Miller to you..." I mutter angrily.

"Okay," he puts his helmet back on, "Honey it is."

"Wha—" he sped to the other side of the parking lot with the annoying engine of a chainsaw, leaving me with students who just heard him say that. "Haha... Jade is such a joker, isn't he? Calls everyone honey..."

"Shiiiit sir, I'd call you honey bunch sugar pie too..."

"Jerome, no. Get to class."

I texted Chris I'll have to do a gig after class and can't meet him. I sighed, watching him reply, "You're still doing photography?"

I looked at my old but reliable camera bag that paid for my car, unused since I started being a teacher in this school. I texted him, "yeeeaa. A frnd reqqed me 2 photograph him|

No. Too high school. Backspace. "Yeah. A friend requested me 2 photograph them."

He replied: "Stay safe, sweetheart. Have fun xo"

I was in my classroom watching everyone draft their research titles after I sent out revisions, when Sasha came in strutting happily in his 3 inch platform boots and cat hoodie.

"Hey Mr. Miller... you look extra spicy today."

"Huh?" Jonah Deveroux in front immediately snapped his eyes to us, while the rest of the class doesn't mind. He should continue writing his abstract. Speaking of...

"Here's my title, can I go home early?" Sasha submits to me a short 150 word abstract for his title, "I actually won't be going home because there's this club I'm going to, it's Friday night so..."

I don't think I should know that. "Yeah, you can go home early, Mr. Petrovna. Stay safe and bring a friend?"

"I was hoping to bring you," Sasha winked, making me smile massively awkwardly.

"Uhm... I don't think so—"

"Move it, pink-eye..." Jade pushed him away to submit his own, just throwing it on my table. "Done. I'm gone. Jonah, come on..."

"Ugh, rude... bye Mr Miller~" Sasha sings, walking behind him until he leaves the classroom, but Jade stayed by the doorway spitting on the floor Sasha walked through. Ugh, I'm gonna have to clean that up later...

Jonah slowly got up his seat to submit his long abstract about his title.

"I'm sorry about Jade, Mr. Miller..." he kindly smiles. "He drank so much soju last night because he thought it wouldn't make him drunk."

"Soju? That's a ladies' drink, and it knocked him out?" I laughed, finally having a normal student out of all of them.

But now... he's looking at me with daydreaming eyes and a smile. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Miller. It's the first time in a while I've seen you laugh."

Okay, I do not want a repeat of the past. I jokingly whisper, "If your class stops making me feel like jumping out of the window, maybe I'll laugh more."

You know what the handsome motherf*cker did? Turned around to tell the class, "Hear that, guys? Make him laugh, not cringe! I'm talking about you boys in the back."

"Okay, Jonah." / "Sure, boss..."

My eyes widen when Jonah turned back around to whisper at me, "You can rely on your class President, Mr. Miller. I have a lot more control than you think."

He walked out with his hands in his pocket, and his twin waiting for him at the doorway.

When he left, I didn't realize I was holding my breath for so long, but the clock hit 4pm and it was time for all of them to submit their papers whether they finished or not. These kids... they're gonna give me a heart attack someday.

"Jade, what the hell?! I'm going with you, I just need to get to my car!"

"You're not driving that to where we're going." He scans my body judgmentally. Is there anything wrong with my white dress shirt, black tie and white cardigan? "Jeez, get rid of the grandma shirt too. You're just asking to be bullied for being homosexual."

"You're paying me to shoot and you're making me wish I'll shoot you in a different way," I mumble as I walk around his motorcycle to get to my car. I opened the door, but this man held it open with his foot on the window, still sitting on his bike. Uhm, Jade Deveroux has thick thighs wrapped in leather pants—what am I thinking?!

"Take your sh*t, Miller... and get on my bike."

"I'm not getting on that safety hazard," I glare at him.

He smirks at me before saying, "Don't make me investigate how old you were when you and Chris—"

I pulled out my backpack of equipment and locked my car before stomping towards him. He has that victorious smirk I'd like to wipe off his face.

"Be a good boy and take that thing off, Miller. Is that what he said, too?"

"Ugh." I take off my cardigan and shoved it in my car before locking it again, climbing on his Kawasaki Ninja without ever even touching him.

That proved to be difficult, because he drives like he wants me to fall off this bike and die on an intersection. "JADE! SLOW DOWN?!"

"Mhmhfmfmfhhh..." he said inside the helmet.

"WHAT?!" I yell through the wind, holding onto his waist for dear life.

"I said!" He takes off the visor, looking back at me. "Too bad you aren't a girl, tits pressed behind me is the best part about bikes."

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU, EYES ON THE ROAD!"

But I did hear him laugh, speeding through the city until I can't even feel my face anymore because of the wind beating it. When he finally stopped, my face feels like there are thousands of ants crawling on it. And I was about to crawl on the floor if not for Jade holding me up by the arm.

"Don't embarrass me, Miller..." he mumbles, pulling me into a... a nightclub?! Big neon signs, a line of people, big burly bouncers and a horrible remix of Britney Spears from the inside... it's a nightclub called Nightingale.

I immediately pulled back. "I—! I don't want to go inside... I'm not drinking anything, ever!"

"The job is inside," the dark haired man rolled his eyes before harshly pulling me to face him.

"Listen very carefully, Miller. In one of the VIP tables, there should be a man that looks like this." Jade gave me a picture of an old, balding white man in formal wear.

"I need you to take pictures of him. The more wh*res on his arms, the more drinks and drugs in the picture, the better."

"Why—"

He pushed me towards the door. "No questions. You get paid and I won't tell anyone about you and Chris. Get in there. The target should not see us together."

Okay... oh god. Okay.

I walked inside through the VIP door because Jade just greeted the bouncer. My ears are filled with loud bass from 2002 pop song remixes which makes me want to slap a DJ across the face. The club was dim except for the dance floor, so I pulled out my camera and looked for the VIP booths.

It wasn't hard, they had lighting all over their booths. I made my way towards them when...

"Hey cutie, you're fresh meat..." a tipsy girl grabbed my necktie and pulled me towards her. "Mmm, I wouldn't walk around here with that face attached to my neck..."

"Uhm..." I pulled away from her.

"Have some drinks! Then let's dance!" Yells out another girl, but then a guy tapped my shoulder.

"Maybe he'd like a drink bought by a man, and not by girls?"

I shake my head, "No—"

"Come on, let me buy you a drink..." says another man. I already felt suffocated, their friends are starting to fight over which girls are taking me—

"Yo," a firmer hand held my shoulders, which made the drunk clubgoers instantly sober up and back away.

I looked up to see Jade holding me close to him.

He glares at them, "If he's getting any drinks, it's gonna be from me. So back off of you don't want shot glasses shoved down your throats and broken by a punch to the neck, hmm?"

"Okay, claimed... purr." / "Too bad, cutie."

"Sorry, Jade..."

I gasped at him. "They know you?"

"F*ck, nobody was supposed to see me with you..." he regrettably closed his eyes and cursed, before scowling at me. "Who the hell told you to look like that? You're just asking for them to harass you."

"Excuse me?!"

"Just take the d*mn pictures and let's leave before word gets around you're 'with me' gosh, I don't want to be associated with an office intern..."

This boy!

Urrgh, makes me so angry.

.

.

so I have to go through with this so it'll be all over. I walked towards the VIP booths but kept my distance. I went towards the bar where I pointed my camera at a middle-aged man with three ladies in his booth, six bottles of rum, and suspicious white lines with rolled up dollar bills.

Snap, snap... the more booze and drugs in the picture, the better. Snap...

I gasped. I saw someone familiar, someone who's not supposed to be here. Someone who is supposed to be grading his sheets or keeping an inventory on medical supplies. "Dr. Wayne? Chris?"

I saw him here.

.

.

at Nightingale.

Walking past the VIP booths in civilian clothes, only a lot more sexier.

His hair isn't pushed back anymore, it's down and gorgeous.

His stubble is neat and clean as always, and that jawline can cut even the lights in this place.

Staring at my lover shouldn't be weird, but seeing him here is weird. Since when does he go to clubs?!

"Chris!" I wade through the crowd to get to him. "Chris, hey! Christian!"

He couldn't hear me. But he was going towards the bar... while being towed by none other than Sasha Petrovna. Huh?

"Come on!" Sasha made him sit on the barstool and ordered some drinks. I stood there confused, wondering why my lover and my student is here? What is going on?

Sasha is whispering in his ear.

The bartender gave them shots.

Chris shook his head no!

...but with a little convincing from Sasha, still drank the shot.

There's a deep pit in my stomach, especially when Sasha has his hand on Chris' thighs.

I remember what Sasha told me. What Sasha asked from me. He asked if Chris was "into me..."aka into men.

Snap! I took a picture of them laughing in the bar, my hands trembling and my breaths barely being there. I feel a little lightheaded from the lack of breathing, as I snap another picture.

Snap! But my heart fell to the ground to be stomped on by everyone around me... when I saw Sasha lean in and kiss Christian right on the lips. I looked away, I wanted to barf. I wanted to cry—I wanted to go there and slap him. I want to go there and yell.

But all my legs could take me was the place Jade left me, near the entrance. I spotted him in a dark corner because his height is unmistakable. I walked towards him and opened up my camera with trembling hands. I handed him the SD card. "I...I did it. I wanna go home now. P-please take me home."

"Lian? Why are you crying?" He asked.

I didn't even realize it. I couldn't even feel it thanks to the motorcycle ride. But I was crying so hard, my sunscreen came off. "Please. Maybe I'd take that drink you said you'll get, too. I just... I just want..."

"Stay here... I'll get you a bottle then we'll go, alright?"

I nodded while keeping my head low to avoid being seen. He didn't take long... Jade took my hand to pull me out of the club and back into his motorcycle. I was still crying like crazy, trying so hard not to make noise but my ugly crying face is too visible.

So ugly, that he puts his helmet on me instead. "You good?" I appreciate it. Now no one will see my face and tears. "Hold on, Lian."

He didn't take me home, or back to my car. But I didn't care where I was, I just want him to open up the bottle.

He took me to an isolated cliff overlooking the city, with the city lights further proving I have astigmatism.

I was not in the mood to admire the view.

I just sat on his motorcycle crying into my arms.

"Here..." he handed me an opened bottle of Martini, "Whatever you're crying about... I'm sure you'll feel better if you see this view. I know me and Jonah always calm down when we go here."

I drank about two gulps before sniffing, "You go on dates here, huh?"

"Passionately," He agreed with my joke which made a small laugh try to come out of my throat, "Especially on the times I'm pissed off at Jonah. It's either I push him off this cliff, or we both feel better because of the view."

I stayed silent, allowing the view to comfort me while Jade opens a box of cigarette and put one in his mouth. I don't mind that; I've stopped caring. He'll always be rebellious. But I was curious, though...

"What's the photos for?" I asked so suddenly, curious ever since I stepped into the club. Jade kept staring at the city lights ahead. "Jade, you can tell me. It's not like I will tell anyone about our deal."

Jade scoffs, tearing his eyes off the city lights to look at me. Finally, he answered. "Blackmail. That old guy is a politician, and election is coming up. His opponent is paying me to get dirt on him... but I'm gonna see if he'll pay more to clean himself. Call it business."

"You extort them?!" Somehow I'm not disgusted, more so impressed. "But why not take pictures with your phone, why drag me into this?"

He pulled out the SD card. "Phones get tracked down to you. This doesn't. I like to keep a clean track..." but he looked at me with a fading smile. "But I did touch you in the bar tonight. If anyone sees you taking photos, you'll get tracked to me."

"You never should've saved me then," I say, taking a swig off the entire bottle. Gosh, it tastes good. Wow, this view is awesome. It makes me want to stay... because I'll forget about everything.

Jade remained looking at me as he says, "No way. I don't want those punks near you. Unless... someone touched you that's why you got upset? Who do I have to kill, huh?"

"God, no one! Jade, don't be a criminal..." I drank again, my eyes still teary. It's touching how he's overprotective like that. But why? When I'm just another guy he's blackmailing to get something out of. "I was just thinking... if everything had been a lie. And if I was just another student to him... now that I'm no longer a student, am I less attractive?"

"What are you talking about, you're a lot more attractive now," he says. "You're talking about Christian Wayne?"

My tears fell down as I sniffed, looking at him sadly.

"Just because you look pretty crying, doesn't mean you should..." what? I'm not a pretty crier. I have snot in my nose and my face is puffy. Jade wrapped an arm around my shoulder and sighed. "Chris could've gotten any man or woman he wants. But he chose someone who is clearly insecure so you'll depend on him. Now that you've gotten... prettier, it's like you no longer need him. He wants someone who needs him."

"R-really?" Do they really know more about Chris than I do? I don't think Chris liked me because I'm insecure. He liked me because we hang out all the time, and feelings just develop.

"You don't need him, do you?" I just noticed how close Jade is to my face, since he's whispering and I can hear every breath from him. He doesn't look like he has any intentions to do anything, though. He's not pulling me closer or initiating something. He's just close, sharing the air with me, staring at everything on my face, including my lips.

He didn't do anything but say, "Gender is funny."

"Why?" I whisper.

"You assign yourself a preference, but there will always be times when the opposite is way more desirable than what you want." Is he... is he saying I'm...? Or... no, I'm just drunk.

"Haha..." I was the first to pull away so I can drink more. "Life is too short to be shackled by what you think you want. I like men, but if a girl made me feel something, I'll take her. I won't let labels or preferences stop me from being happy."

When I looked back at him, Jade is completely stuck watching my mouth, before he puts his blue eyes on mine. "That's a dangerous thing to say, Lian."

I like how he says my name.

"You do?" Oh crap, I said it out loud. I nervously laugh and drank again, before getting off the motorcycle.

"I'm ready to go—whoa!" I underestimated my state and almost fell down if not for Jade grabbing me on both arms. Still, my *ss hits the ground and I remained laughing. "Hahahaha! Sorry... oh god...!"

"You stupid dumb*ss, get up!" I laughed at how angry Jade is, but still propped me up carefully. He can be a bit soft at times... "I'm not soft, I'll throw your *ss off the cliff!"

I said it out loud again.

It was a struggle getting me on the bike, and Jade had to tie my wrist together after wrapping it around his waist.

I laid my head on his back feeling completely safe, comforted.

.

.

which I blame all on the alcohol because this is still the same guy who extorted me and other people for personal gain.

Ahh, whatever.

.

.

he doesn't make me cry at least.