Page 2 of Unapologetic Obsession
Maybe one of the security guards forgot to throw away his leftovers.
I rushed to the bag and opened it with zeal. My heart leaped to my throat when I saw a half-eaten sandwich and some fries. I grabbed a handful of cold fries and shoved them into my mouth. Happy tears prickled in the corners of my eyes at the first taste of real food after many long days.
It didn’t last long. I sensed a sudden shift in the air and stopped chewing on cue. An unmistakable creak from the right side of the floating dock caught my attention. I was no longer alone.
My first thought was that the guards had found me. I had steered clear of the docks in fear of them, but the hunger had drawn me out.
Big mistake.
Gravely, I let my eyes drift to the right. A brown-eyed teenager of fifteen or sixteen stood beside a girl who could have been his twin if she hadn’t been much younger. They looked dirty and cold, like me, and probably lived in one of the junkyard cars. I could recite their story as if I had written it myself. Their parents—oraparent—left them with promises ofreturning with food. Instead, they were out there with glassy eyes and a syringe in their arms. The same hunger that brought me to the dock had called upon them.
The little girl stared at me like she wanted to cry, and the older boy appeared resentful. I knew why. He wanted to feed his sister—even though it looked like he hadn’t eaten, either. This brown bag would have belonged to them had they arrived a few minutes earlier.
The girl hung her head because she knew it was too late.
My eyes closed because I couldn’t do it. No matter how much my insides twisted from the hunger pangs, I couldn’t take away this glimmer of hope from them. I mimicked a smile and held up the brown bag for her.
“Here. You can have this.”
The girl’s lanky brown hair bounced as she glanced at her brother with probing eyes. He was equally suspicious and had a firm grip on her shoulders. From what I learned on the streets, this dark world was unkind. Neither of them trusted me. They trusted no one.
I placed the bag on the bench and backed away. The boy stood still, eyes roaming my face, until I put more distance between myself and them. Finally, he gave his sister the smallest nod. She ran to the bench and opened the bag.
“Fries!” she screamed like she had struck gold. It forced another stiff smile on my face, despite the heart-crushing realization I’d go another day without food.
Her brother huffed a smile, too, and sauntered to the bench on heavy legs. “Enzo, it’s fries,” she quipped, popping one into her brother’s mouth. He laughed, happily munching on it. She grabbed the leftover sandwich from the bag, split the measly amount, and gave half to her brother.
I was lingering without a purpose, salivating after the scraps of food the kids were eating, and sating myself with the smell. When my stomach howled, they both glanced at me.
“Do you want some?” The little girl held up her half of the sandwich for me, making me want to cry that a spark of light existed in this dark reality. It was quickly extinguished when her brother gently lowered her hand.
“I’ll split with you,” he offered to my surprise. He held up his tiny portion so his sister could eat her entire share.
Their faces were placid as they waited, giving away what little food they had, even though they had no idea when they’d eat next.
I couldn’t do that to them, either. They looked like they hadn’t eaten in days. Half a sandwich and some measly fries might be enough to hold them over for a couple more nights, but not if they split it with me. I couldn’t take away what little they had.
I plastered on a smile and shook my head, “You know what? I’m not that hungry.”
Neither of them believed me, but the boy gave me a curt nod, almost in gratitude for letting them have this one meal. It was probably their first stroke of luck in a long while.
Without another word, I turned around and took off. I couldn’t keep torturing myself by watching them eat. This world was too cruel. I had no idea what my purpose in it was or even who I was, but it couldn’t be this—scraping for food.
Not ready to give up, I scanned the pier and found another floating dock stretching deeper into the water. The bigger boats were docked farther away and were impossible to break into. You couldn’t easily jump onto a vessel the size of a cruise ship, but something was calling my name. The pier seemed familiar, and I exhausted my limited energy walking to a white boat towering over the rest. The boat—or more accurately, themega yacht—had multiple levels and endless decks. Large glass windows allowed a glimpse inside the lavish interior. The name was carved on the side in a beautiful font.
“Olympus,” I read out loud, inspecting the luxury yacht with wide eyes.
My stomach growled when I saw a group of men unloading seafood trays and fruit crates from a dinghy and carrying them onto the yacht. Even the platform to hop on board was extravagant, with a large slanted wooden ramp and a red carpet.
None of the guards were manning the entryway as they were preoccupied with the delivery. By now, I knew better than to ask men for help. The few times I tried, it made me wonder whether I was on the run from all the men on earth.
No.
Asking for help hadn’t gotten me anywhere. I needed to eat, regain my strength, and regroup to escape my predicament. The loading and unloading of items had everyone engrossed. I had a small window to sneak in. I could run inside and grab a few things, then slip away. It was risky business, but the reward was too damn tempting.
With my head bowed, I crossed the ramp before I could chicken out. Waves crashed against the side of the boat, gently rocking me from side to side as I entered. I barely took in the opulent luxury setting, following the various aromas like a bloodhound.
My mouth watered when I stepped through the sliding doors and into an empty dining hall. Two tables were stacked against the wall to create an L-shape with a chef’s nook to serve guests in the buffet line. Trays stacked with delicious food were lined beside the table.
