WORST ENCOUNTER

2 days ago…

GIVING the large cup of iced Caramel Macchiato one last wipe of table napkin to clean off the residues it has on its side, Faith placed it on the serving tray with three leaves of napkin with the straw. She pressed the bell which resounded a generous sound of ringing, soon after, Jacob came over the counter with a smile on his face as he reached over the serving tray carefully. He shoots Faith a glance which the other caught before giving a polite nod to her co-worker.

"The shop sure is packed up today, huh?"

Faith commented with a satisfied smile on her lips as she scans the room now packed with customers varying from businessmen, women, couples, and some who's busy with their laptops and paper works be it be for academic purposes or businesses.

The coffee shop she's working at got this laid-back and cozy atmosphere residing with its overall interior design. They serve hot and cold beverages, mostly made with caffeine, since Coffee Kings is a coffee shop. They also offer delicacies and sweets that go well with the caffeine products.

"You got that right, Faithy. Now, work your ass on these orders."

Jacob chuckled as he handed three pieces of paper with orders written on it to Faith who smiled fondly at him before turning onto his heels to serve the Caramel Macchiato sitting atop of the serving tray.

The pay is good which helps her to make ends meet plus her co-workers were also very kind and endearing towards her, Faith can't ask for more. Both of her parents live in their hometown with her younger sister as she took her chances in this place of bright city lights and busy streets.

Giving the bell a generous press, Faith smiled as one of her co-workers, Felice, walked towards the counter. "That's quick, baby girl," Felice said smiling as she carefully lifted up the tray with their signature brewed coffee and a slice of Blueberry Cheesecake resting on top of it.

"Well, we don't want them waiting that long, do we?" Faith replied as quickly which made Felice giggle generously before turning around; Faith then continued making the other orders to be served to their customers.

xxx

SWIPING the countertop clean one last time, Faith smiled as she was done with her work and would be able to go home. "Finally, done." She said sounded so excited about going home.

The sun already settled down and the busy streets were slowly getting swallowed with darkness but various streetlights lits 'em up. Cars buzzing which were stuck in the mild traffic, strangers walking to wherever they needed to go and wanted to be.

"Hey, Faithy. Want to come with us?" It was Jacob who asked.

The guy who's taller than Faith folded his apron neatly before putting it inside the drawer where the rest of the aprons go and rest themselves as well.

"Come with us?" Faith asked putting a questioning intonation on the last word.

She was currently washing the towel she used to wipe the countertop, rinsing off the dirt and squeezing out the water that soaked the material before hanging it on the bar attached just above the sink.

"Yeah, with us. Me and Felice." Jacob said as he helped himself out of the counter;

He walked towards the tables and tucked in the chairs neatly before looking around to check if there's any more cleaning to do. Felice soon after went out of the comfort room as she was done tidying it up.

"How about Kyla? She's not coming?" Faith questioned as she easily slipped off the apron from her, fold it neatly as well before putting it inside the drawer.

She rested herself against the sink; Kyla then popped out of the security maintenance room, closing the door behind her before locking it up with a key.

"Nope, Faithy-faith. I got a date with my man, I'll pass." Kyla giggled, giving Faith a wink.

"Have fun then." Faith answered quickly as she flash a small smile towards the other who walked towards her. Kyla clung her arms over Faith's shoulders and drag the small-figured girl closely as she pinched the bridge of Faith's nose.

"Go get yourself a man, Faith. You'll know why I'm like this." Kyla chuckled as she let's go of the grimacing Faith who is massaging the part she got pinched. Kyla turned onto her heels and help herself out of the counter.

"So, you coming?" It was Felice who asked the moment she was in Faith's view.

"Okay, but I can't stay that late. Is that alright?" Faith said honestly. Well, she can't turn down these people who did nothing but be kind towards her.

"Trust me, I don't want to stay that late as well. Have you seen the news?" Felice said, her voice went to a cautious tone as she was already putting her apron inside the drawer. Faith's attention went firm to what Felice has to say regarding the news; she instantly find herself pulling her weight from the sink.

"The news?" Faith tried to put her tone in a monotonous one, not to sound that curious and at the same time, a bit alarmed.

"Well, the news featured some of this infamous mafia syndicate's recent activities." Felice started as she advanced to the sink, opening the faucet and washing her hands in the process.

"Ac—tivities?" this time, Faith wasn't able to conceal her curiosity that has that hint of being shaken up a bit.

"You sure don't know how to use that television you bought, Faith." Felice commended as she wiped her hands dry with a clean cloth hanging beside the towel Faith washed awhile ago. Faith held her tongue from speaking and waited for whatever Felice has to say.

"The news this morning featured an infamous mafia crime syndicate that is quite taking control over the Grimward City. This syndicate was exploiting various drugs and the worst thing about the morning news…" Felice paused a bit, and alarmed glint shone its way in her eyes that Faith's curious ones caught right immediately.

"They were bodies found around the place where the exploitation took place. The police reported that some of the bodies were dismembered, missing a limb or two, intestines were pulled out from where they rightfully belong and some of these people got the drugs packed inside their bodies." Felice said in a whisper-like manner in order for only her and Faith to hear what they're talking about.

Faith instantly felt a gush of fear loomed over her being; she has all the right to feel that. Not only does she live alone, but she never thought that the city just about half-way where she lives is notably a very dangerous place.

xxx

THE three of them are in Drunken Lambs, a bar with dizzying neon lights as bodies of strangers dance through the loud ear-destroying bass drop music. This bar is just around the corner near the coffee shop the three of them were working at. Faith silently sat at the corner of their table sipping her Blue Lemonade with no alcohol content in it. She isn't one to drink those high in alcohol content drinks which in this case, both Jacob and Felice were putting into their systems awhile ago, and the result?

Jacob got himself a brunette-haired woman who got herself wrapped in just a scrap of fabric, her breasts wants freedom from the tight material and she paired her entire look with a black strapped-on stiletto. The both of them having a whisper-talk and by any second the brunette would giggle as she sip on her glass of whatever that colorful drink she got. And as of now, Faith doesn't have any idea where her co-worker slash friend went with that club chic.

And Jacob has completely forgotten about me and Felice, great. Faith thought for herself for a moment before putting her attention to her passed out friend, Felice.

She got herself drunk that easily and that's because the moment they put their asses on these leather seats, the woman ordered several colored boozes and drunk herself to death. And here I thought you're being cautious because of the alarming things going on in our neighbor city.

Faith put down her drink on the round glass table and slides herself beside Felice who got her head down, her forehead pillowing against her arm for comfort. Faith inched her face near Felice's then whispered something in her ears in order for the other to hear her clearly despite the loud-ass music.

"Felice, are you alright?" Faith puts her left hand over Felice's left shoulder and shakes the already drunk female for a second, upon receiving nothing but a faint response, she tried shaking her friend a bit stronger but still, got the same response. Taking a deep frustrated breathe, she reached for her phone in the back pocket of her pants and dialed Jacob's number.

Come on, please pick up. She thought as she tapped her index finger repeatedly onto the table, getting worried every passing second Jacob isn't picking up.

"Hel—lo?" a very flirtatious voice answered her call. Upon realizing the things that took place, Faith concluded that she's talking to the brunette woman Jacob was with when the two of them were still shamelessly flirting and touching each other in front of her. Alcohol and its downsides.

"Hey, ahm—this is Faith, you're with me awhile ago. Where's Jacob, I—I kind of need some help with our friend here." Faith said in a whisper-shout manner; the bass music getting louder by the second she started talking.

"We're kind of busy, can't you handle that friend of yours by yourself?" the woman from the other line said and even if the music is loud from where she stood, she felt infuriated about the audacity of this random club chic.

"Just—just hand over the phone to—" the next thing Faith heard was the sudden beep as the call was put to an abrupt end. Faith instantly felt her irritation bolted up to the top of her head as she stared at her phone screen with furrowed eyebrows. Ugh! Who the hell does she think she is?!

Without any other choice at hand but to attend to her friend's needs, she pushed down her phone inside her pants back pocket, tied up her hair in a messed-up one, and pulled her hoodie's sleeves half-way to her elbow. Breathing in a huff of air to dissolve the lump that she didn't know the reason why it's there, she moved over to Felice and shakes her a bit by her shoulders.

"Felice? " Faith started in a whisper-shout voice as she tried putting her friend's senses in surface water of her sleep.

"Hmm—sh—up…" Felice shoved Faith away with her hand which has nothing but non-existent energy and force as it slumped back down in an instant. Upon dodging the supposed shoving from her friend, Faith huffed a slightly irritated breath before closing in again to her friend.

"Felice…" Faith called, "Come on, I'll help you up…" after hearing the slurry groan of Felice, Faith put her friend's right arm over her shoulders and with the might she can garner from her small frame; she slowly pulled both of them on their two pairs of feet. Faith scrunched up her face as she got a whiff of Felice's strong smell, alcohol scent.

Faith really put up a fight just to make sure both she and Felice would walk through the dancing bodies rhyming to the loud-ass bass music alive and well—with all their limbs intact. Though it was tough because of all the sudden bumps and shoving against them, she silently thanked the Almighty that they're slowly nearing the nightclub's exit door until—a very sudden and harsh bump came.

The next thing Faith was able to take in was that she was on the floor ass-flat as a light dizzying motion hinted at the action that she took seconds ago. She also took in the fact that her drunk friend was also on the floor lying down with small groans leaving her lips. Coming back to her senses, Faith immediately threw herself to where Felice was lying helplessly.

"God—I'm, shit…" Faith said, cursing under her breath. She's crouched beside Felice as she shakes her friend to see if she's alright.

"I'm sorry…" a strong baritone voice said. Faith looked behind her instantly and was immediately met with a guy who is crouching down with his left knee with his arm resting on it. The man had his hair blonde and styled in a sexy slicked back undercut which gave way for his prominent captivating face. But, what stood the most were his icy blue eyes that held Faith's dark brown ones.

"What?" Faith dumbly whisper-shouted, upon realizing how she stupidly reacted, she blinked once then cleared her throat. The man who is crouching down in front of her has this amused yet strained smile taunting his full and brutal lips.

"It's—it's alright." Faith said; her eyes not able to leave the beauty of the unknown male's rosy feature. When the man cleared his throat, Faith's gaze immediately went up to meet the man's icy orbs. Its depth and entrancing coldness never escaped Faith's observant eyes.

She held her breath when the man suddenly inched his face closer to hers. She was enthralled with how the various colors of neon lights danced against the male's face, it gave different depths and highlights which made him more attractive. Faith blinked when she heard the man spoke.

"I'm the one you bumped into, I'm sorry." The man said in a monotonous tone, though it didn't held any sincerity in it, Faith wasn't able to comprehend it well as she felt shivers run down her spine when she felt the man's breathe feathered against her right ear.

"MAKE SOME NOIIIIISE!!!" the loud and sudden scream of the already wild-up and heightened DJ boomed across the whole room that it help snapped Faith from her trance and the male's breathe which lingered on her skin.

Faith quickly pulled herself away like the man's nearness suddenly felt blazing against her clothed skin. Their eyes met in instant and at that moment, Faith felt drowned not just because of the strong depth of the other's captivating eyes but the thick aura she quite can't handle which now starts to entangle with the man's over-all presence.

"Are you okay on your own? I mean, can you help her?" the man asked, voice still monotonous.

Upon realizing the ridiculous situation the two of them—make it three of them—are in, Faith immediately stood up, putting a much realistic space between her and the male who's still unknown to her. The man then stood soon after, showing the dominance that reverberates not just with his height which is overpowering compared to Faith's but also with the built figure he has compared to Faith's small ones.

"Every—everything's fine. I—I can handle, WE can handle it. We're good on our own. Thanks." Faith said the moment she felt her voice once again find its courage to speak words. She thought she sounded a bit rude, so bowing her head a little bit as a sign of excusing herself; she turned her back from the stranger and immediately crouched back down again and helped Felice, who's for sure passed out dead.

"You sure you're good?" The man pushed more as he took one step closer behind the crouched body of Faith.

As soon as Faith stood her ground with Felice resting her right arm over her shoulders, she turned to slightly to face the man who's name still unknown to her; she nodded before flashing an almost fading slight smile before taking a step away as she help Felice walk her passed out self towards the clubs exit door.

"I just couldn't believe that Jacob left us there." Faith commented making sure that Jacob can hear her strong complaint. As she was done locking the coffee shop's front door, she walked towards Jacob, Kyla and Felice who were waiting for her on the side while listening to what she's trying to say. The four of them then walked alongside each other, soon after Jacob answered back to Faith.

"I hear you Faithy-faith. Come on, don't be so mad about it, I mean, you're here right, you're alright." Jacob said with a small laugh coming in along his words.

"Felice passed out, you know…" Faith replied with a tad bitter tone.

What happened last night was far more alarming when Faith would come to think of it. Felice and her were both females, Felice has that medium type of body figure which shouldn't be a problem but it did become a problem since she's passed out last night and the fact that it was Faith—who has a small thin figure—helping her out in her wasted state.

Lastly, the encounter with that tall fine man, who got his blonde hair in a sexy slicked back undercut and that coming-off strong icy blue eyes— "Faith! Hey, are you listening?" it was Felice who was snapping her fingers in front of Faith's face.

"What was that?" Faith blinked absent-mindedly.

"Okay, you're not listening…" Felice breathed before flashing a considerate smile before repeating what she had said.

"Thank you for last night. Like, thanks a lot. You know it." Felice said as she gave a side-hug to Faith who patted her back as a way to say 'no problem'.

"But, really. You've been spacing out since this morning, what's up with you?" it was Kyla who started and gave a glance towards the petite girl who's walking at the last end of their quadric-group walk; Felice and Jacob in between them.

"I'm fine, Ky. Don't worry about me." Faith said, wanting to make the topic to die down instantly.

"You know, if you say it like that, we will worry more." It was Jacob who answered. He threw a glance over to Faith who just shakes her head with a protruding smile on her lips.

"Tell that to that bitch who shut Faith's call down last night." Kyla threw her arms over Jacob's shoulder and gave him a mocking look.

"I already said 'I'm sorry' ever since I came to work," Jacob complained which made the four of them share a pure and genuine laugh with each other.

xxx

CLOSING the door behind her, Faith removed her shoes right away and kick 'em neatly on the side as she puts on soft fluffy slippers. She sling her small bag off of her and hang it on the adhesive bag rack a few inches above her head. The apartment complex she's living in has these studio type units designed with light brown and cream theme and minimalist furniture and other stuff matching the over-all interior of the room. She was actually glad that the space and area she can call second home gives off a comfortable and stress-free vibe which soothes her tiring day after work.

Getting off of her coat which she soon puts over her sofa, she lazily slumped on the comfortable settee. Finally, the weekends coming. I can just stay at home and sleep. Faith smiled to herself as she thought of tomorrow being Friday and after Friday—what comes next?—Well, Saturday. She giddily pulled herself up from the couch to reach over the television remote and slumped back down again, enjoying the contact between the soft settee and her bum.

"I'm glad you're this springy, buddy." Faith smiled as she talked to the non-living sofa. She lifted both her feet and crossed her legs in an Indian seat position, she then grabs a pillow and rested it on top of her crossed legs before turning on the television.

"Police advises the citizens of the Grimward City to be more vigilant and careful as another wave of bodies with gruesome conditions were found around the city and the involvement of the mafia—"

Faith immediately changed the current station into another until she stumbled upon an action series on HBO which caught her interest as the current scenes include rabid gun shots and men running across the streets in order not to get a bullet through their physical figures. Getting to her feet, she quickly went to get herself some good frozen ice cream and immediately went slumping back down on the comfy couch.

xxx

FAITH puts back her alarm clock on the night table then pushed herself under her thick blanket, enjoying its warmth and the relief and rest her body is receiving.

"I wonder what his name is." Faith uttered as silently as she stared directly at her white ceiling.

Feeling a sudden rush in the pit of her stomach as the memory of the unknown male's icy gaze went flashing vividly in her memory, her heart races in a hasty way which made her feel a very familiar shiver run down her spine; goosebumps came soon after a second or two.

"I should probably sleep and forget about that attractive man." Faith covered her face with her palms and took a deep breath as she took them off. Yet, she can't lie about the fact that despite the entrancing appearance and captivating eyes that man has, she can feel a very cold and off demeanor emitting from him.

xxx

FAITH just couldn't say no to her friends. Kyla invited the three of them to join her and her lover on their anniversary. Faith actually declined—the memory of Jacob leaving her and Felice still vivid in her mind—but Kyla insisted and she threatens Faith that if she says 'no' Kyla would definitely be sulking about it for a week and she doesn't want that. And here she is now, walking her pair of legs across the room to help herself from getting stuck with Jacob with, of course, another fling. Kyla who is eating Blake's face by the time they congratulated them and wish them to be happy together and the one and only Felice who's a bit sober yet her eyes were already dying on her.

Pushing herself through the crowded dancing bodies under the various neon lights, she was able to survive the wild environment and reach for the exit door. Giving the knob a generous twist to fully exit the club, she was taken aback when a sudden puff of cigarette smoke puffs in her face. Giving out an exhaling cough, she immediately covered her mouth with her right hand and brushes off the smokey particles away with her other ones. Soon after, a bump was all she ever felt as three to four men walked past her without any apology; Faith having a still sane mind and judgment, she just gave the men who are dressed in a dark-colored suit—now, that she can look them—a side gaze before exiting to the club's back alley.

"That was something else." Faith whispered to herself as she quietly commented on how the men from before dress themselves. She quickly takes a look at the bar's sign that says Jack of Diamonds in its fancy font and sparkly lightings to give off that alluring appearance. She gave an amused yet silent chuckle.

Definitely not a place to see well-dressed men. She thought in her head but she was immediately thrown out of her own thoughts when someone from behind harshly grabs her arm which made Faith turn her head to see who it was but to her surprise which was quickly replaced with utter horror, she went mute and couldn't process a thing in her being.

A man who is half-naked and is almost drowning in his blood was right beside her; his hand already gripping Faith's thin ones as he spoke in a very chilly yet helpless manner.

"Pl—please, help me…" the man paused then looked behind his back as if someone is following him.

"They're—they're after me! I didn't do—I didn't do any—anything…" the man continued as he was now holding Faith on both of her shoulders as he gave her a steady shake.

His eyes show evident signs of fear and panic which Faith can only stare back into without anything in her being but a strong and overpowering amount of agitation and dread washing over her from her head down to the soles of her feet.

"Are you even listening to me!?—" the man screamed, soon after, at that very moment, a loud deafening gunshot was heard.

Faith felt herself frozen right on the spot where she stood her ground; her ears rang a sound which soon after muted the rest of what's around her. Her gaze still on the man who is slowly fell on his knees with both hands clutching his chest. The idea of what's happening eerily went to Faith's realization as she speechlessly stared at the man who is lying on the cold ground and is definitely bleeding his chest to death, the more she looks at him the more horrid is his entirety appears.

"Oh, God—help…" Faith said almost like a whisper. She felt her knees giving up on her as she tumbled down, sitting on the ground. She runs her hands through her hair as tears started streaming down her face.

She can't put everything that's happening right now into her system. There's a dead man lying before her who told her that someone's after him and after that, there's a gunshot—there's a fucking gunshot! Faith closed her eyes before hugging her knees close to her chest as she bowed her forehead against it; she tried calming down her nerves, her mind, her heart, and her breathing. Once she felt that she can handle the situation she's in right now, she wiped her tears away and as soon as the blur in her eyes were cleared, her orbs locked gazes with the familiar icy blue eyes that held strong coldness in them.

"We meet again." the man commented, a protruding smile creeping to appear on his full brutal lips.

"Y—you…" Faith breathed as she stared at the man who has crouched down again in front of her.

"Me? What about me?" the man replied back as he shrugged his shoulders; he appears to be amused at the female before him who got flushed cheeks, puffy eyes from crying and of course, that gaze that entertains him as it shows a glint of fear and attraction mixed together.

"What are—you do—doing here?" Faith managed to asked back in between deep breaths; she then broke eye contact as she soon noticed some men dressed in dark-colored suits—like the men she saw a while ago before she went out to breathe some fresh air yet it came down to this—walked over to where she and the man is. Being fully aware of her environment, they were seven men who came to the scene.

"Boss, we finished the task already…" one of the men said and gave Faith a quick glance before reaching something behind him and it turns out to be a gun. He cocked it quickly and without further ado pointed the weapon towards Faith.

Faith can't utter a single word as she can only stare at the gun being pointed at her; she can't enable herself to tell them or plead them not to kill her. Is this how she's gonna die—this isn't a good way to go.

"Wow, you sure can stare at anything, you're amusing…" the man who owns a pair of icy blue eyes remarked in entertainment. His lips curved in a small smile yet his demeanor shows something off.

"I'll shot her dead in your command, Boss." the man with the gun said. The other six men lined behind Faith which to her understanding, they were making sure she can't get out of there alive.

"How about…" the man with icy blue eyes said as he stands on his feet. Faith watched him as his looming figure blocks a streetlight and the action casted a shadow over to her. The man gets the gun from one of the men—or his men as she heard the other address the man with an honorific—and walked closer to her before crouching down, both his elbows resting above his knees with her arms lazily dangles down; his right hand holding the gun downward as their eye level stuck proportion to each other.

"…we ask her what she wants?" the man nodded over to Faith to indicate that he's waiting for her answer. Faith swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as she felt a tear and another escaped from her eye. Her breathing which she hardly controls to stay calm was now a bit enraged.

"Hey, I'm giving you a chance to live. You should at least answer me, be grateful that you won't end up like those corpses the authorities found and will be found in the next couple of days…" the man flashed a crazed smirk at Faith which made her felt an unnerving shiver run down her spine and yet, she can only gasp as the man suddenly pressed the gun mouth onto her forehead before she heard him spoke again.

"So, you wanna die or live…" he paused then went closer to Faith, the space in between them getting wiped out from its existence as the gun was now under Faith's chin pointed upwards; the man then continued. "…with me?"

Backing away to be face-to-face with the already horrified girl, he quirked up one of his brows in a questioning manner before grabbing Faith's nape with his left hand pressing the gun's mouth even harder in the process. This earned him Faith grabbing his left arm with both of her small, soft, and delicate hands as she weeps her eyes continuously, fat tears running down her flustered cheeks. Faith felt small under the man's impending built.

"I'm getting a little impatient here, Love. Make up your mind, now." The commanding tone made Faith looked up to meet the man's icy gaze. The choices laid for her doesn't give much to her benefit. Faith doesn't wanna die and neither lives with a man who she doesn't know, for her, both choices lead her to something not good for her well-being.

"Pl—please don't kill me…" sniffing as she spoke. Faith thanked herself subconsciously when she found her voice to utter some words. She gripped the man's arm, pulling it downwards to release the tension he's putting onto the gun below her chin.

"So, you choose to live with me?" the man questioned in delight with a raised brow; his gaze still on the girl's cowering one.

"No, I—can't you just let—let me go?" Faith asked with voice restrained from fear that the man might end her life just like that since the gun was still below her chin with pretty much tension even though she was pulling the man's arm—with both hands.

"I'm afraid that wasn't in the choices." The man responded quickly in a derisive way.

Soon after, one of the six men from behind Faith approached then crouched down beside the man with an icy gaze. Faith honestly forgot the entire existence and presence of these men as she was entangled with the man unknown to her in what feels like their own space.

"Sorry for this shameless intrusion, but we need to get you out of here." The man stated with his head hang low. Faith is now stuck in between fearing for her life—as the gun was still below her chin—and getting curious why these men give high importance to this man who is holding a gun against her.

"And why is that?" the man casually asked back not breaking eye contact with Faith.

"The sirens, the authorities are here. We need to get you to safety, Boss." The man answered, head still hanging low.

"Go deal with those pieces of shits; just kill them if necessary…" after giving such violent order, the man stood up and was ready to leave with the others when the man with remorseless icy orbs spoke once again.

"And also, bring one of them back here, alive. I'm gonna end this little talk once and for all." As he finished speaking, all of his seven men retreated to the unlighted part of the back alleyway.