The Past Life of Luxury

Loretta remembers the joy and pains of her past

Loretta dashed across the streets. Jumping over several carts and pushing aside many people. To add, she was still wearing her, as she called it ‘these damn, mother f****r, screwed up dresses’. You can’t meet the third most superior person of your country without proper attire, or in other words that-one-outfit-she-gave-you-last-Christmas-that-you-must-wear-next-time-you-see-her. Loretta wore a black leather corset over her purple velvet dress, which flared out and cropped right above her knees; added with black tights, and converse boots, violet laces on both the corset and boots. Just to say, she looked like one pop superstars, running violently away from the paparazzi.

Grant however was confused as anyone could be. First off, the woman without emotions actually acted like it was the end of the world. And so he followed her antics. The most he got when he ran out of the house was sweats pants and a jacket, not even buttoned neatly. He dashed after her barefoot. Feeling every rock jabbed against his foot as he went. Luckily, he snatched a pair from a person he ran by. Now he was more of hopping the whole way as he struggled to get the shoes on, while managing the escape the angry person he stole from. D****t Loretta! Madly, he dashed after her, nearly catching up despite all the obstacles.

At the castle, Loretta had knocked over the princess, her boss.

“Loretta!” the brat shrieked

“Charlotte!” she grabbed the small girl by the shoulders “Have you a crazy woman?” she raised one hand in the air “Yay high? And purple eyes?”

“No! Now let go of me before I get daddy to fire you!”

Loretta released her shoulders then retains her impassive face. Despite being next to the brat, she was actually glad Diane hadn’t come yet. Charlotte flipped her brown hair back.

“Since, you came anyways you can go and clean the horse stalls.” She looked at her with that snooty look, humor burning in her brown eyes. Sadly for her, Loretta was still apathetic. That is, behind her mask. Die! Die! Die! Die! Why won’t you die yet b***h! Die! Burn in the flames I throw mentally at you! Die!!!!!!! This went on for about two hours, until she finished cleaning the stalls.

In the large corridors, Grant was no doubt lost. Standing idly, he wandered around, looking the woman. Then he came across the throne. He hid behind a column, but spied on the group of people there. He could tell which ones were nobles, the ones wearing bands of gold and elegant dresses. There were three of them. One man, with white streaks in his brown hair, long tangled beard and small blue eyes. A woman, skinny and small, she wore a red silk dress, with her blonde hair tied up in a bun and brown eyes. The third was probably their daughter who had long brown hair in a ponytail, brown eyes and a fancy blue dress.

Then there were the other people, who were probably foreign soldiers. All of them buff in the trio. One had spiky raven hair and three diagonal scars down his face. Another man had long blond hair, which hung over his face and covered his black eyes, his body heavily tattooed. Lastly there was a man with brighter shade of red hair, in the very back, with unreadable blue eyes, never speaking. After surveying his threats, he listened intently to their conversation.

“Speak, why do you foreigners come here?” the king hollered in a deep gruff voice.

Is the old man deaf or something?! Grant thought. The man yelled as if he couldn’t hear himself. Even the travelers flinched.

The raven hair man was the first to speak “Your Eminence King George, we have come to see a dear friends of ours.”

“Tell the name of your friend”

“Laura.”

“We know no Laura here in this place.”

“What do you mean you don’t know who Laura is!?” the tattooed man yelled

His quiet friends held back his shoulder shaking his head. “Remember? Laura is her nickname, Raoul.”

His friend snapped back at his, mad that was he humiliated. “I know her name Kane!”

Grant chuckled to himself, the man didn’t even know his friends full name and they came here to get her.

“If you'll listen, you’re Majesty” Kane said “Raoul, Henry and I came to see our friend, Loretta I believe you know her?”

All of Grant’s attention was caught when he heard her name.

“Yes, but you have my daughter were she is.” The queen said

He turned to the smaller girl but she refused. The next five minutes the group argued over Loretta. Grant pressed his back against the cold marble trying to figure out why these three men were so eager to see her. And she never mentioned anything about friends. The closest she got was humming how she pushed her best friend off a cliff.

“Everyone shut the f**k up!”

All six heads snapped towards Grant who emerged from behind the column. His hands were in his pockets, and he stood up straight “Damn, y’all are so f*****g loud!”

Charlotte stared at him mesmerized. Wild, spiked dark red hair, deep blue eyes, tall, muscular, handsome, he was her perfect knight in shining armor.

“Oh I’m very sorry we’re we bothering you?” she purred trying to get his attention.

He just eyed her out of the corner of his eye, trying not to be disgusted that the sixteen year old girl was trying to flirt with him, twenty-three years olds. “Yeah whatever, how nice” he said apathetically. Then he averted his attention back to travelers. “Want do you want with my master?”

“What we don’t want anything to do with the King!?” Raoul yelled.

Grant paused for a moment staring at him. He screams a lot. “No, not that king, or that queen or that little runt over there.”

Charlotte retorted but no one paid any attention.

“What do you want with my Master?” he voice seeped with venom. Even though he would never admit it, he had a soft spot. He actually cared for other people, just never showed it. Loretta was already living in a shack with a s****y life, he couldn’t help but be sympathetic, on the inside that is. Maybe that’s why he felt so comfortable around her.

Also, these guys were really pissing him of, being the bunch of morons they are.

“Who’s you’re master?”

“Yeah punk!? Why are you so concerned!?”

“Raoul, please!”

Grant let them bicker before he spoke

“My master, you morons, is that dam woman.”

They all pointed to Charlotte “Her?”

“No,” Slowly, a mocking smile grew on his face “Loretta.”

On cue, Loretta appeared from a door.

“I cleaned your horses stall. Now what do want me to do next?” she seemed pretty pissed to everyone, although her features didn’t say so.

“Loretta?”

She turned around to the familiar voice. When she saw them she dropped everything. Her face actually brightened with joy. “Henry? Raoul? Kane?”

“Loretta!” Raoul called pushing in front “You haven’t seen in how many years and all you can say is that?!” he had a cocky smile

Loretta ran to them and jump into his arms. He lifted her as they embrace, but let go and she threw her arms around Henry, who picked her off her feet and spun her around.  After he set her down, Loretta approached Kane, who had his head down

“Are you still mad at me?” his was barely audible as he spoke.

“Are you going to ask that every time I see you?”

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, awkwardly he tried hugging her back. Suddenly, there was a growl. Everyone turned in surprise, staring at Grant.

S**t! Do I actually do that?! He shrugged off whatever reason caused him distress maybe because he’s surrounded by morons?

This caught Loretta attention “Guys, I want you to meet my mutt, mutt meet my friends.”

“Names would help woman.”

“Henry, Kane, Raoul meet dumbass, dumbass meet Henry, Kane and Raoul” she stated plainly.

He twitched before saying his comeback “I’m Grant, that b***h’s babysitter, because she can’t seem to keep her a*s out of trouble.”

“Did I mention that dumbass has problems?”

“You’re the one with problems b***h”

Too soon, they started arguing. Kane had excused them for the commotion they caused left. On the streets people watched in amazement at how many curses could fly in a complete sentence under five minutes. Grant even starting throwing chairs after Loretta threw a cat at him. Even Raoul got involved, being hit by a flying coach. Both Henry and Kane, the last sane ones, had to sorely drag the imbeciles away. To their relief they found a bar, they only place fighting is allowed. Loretta slipped out multiple knives, Grant tore a metal pipe off the wall and Raoul unsheathed the sword on his belt.

Henry turned to Kane “So maybe this wasn’t a good idea?”

Five knives went soaring through the air. Grant ducked, and then deflected the oncoming wave. Raoul lunged at Loretta, who jumped and effortlessly back flipped off the wall. Taking this opportunity, Grant swung at Loretta. She avoided last minute, twisting so she landed on the metal pipe, trying to keep her balance. Next, Raoul slashed at Grant; he jump-turned with one leg, while the other was brought down harshly. Loretta still trying to balance, on his weapon, flipped off and onto his head, digging in her heels. With both arms up and feet planted, Raoul blocked the attacked but was pushed back by the force. He stopped next to the doors

“Hah!” Raul screamed in triumph. Then the doors swung open, flattening the poor man.

“I heard fighting and I wanna join too!” hollered the person who swung the doors open. She stood taller than usually, maybe that’s what two years away does. She wore faded jeans and a T-shirt of a puppy saying

Will you rub my belly?

Her hair was longer, reaching down to her shoulder blades, still flipping out in layers. That once, petite body was now more curvy, defined, with muscles than before, but still she nearly had her flat chest. The major change was that she wasn’t as hyper active as before; but she still has too much energy for her own good.

“Diane!” Loretta shrieked, she dropped everything and ran towards the woman. Diane held out her arms to her. It was all too familiar; it felt like she was back at home with this crazy woman living next door. Loretta had noticed that even with the added height, she had outgrown her by five inches.

Diane looked up at her, small tears in the corner of her eyes “See I told you, that’s one day you’ll be taller than me. It all comes with having tall parents.”

Loretta realized she was crying when small droplets slashed on Diane’s face.

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

“That’s another thing.”

Loretta froze. Did they, the most perfect couple, break up! “What happened!?”

“We’re engaged.”

She could barely contain herself. She felt like a little girl going to the candy shop; bouncing up and down staring at the shelves full of candy. Squealing when she finally found got the candy.

The men in the room watched in amazement, seeing the usually stoic woman act so juvenile.

All of sudden a man slammed opened the doors. Looking frantic, his white hair tangled in a wild mess, worse than Grants. It went in every possible direction in spikes, but narrowed down to thing locks at his nape, touching his shoulders and a rat tail. Even though he was hunched over, coal black eyes widen in concern, you could tell he was tall. Even leaning over, his head touched the roof of this small bar.

“I heard a scream!” he looked at Diane “Did you kill anybody?!”

She frowned, arms hanging at her sides “Why do you still treat me like when I was younger?”

“Because I seriously think one day, you’re gonna lose it”

“Is it because of you?”

“Partially, yes” he turned to Loretta “Hey, shaughty, long time, no see.”

“Hey, Blake, you’re still as taller as ever.”

As he straightened up, his head hit the ceiling “Never mind I’ll wait outside. Don’t kill anyone Diane”

“Yes mother”

They’re engaged? Grant thought staring at couple. Nothing made sense anymore. To add, that lady came in with such confidence it pissed him off.

Diane looked around the room “Oh hey, their your friends right?” she paused in motion “I’m sorry I forgot your names

“You’re still as annoying as ever!”

“Why am I not surprised?”

“I knew this would happen”

Grant leaned in whispering harshly to Loretta “Is that b***h f*****g serious?”

She heard this, all of it, even the remorse in their minds. Taking in offense, her eyes narrowed dangerously, sending chills down their spines. “Now I remember.”

She pointed Raoul “Troll”

Pointed at Henry “Pervert”

Pointed at Kane “Mute.”

Then she pointed at the Grant “As for the new guy,” she took note of him scars, wild dark red hair in a fashion sense pretty blue eyes with long eyelashes, muscular, and nice smile A devilish grin grew on her face “You must be a unicorn.”

Everyone, was shocked

“Why the f**k am I a unicorn?” he yelled, dangerously approaching her

“Because,” she rolled her eyes at him, which made him even angrier “Obviously you have no male features. You could be as feminine as a lady. You are stupid and pathetic and girlish and�"”

He punched her. To his surprise, she held back his arm with one finger. Glaring at him dead the in eye, then something flickered. Pain shot his body. His limbs lost feeling, burning, rippling. His entire body felt like it was impaled, burning. Grant fell to the ground, squirming uncontrollably. Loretta dropped down to his sides trying to help him up.

“Oops.” Diane stood there shocked “I think I’ve been on deployment for too long.”

Loretta picked up the numb body, disgusted when she saw his eye roll to the back of his head “You think?”

Blake came rushing in, not before hitting his head on the pipe. He cursed as held he his forehead. When he opened his eyes he saw Grant unconscious “Aw man! Not again!” he turned to his fiancé “Diane!?” he whined

“What?”

“What is this the fifth time today!?”

“He asked for it!”

“That’s what you said last time.”

“Oh yeah, so you should be the one telling me my wrongs when you spazzed out and flipped over car”

He opened his mouth, then shut it, then opened it again “It approached us as we were crossing the road.”

“Yeah at five miles per hour!”

Loretta joined in, trying to get their attention “Okay! You two have clearly been on deployment for too long!”

“Shut up!” they screamed in unison “It was only two years!”

 

In short, the bartender kicked them out before they could do any more damage. Diane went on about the things see saw during her deployment with Henry, both comparing their experiences. Blake, had to carry Grant all they way to the hotel. It was hard for anyone who just met Blake to not freak out over his height. When he carried Grant on his back it looked like an older brother carrying his younger sibling. Kane walked silently behind them all, not a noise made. Raoul strode and chat with Loretta, who then looked up at him, marveling his well angled face. She remembered when they used to date, how they’d hold hands, when she’d lean into him and he’d kissed. That reminded her she had dated all three: Henry, Raoul and Kane. They were all sixteen.

 

Henry and Kane were the first ones. They were dating her at the same time. It wasn’t that they didn’t know, they were the ones who knew! It was Loretta who didn’t. Who fell in love with a boy who sent her love poems in her locker. That boy was Kane. The letters where how he’d admire her, felt about her, he gave her his locker number if she ever wanted to reply. Loretta curiosity grew, who was her masked admirer? But out of all the times, to find someone at her locker, it was Henry. Trying to mimic his friend’s ideas on getting the girl. This came in confusion, Loretta thinking it was Henry who was putting the notes in her locker, she confronted him and he took the credit. But Kane kept dropping notes in their, even when she was dating Henry, who made him keep quiet about the truth. Eventually, the truth came out, when she opened Kane’s binder, finding her replies.

After everything revealed itself. Loretta left, becoming stone cold. That’s how she met Raoul. A fight broke out in the neighborhood and Loretta got involved. Most people were knocked out before she knew it. The only one, who managed to actually get her, was Raoul. That impressed her, she had been trained countless, by numerous of relatives and friends. For someone to land a punch impressed her. And that’s how they started dating. Honestly, she thought he was the one. So comfortable around him, she could do anything she wanted. Fights were okay. Loretta loved him more than life. Sadly, he didn’t feel the same. Slowly, did she realize they way he looked at his childhood friend and it hurt, like a thousand splinters in her heart. But she broke off their relationship.

The she became a hollow shell of a person. Bitterly, she remembered the much needed support. But her father was deployed, her mother overloaded with work and pregnant with her younger brother. She couldn’t spill all of her problems over her twelve year old sister. And her older brother wasn’t there; he’d always disappeared for months, reappear shortly only before disappearing again. There was no support at all. Her father was away, her mother was in labor. She desperately needed her brother, so she ran away, trying to find him.

Tears, streamed down her face. She was losing it. Loretta was losing it, her life, her sanity, family, everything. Bare feet pounded against the rocky ground, broken shards of glass scattered. Her thought wrapped her, numbered her pain, she just wanted to find her brother; he was the only one who could understand. He never loved anyone, until he met Diane. Imagine how it was for him when she started dating Blake. He disappeared fro then on, trying to cope. She remembered how he came home drunk one night, right after turning eighteen, legally drinking age. How father beat him for being so reckless, scaring everyone with his disappearance. How their mother, restrained her husband, before yelling at him. How the younger sister, Stella, couldn’t remember her elder brother’s face, how she cried when the ‘stranger’ disrupted their movie night. How she cried, trying to compensate with her brother, trying to help heal his internal wound. Eventually he got over it, everything, Diane. But no one ever told Diane the real reason why he ran away so often. Now it was a hard habit for him to break. Run away. Get drunk. Wander. Come back and repeat. He suffered enormous pain because of his choices. But he made it through. If there was anyone who could help Loretta, it would be Seth.

It was a snowy night, freezing her until she couldn’t move anymore. Then she felt a familiar pair of arms pick her up

“Loretta?” Seth immediately fell to his sister’s side, scooping in his arms “What the hell are you doing her?”
            Sadly, all she could manage was to say his name, staring at him with pleading eyes.

“Don’t worry, I know a place!” and he bolted down the snow streets. Amazingly he didn’t slip against the icy sheet over the sidewalk, even though the world blurred around them. There was something different about her brother she noticed. They way he had to be careful when he held hr as if she was a delicate piece of china. They way he effortlessly, gracefully, ran down the slippery roads.

His rented apartment was small, shabby, barely enough room to move with two people. He delicately, set her down on the couch, throwing the nearest blanket he could find over her. And they sat there for a while, neither one of them speaking. Loretta trying to regain warmth. Seth trying not to jump over the couch and strangle his sister for her stupidity, but he figured that stupidity ran in the family, from their father.

“So” Loretta drawled, breaking the silence “Are you going to scold me?” her voice shrunk with each word

Seth stared at her with his intense, piercing eyes, the same emerald color. “I guess, not since your conscience is probably making you feel guilty enough.” He shrugged “I would’ve if you tried to skip the subject”

“Seth?”

“You wanted to talk about your problems right?” he leaned over the small coffee table

They way he could easily read her mind scared her “Yeah but first, can I ask you something else?”

He cut off her train of thought, answering all her questions in one question. “If you’re wondering why I keeping disappearing it’s because of my new job. I took an old occupation, you know dad’s, bounty hunting? So I took that up. After each hunt I travel back home. And yes it doesn’t pay much for that luxurious life we’re used to but I think this is the life for me. The thrill of adventure, the journey, setting out my foot by myself. It’s me.”

He stared at her.

He definitely changed she thought. “One more then.”

“Shoot.”

“You’ve changed, not personality but physically…I think.”

“It’s nothing. You just haven’t seen me that often.”

“Seth!”

As well as he could read her mind, was as easily she could read his. That question was impossible to divert. He bit his lips “You’re going have to find that one out by yourself kiddo.”

She frowned. “Then I assume I can break down about my boy problems then?”

“Do I need to beat up some ore punks?”

And with that, she knew this was the same Seth. Even though he was different, he was the same Seth she grew with.

Their talk wasn’t sappy, like she expected. Actually it was humorous. Loosing the number of times he fell over doubled with laughter hearing her ‘problems’. Soon in time, she snuggled up against the couch. Her eyes closed their lids one by one. Finally, she was deep asleep on the couch. Seth fed wood to the fire, as he watched his younger sister sleep, peacefully. He kissed her forehead. Patted her head. And started writing a letter. Then his friend came through the door, snow flakes stuck in his hair. Realized he died his hair black

Turning back to the letter, his stared at the ground wide-eyed, trying his best not to laugh at him “So I did win the bet?”

“…you seriously, f*****g don’t remember?!” he friend snarled

Seth shook his head. “Sorry, you should’ve checked if I remembered what happened before dying your hair.”

“You drink too much for a kid.”

“Nineteen is not considered a kid.”

“Too me, it is.”

Seth sighed; he stashed the letter in Loretta’s pocket. Before his friend could ask anything, Seth threw something at him. With ease he caught it.

“Keep that.” Seth said as he picked up his sister “And if you ever run into her, protect her as if you’re life depends on it.”

His friend looked his straight in the eye, still holding whatever he threw at him. “So you finally decided how I’m going to repay the favor huh?”
            “Yep” and with that he walked out the door.

His friends sat there and rubbed his hair, cussing when some of the dye stuck to his hand. “That crazy b*****d wants me to protect someone I don’t even know.” All he could remember was that it was a girl.

When Loretta awoke, she was back in her bed. Seth was gone. No where in sight; this left a sharp pang in her heart. But she shouldn’t be complaining, his job, to keep himself living, to keep his small home, job for food and clothes, it kept him away for a reason. And it was his decision to decide, not hers. Begrudgingly, she scooted of her bed, throwing the bulky blue blankets off. The marble floor was cold invitingly cold, soothing her sore feet. There was a problem though, she couldn’t see. Loretta panicked, everything was white! She ran frantically, and then slammed into wall. Slowly, she slid down. When she opened her eyes, she could see again! Then she saw the white piece of paper, descending ever so slowly onto the ground. On it were in bog, bold letter

You’re not blind so get over it.

Figures her brother would tape his letter to her face. There was a grand, mirror to her right, standing daintily in the corner of her room, next to her vanity. When she saw herself she frowned. Seth had ducked taped the note to her face. Tugging on the glued on gray strip of tape only made her more worried. She took a deep breathe. Three…two…one…zero…and with that she ripped the duck tape of her face. This was followed by screaming curses. Now there rested a red rectangle on her forehead; which stung like a b***h.

When I get my hands on him, I GOING TO KILL HIM

            She opened the note, to see what’s so humorous, that her brother had to duck tape the letter to her face.

                Dear Loretta,

Today our youngest brother (and hopefully our last), Leroy, was born. He biggest baby I’ve seen, but honestly, you’re still the fattest baby. It was funny when I came Dad was there, angry yes, but glad I came. This resulted in an arm wrestler that broke the table (sorry I knew that was your favorite furniture). This was all before we got mom to the hospital. Finally, I got to meet our younger sister, Stella...she greeted me by kicking me in the balls. I lost all feeling after that. Turns out she only remembers me as a weird ‘stranger’, not her older brother (which ran away, so I guess that’s my own fault). It took her awhile to figure out I was her brother, and then she asked me all these questions. My head was about to explode. Right now, mom’s in labor and we’re waiting outside the room. You’re still asleep at home: all fat and lazy. Well, you should’ve figured out by now, that I’ve already left back to do my job. Next time I’ll see you, I bring back a souvenir for all of you.

Love always,

You’re Traveling Brother,

Seth

 

        Loretta smiled, tucking the note away in her pocket. Now she realized, she had a new baby brother. Instantly, her face brightened. Sprinting, she head out the door. Object, hallways, grand windows, portraits and pottery fled past her in her blur of a run. She burst through her parent’s door, panting. And there, in her mother’s arms, he rested, the fragile child. As she came closer she he had their father’s colors, but their mother’s features. Their only thing, he held from them both were his hazel, emerald eyes.

            Her father knew what she gazing intently into his eyes. So he ruffled her hair

“Well, this will probably be the closest I can get for my eye color” he laughed.

Loretta knew well, he had been hoping for a child with his eye color

Her mother, Xonia, shifted the infant in her arms. “That’s because, Zach, Mother Nature favors my emerald eyes over your brown.”

 “Shut up. But the only gene I see in them coming from you is that they always look high.”

“Um, children in here” Loretta whispered, trying to remind them. She cupped Stella’s ears. The outcome of this argument wasn’t going to be pretty.

Xonia narrowed her eyes at her husband. She had large eyes, but they were always half closed, giving her a ‘certain’ look. Seth always looked angry, Loretta always looked tire and Stella was and looked extremely hyper. They had their mother’s eyes.

Xonia brushed back her long, feathered, mocha-colored hair. “That’s explains why they got their anger issues from you.”

“Well then, they got their addictive drinking from you!”

“You play a good part in that too moron!”

“Shuddap!”

Xonia and Zachary Ronan, her perfect parents.

The rest of the day was joyful. The married couple, still snapping at each other, this time it advanced, leaving Zachary with a bright red hand print on his face. But Loretta cradled her brother in her arms, watching Stella run around the acre-yard. The baby cooed in, looking up at her, with a smile that could melt a murderer’s heart. She replied and kissed the child on the cheeks, his skin smooth and soft. He squirmed and laughed, then watched Stella, roll around, crushing the flowers, until the air was stained with their scent; or at least until her white shirt turned pink. Loretta, leaning against a sturdy oak, gave one last laugh before drifting into sleep. Life was good.

 

“Loretta!” Diane called

Her voice brought the disdained women back to reality.

“What?” she replied

“Did you hear anything I said?”

Hell, no “Sorry, could you repeat that?”

“I asked if you could do me a favor

Don’t do it! Don’t do it! “What is it?”

“Well, since the wedding is coming up,” Diane twisted her fingers, in her hands, looking down “I’m trying to find entertainment and thought that some singers will do.”

Okay it’s not that bad “So why are you so nervous?”

“It has to do with the entertainment?”

“Do I have to wear something ridiculous?!”

“Hell no!” Diane slapped her arm, laughing.

“So then,” Loretta said, keeping her poker face “What’s the catch?”

She bit her bottom lip “You’re going to have to sing with Vito.”

And Loretta lost her composure “F**K NO!!!”

Author's Note

my friend has been threatening me to finish this so now: O_o im paranoid. EXPECT TYPOS