A Window To A Soul

Chapter 9: Della

I feel bad. I know that Cal would never hurt me, but I've been thinking about Elliott's words. Maybe he's right.

That's probably why, as I was thinking this, I was met with yet another bodyguard at my doorstep. The scorekeeper eyed me, probably wondering why I had requested another bodyguard so soon.

This one had messy, red hair, and a mean look on his face. He had a large scar on his left cheek as if he had been beaten badly years ago. But he obeyed me no matter what I said. He seemed like he was more of a soldier than he was a bodyguard. I asked for his name, and to make it short, it was Malakai Corden. He wouldn't look me in the eye, no matter what I tried to do.

I felt hurt and hated myself for getting a new bodyguard, knowing full and well that Cal is enough. We get along just fine, so why was I doing this?

I silently led the bodyguard to his room, which was right next to Cal's room but farther away from mine.

I left him alone to deal with whatever he needed to deal with. Then I went to my room to gather my thoughts. I felt weird having another bodyguard in my home. I thought it would be nice, but it just feels weird. He's not like Cal. Nobody was like Cal. Cal was sweet, even though he didn't look so from the outside. But I knew him well.

He was a lot more comfortable in front of me now. Just not enough to be rude, which I don't mind much.

I decided to read a book on my bed as I waited for Cal to come home. Sure enough, as I was halfway through the book, I heard familiar footsteps in the hallway. I jumped up, not bothering to put the bookmark back, and ran for the door. I opened it to be met with a tall, handsome bodyguard. It was Cal.

He looked at me surprised, probably wondering why I had swung the door open so suddenly. I glanced down the hall. Then I looked back at him. "Cal! I got another bodyguard."

I don't know why, but at that moment, he seemed sad. He was surprised, that's for sure, but I didn't expect to see that expression from him. I regretted it. I regretted it all. Why did I have to get another bodyguard? Cal is enough! He's strong enough! If the other one ends up killing me, Cal will die too! I hated myself.

But then Cal smiled. "That's good. You can never get enough. Elliott is living proof of that."

I smiled fakely. I had a hard time believing that he meant it. Then he turned away and went to his room.

Later that day, we were sitting at the table. Malakai stood at the doorway. He was late due to taking a shower earlier. Malakai and Cal met for the first time. Malakai stared at Cal with recognition. Then it occurred to me that they may know each other. I looked at Cal and saw a look of hatred. Oh no. I hated myself even more. I got a new bodyguard that my current bodyguard hates.

But before I had the chance to say anything about it, Cal smiled at Malakai and got up to pull his chair out for him to sit. It was on the other side of the table. Malakai kept his face of anger that he seemed to always be wearing. He walked over to the chair and sat down.

I smiled fakely. "This is Malakai. Malakai, this is Cal."

Malakai nodded. "Yes, My Great One. We've met."

My eyes widened as if I hadn't already realized that. "Oh? When?"

Cal picked up his knife and cut his food. "When we were 13. We were invited to one of Elliott's balls. He was one of the trainees from a different class."

Malakai didn't say anything. He also didn't eat anything. I quickly ate my food and then cleaned the dishes. Malakai went to the exercise room. Cal stood by my side. "Do you need help?"

I shook my head. "No. But thanks. Dinner was good."

I glanced at him and saw him smile. "Thank you."

I washed off the first plate I had picked up. "You should teach me sometime."

He leaned against the counter, back to the wall. "Gladly."

I stopped scrubbing the dish and sighed. "You and Malakai don't like each other. Do you?"

Cal looked at me. He faked confusion. "What do you mean? I think he's fine!"

I smiled lopsidedly. "I don't believe that. You can be honest with me, you know."

Cal shrugged. "I don't know I guess when I saw him last, even though it was so long ago, we just didn't like each other from the start. There's just something about him. It's just..."

He stopped talking. He shook his head and then smiled. "Nevermind." He pushed himself off of the counter and then walked to the doorway. "I'm going to go clean the bedrooms."

I nodded. "Okay."

I did the rest of the dishes in silence. Cal was hiding something from me. I hope it's not too serious or anything. Then I thought about how he said it was at one of Elliott's balls. I turned the water off and dried my hands.

I feel like I should talk to Elliott about it. I made my way to the floor with our rooms on it. I noticed that my door was open. I walked in and looked around. Cal was standing next to the bed, looking at the book that I had left on the bed earlier.

It was about rebels. One of them was a boy, 15 years old. He was a bodyguard trainee. He ended up sneaking into the mansion of a 14-year-old Great One. The Great One was a girl and she had finally been seen for the first time. They end up escaping and it turns out that the boy was Oden in disguise. The girl is killed and it ends with the Oden taking her place in the mansion. I was rereading it.

I smiled. "Have you read it?"

He looked at me and shook his head. "No. But I've heard of it. It's one of the most popular ones. I heard Yan made it. She was bored when she was 17 and wrote half the book in one day."

I nodded my head. "I loved that story. Sometimes I get bored and wonder if I should write a book like she did. But then I remember that I can barely even spell simple words."

Cal put the book on my desk behind him. "Well, maybe I could be your editor."

I smiled. "Thanks. But I don't think I have the patience to even think of a good idea."

Cal smiled back at me. "That's fine." Then he went on to finish cleaning the rest of the room...