Shut Up Already

I stand in the kitchen fixing the collar of my black dress shirt. My left-hand cramps up as I move to make the finishing touches to my shirt with my right. Smoothing out a slight crease as I flex my hands. Grabbing my wallet and phone I hastily check the time and walk out. The muscles in my legs complain from the unexpected physical activity of walking this early in the morning. I pull out my phone and check the time again out of nervous habit, eight o’ four. 

Later on, I have physical therapy, maybe I should have brought a change of clothes with me. With a huff, I continue onwards, the same old sidewalks can’t seem to hold my attention unlike as they usually did. The gaze of another burns into me. Normally I would brush these things off albeit rather annoying. This one felt different not in a good way either but in a cruel and dictating way. One that demands respect but shall never earn it. Goosebumps spread across my skin as I bristle uncomfortably. It’s wrong, we’re not safe, run! I pick up my pace as the anxious thoughts scream, I can hear the sound of ruffling clothes from behind me, the sound picking up as does my speed.

My stride is a borderline run as I make my way past the old church. Not stopping I keep looking at signs and names, reading each and everyone I pull out the piece of paper written in blue ink. Looking up at one last sign I quickly turn down a road seeing a pretty intimidating building in the distance— the biggest one in town. 

I make a b-line for the building the rush of the other picking up tenfold. When I finally rush in sweat buds on my forehead and pain burns in my legs. Walking up to the concerned reception desk a sloppily sign out hoping they can understand me, "Hi, I'm Noah Fletcher, I have a meeting with Mr. Mazza, he told me I could meet up with him in his office?" I grasp at the slip of paper showing the young gentleman at the desk. "Hm, I wasn't aware of this meeting, let me check." 

With an anxious look around and the sound of people chattering, papers shuffling about, footsteps, and even the clicks and clicks of a mouse and keyboard I'm approved. "Alright Mr. Fletcher, you should be good to go, head up to the 13th floor. His office is the last one down the hall." I nod in a soft 'thank you,' as I make my way to the elevator luckily not occupied by others. 

Stepping in I press the round 13 button, crossing my arms I lean against the farthest wall of the box. The familiar stirring feeling of an elevator in my chest presses down on me. Looking up from the metal doors at the number above I watch it climb. Pressure in my chest jolts to halt as the doors open. A bulky man in a midnight four-piece suit stands at the opening, giving me a strange look. Instinctively my nose scrunches in annoyance as he steps in positioning himself away from me. The doors shut again and he moves to click the button of his destination. His shoulders flex under the constraints of the suit as he pauses in his outstretched position. Drawing his hand back at the sight of the highlighted 13.

I can’t help but feel intimidated in his presence, the man is at least six foot seven. Shifting uncomfortably I back myself a bit more into the corner. Why is he so fucking huge? I watch as his muscles bulk underneath the thin fabric, the numbers going up even slower than before. The air is dreadfully tense as I clutch my arm, locking them in front of my chest even tighter. Nine.. ten.. eleven.. twelve..! I look towards the door at the final ding, greeting us with our destination. 

Silently we look at each other with untrustworthy yet bewildered glances. I gesture him towards the exit silently saying, “You go first.” The burly man with short spikey blonde hair shakes his head. “No it’s alright you go first.” His deep rumbling voice beckons out. Before I can rebuttal the doors slowly begin to close and we both rush forward. I collide with his back as we fall out of the elevator. The doors just barely not closing in on my feet. Jumping away from the man we silently nod our heads in acknowledgment and rush off. I watch as he disappears into one of the five doors, the first one on the right. 

What door was Lucio’s again? Ah, the last one down the hall. My gaze travels down the gray walls with black trim and deep burgundy carpeted flooring. Each one of the five doors is tall and intimidating with a rich grayed brown grain. Their handles are a long golden bar beckoning out for their next victim. The sound of a keyboard softly clicking to my right draws my attention. “Hello sir, you must be Noah?” I move my head to the sight of a woman with long natural white hair probably no older than 25. My eyes widen slightly at the messy bun and suit look she wears perfectly. Before I can recover and nod she already is talking, “You can head into Lucio’s office, he doesn’t like when people are late, so at least you did something right.” With a gasp, I look around for a clock– 8:58! I grin and nod at the woman, bowing my head in thanks. Rushing off down the hall without a thought I quickly brush my hands down my attire. Fixing any minor impurity.

Rapping on the door with my knuckles a deep chuckle echos from the door. “Come in.” Opening the door I’m met with the sight of blinding rays of sunlight. Once my eyes focus I step in and shut the door behind me. Linking my arm behind my back my anger rises at the sight of his smirking complexion. “Do you have any clue what I fucking went through to get here you bastard?” I sign aggressively staring daggers into his tanned skin. Lucio’s brow furrows in confusion, standing from his position behind his computer at his desk. “What are you saying?” I take in the dark green suit he wears as my chest puffs. “Did you have one of your men follow me or something? I had a man following me all the way here.” 

I watch as the typically relaxed and annoying man in front of me goes rigid. “How about we just start this meeting off alright?” He changes the subject just like that and I frown. The hair on the back of my neck stand tall as fear grips my gut. This threatening man with one of the coldest auras I’ve ever met went rigid over my words. I resist the urge to pry on the subject and approach the two chairs in front of the desk and sit. He sits as well and begins typing as I take in gulps of my surroundings. The walls are coated in dark blue paint and the furniture is true wood with stunning browns that all match seamlessly together. Without even knowing I stand from my position in the plush chair approaching a bookshelf with at least a hundred books all organized by alphabetical order. Obnoxiously I run my finger gently down the books’ spines without thinking. Not a single fleck of dust clings to my skin as I rub my fingers together, looking around the room again. 

With a hidden smile, I move my hands to draw his attention signing, “You have O.C.D. don’t you? Perfectly tailored suits, organization, meticulous cleaning, and not a single piece of clutter on your desk.” His eyes travel from my hands to my eyes. “I’m glad I offered you this job.” He simply states. He gestures towards the chair and I move over retaking a seat. “As I’ve said previously, I would like to hire you as my bodyguard. Although this comes with many side effects, Which you read over all of them in this document…” He trails off, opening a drawer and grabbing a small stack of stapled paper. Handing it around his computer monitor I grasped the small stack with a huff. This man expects me to actually take my time and read this? With a grumble, I sign, “Do I have to read all of this now?” A smirk resumes on his face, “I would greatly appreciate it if you could.” 

Crossing one leg over my other I lean forward taking in the information laid out before me. With each passing paragraph, my blood runs colder and colder. Looking up from my slumped-over position I glance at the man in front of me. “You ran the cops out of town, didn’t you?” I stand from the seat, the chair falling backward with a loud bang from the force. I throw the papers to the floor gesturing around, “This is all a lie isn’t it? Just a huge cover-up just in case you’re looked into.” 

I back away with a sneer as the man himself stands and chuckles, “You’re acting like a child Noah. You seem to forget, that even with all of your knowledge and ability I can make your life hell. Track you down and tear the last bits of structure you have left right out from underneath your feet.” He rounds the desk as I trip slightly over the chair backing away progressively. 

My mind flashes to the words on the paper. In affiliation with the Mazza Mafia, you hereby sign at the cost of your possible death to protect and serve the Mafia at all costs. As the blurry figure approaches, my eyes focus and I step away. “Sign my fucking life over to your fucking mafia and for what? Some quick cash?” The smirk has long since disappeared, his arms clasped behind his back as he watches with cold and condescending eyes. 

“Are you done yet with your bitching?”