Lost Souls - 3. Felix Rhodes- Man on the run and the lady in waiting

Lisa couldn’t understand it.

It happened so fast none of it was logical. Harmony was on the stool next to her at the bar; Nick was working the afternoon shift and would be leaving before the night really picked up. That was the main reason she agreed with Harmony’s prick of a boyfriend to come with him to the bar.

Lisa had no idea what Harmony saw in him, Felix was an asshole to everyone without some sort of sporting record. He believed he was God’s gift to grass, and every step he made on the earth would result in choir singing praises. She couldn’t deny the guy his due, Felix was perfectly sculpted, like most guys on the wrestling team. His sandy hair and naturally tanned skin even reminded her of her famous modelling brother back home. He was cocky, arrogant but had enough confidence and smarts to get away with it, and Harmony was in love with him. Harmony saw the same thing in him that Scott did. They both saw a wounded boy or a victim or some crap like that. It was pity as far as Lisa was concerned and Felix was just another spoilt jock,… one that stood protectively in front of Harmony.

“Lisa!”

Blinking quickly, Felix’s husky voice slammed into her demanded her attention.

“Lisa, take my truck, your car is too far away right now. Head to Scott’s and tell him something, anything but the truth”

“Felix, what’s wrong?” Harmony squeeze Felix’s bicep tighter a bit stunned by his sudden need to lie to Scott

“Lisa stop looking lost and get your ass moving!”

Lisa jumped and ran around the Ford to the driver’s side. God what the hell would she tell Scott, she really didn’t care much for him, always figuring he would use her like he did every other girl. Scott was notorious for moving through girls like pistachios, she almost fell for him, but two weeks ago Nick came into her life; the bartender was all Scott was without the risk.

Turning the ignition she scratched off, not sparing a glance back to her friends.

“Felix, talk to me” Harmony spun the larger man around to meet her gaze again. “what happened back there and what is it you want to settle?”

Sighing, he dropped his eyes down to her own and held her shoulders gently. “I blacked out again, and this time it’s too late to get away, I’m not risking you running off against these animals without my protection”

No one is getting hurt because of this shit inside me

Felix knew he wasn’t making much sense, in fact he knew that the reason for the blackouts were due to his denial, a denial that was bound to start taking victims soon enough.

The cars parked and 7 guys and a girl got out of them, the guys ranged from well-muscled, much like Felix, to wide and fat, probably a blocker build. He couldn’t do this, not alone, not even with Scott by his side. He looked over to Harmony on his arm,

Fuck and now I dragged her into this… again

“I need to start taking responsibility for my mistakes” Felix said almost in a whisper. Harmony locked her arm through Felix’s.

“We were never a mistake Felix, you never had to hide from me”

“I..I.. I’m so sorry Harmony” Felix embraced her looking over her shoulder at the approaching figures with bats in their hands.

“Travis!” The girl of the group shrieked and ran over to the unconscious man, she was a petite thing, chocolate brown skin and impossibly blue eyes.

“Wake up babe.” She was slapping him now. Felix and Harmony didn’t exists to her, she glanced back once almost daring them to do a thing to her while the goons approached them

“Harmony, I want you to run”

“What?! No, of course not, Felix listening to me, none of this, none of who you are” She reached out and touched his cheek. “none of it is your fault, we were friends above all, and before anything else, Scott and I were the only ones who knew what you went through. Don’t you think it hurt us to see you take out your anger on those kids at school?. We stood by you Felix, we always will because we know that we are all you have left and we love you. I love you Felix”

She smiled stroking a tear away from his cheek. “Regardless of who this big boy goes in” snaking a sly hand to Felix’s crotch. They both grinned. “my love for you will never change”

“I don’t deserve you Harmony” He said folding her hand in his own

“I know” she chuckled “but now isn’t the time to discuss that, do you think we can talk to them, explain you blacked you?”

“Haha, do you see Travis’s face, no, I doubt they want to talk”

“ Homo?!” one of the boys asked with mock curiosity.

Felix cringed at the comment, only her steady hand in his kept him from lunging at the group. Obviously that would be a mistake.

“hey, who the fuck do you think we are talking to faggot!” a shorter stockier male said from the back of the group.

But that was all that was said. Felix was turned to Harmony so he didn’t have time to react, the bat hit him full on his shoulder he stumbled but didn’t fall.

“get out of here Harmony” Felix wheeze, afraid now of the distance he was away from her.

“No” harmony stood between Felix and the offender. It was all happening so fast for her but it always was with Felix. “Not the noblest lot are we?! 7 against 1 is hardly fair”

“save the speech” He tighten his grip on the bat.

This fucker is actually going to swing at her.

Something in Felix’s mind clicked, this wasn’t just a beating, these guys just didn’t want to rough him up, no, this looked far worse. Felix shot up from his crouched position and flew pass Harmony, wrapping his arms around the guy’s legs before he could swing. It was a poor attempt at a lariat but it got the job done, both Felix and his opponent landed a few meters away from Harmony.

“Harmony! THESE MEN WILL KILL YOU!!” Felix emphasized every word after he turned his head away from the struggling mass in his pin. The guy was a little winded from the fall but not completely out.

“Please” he pleaded, softening his expression to look at her “please just run”

It was more than confliction; harmony was accepting that she was leaving Felix to die, but what could she do. Most of the crowd had already dissipated, the people that did remained seemed too stunned at what was happening to make any rational decisions. Lisa’s car was on the opposite side of the woods, if she could make it there maybe she could get help, maybe she could get paramedics back to Bridges in time to revive Felix from whatever state he was in.

Her hand rattled at her sides and hot tears ran down her cheek, but she didn’t have time to take a back seat to her emotions. Coming to a decision she made a run for it, but herd footsteps behind her.

No Felix panicked. He got off of the guy and darted after the three that followed Harmony. He wasn’t far behind them, but they already started down the hill after her and had a bit of momentum on him. He shot forward as fast as he could, breaking loose branches never losing sight of the 3 guys in front of him. He saw a short but sheer ledge, Harmony was running below while the 3 goons above just in front of him. Seeing a way to get close to her, he jumped down, risking serious injuring and landed just shy behind Harmony. She jumped.

“Felix?”

“Keep moving!” he barked the guys closing in a bit more

Harmony spun back around and darted down the hill beneath her,dogging trees and fallen pines, Felix close behind her. He was with her now, when she saw him she had too fight the urge to reach out and touch him. They both could make it now after they cleared this thick area they would be home free.

Yes, she knew it was always a risk with Felix, from the moment he stepped into her life it was string after delicate string that needed to be unraveled from his psyche; each one with the potential to violently explode. When they met she was 50 pounds heavier than she was today and eating her meals from the closest fast food place she could find off campus. Her brown hair was often dirty and frizzled; she was never the type to spend much time on it. Her skin still carry the same beautiful sheen, one Felix always told her reminded him of peach torch ginger. She didn’t see it, what she did see was that it was filled with blemishes from a long battle with adult acne. Her head was down, the ground was always just and entertaining to her as any of the people around her could ever be, that’s probably why she never noticed Felix and watching Scott watching her that Sunday.

It was Felix who approached her, but she knew better, she knew the type of guy Felix was on campus, his temper proceeded him wherever he went… but not today. The man that came up to her just sat across from her at her both in the Library, he didn’t say a word to her, just opened his Science journal and flicked through it mindlessly. It wasn’t exactly torturous, he was free to sit where he wanted but Harmony wasn’t exactly comfortable either. She shifted in her seat, probably adjusting her tan blouse synchronously with each time that she blinked. She remembered Felix chuckling, a deep earthy rumble that made her breath catch.

“I’m sorry” he began to break down, placing the magazine down on the booth table “I really didn’t intend to make you uncomfortable, actually I’m kind of flattered I have that effect on you”

What…

Harmony was sure her thought was plastered all over her face. This couldn’t be the same asshole that prowled UNH like a wolverine in a sausage factory. He was smiling now, his teeth were impossibly white and his grin sliced through her insecurities like a knife.

“I.. I’m Harmony”

“I know, I’m Felix” Harmony was stunned but didn’t let it show in her face, she was riding the wave now, one produced purely by Felix’s charm.

“Who doesn’t know that?”

Felix chuckled “yeah, I have a bad rap I think, its mostly true though don’t worry” He grinned again, it was a sick juxtaposition between admitting his atrocities and the warmth of his smile. Harmony should have gotten up then, every nerve in here body was telling her this would be a mistake.

“You know you have a beautiful name,” She jumped being brought out for her thoughts. “it’s almost like I feel at ease just saying it”

“yeah, pity its, probably the only beautiful thing about me”

Felix looked her over, “yeah, pretty much” he said with a straight face, but his eyes never left hers. Yup that’s all she needed to hear to get the fuck out of there. Harmony got up, not another word and made for the door.

“wait I’m sorry” Felix grabbed her arm. “it’s just, I see so much potential in you.”

“I’m not a project” Harmony spat, just wanting to hide away somewhere dark

“No you’re not, what you should be is desired, admired and I know you are a lot more confident that you are right now.”

“fat chance,” she chuckled at her pun “you do recall you telling me I’m ugly right?”

“Actually I don’t” Felix said a grin curling on his lips. “what I remember is you telling me how you look and I agreeing with what I saw.” Felix knew he was threading on eggshells but he figured Harmony needed to hear it.

“people don’t do that, it’s cruel!”

“I thought my reputation preceded me” Felix released her arm he knew that she wouldn’t leave now, even if it was because of anger

Harmony studied him for a bit. He was a risk, even staying here in the middle of the lobby with him was a risk but there was something he knew that she didn’t and there was a faint glow about the man beneath those toothy grins and arrogant remarks that she wanted to uncover.

“What do you want from me Felix” His grin reappeared instantly.

“I want to show you my garden”

sorry i'm a day late with this one,   hope you guys enjoy all the same.