The Game Of Chase

Half naked men

A.N~ This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, incidents and locations are products of the author's imagination. They don't have any affects in real life. Any resemblance to any living and dead or any events is totally coincidental.

***

The cogent sound of the grinder and the sharp smell of the spicy sauce wafted across the kitchen, with Nana cutting the cherry tomatoes which I hated for her authentic Italian pasta.

Dangling my feet down the kitchen counter, I turned another page of the magazine where faces of handsome models were portrayed. This was the best a twelve years old could do to pass her boring time.

Well, they were... what the girls in my class call them again? Yes, hot!

"What're you ogling at those half naked men, girl?" Nana asked, glancing at me from the corner of her aged eyes.

"I'm not ogling! Just looking. And why not? They're handsome, and... hot!"

Her nose scrunched hearing this. "Good God! Where did you learn that word, young lady? And those men," she said, taking the magazine from my hand, "there is nothing beautiful about them. They look like some hairless chicken!"

A frown marred my forehead. "What's wrong with that?"

She sighed in exaggeration. "Always remember one thing. It will help you when you come of age." Dropping the magazine, she leaned in, her eyes serious. "Never trust a man who doesn't have hair on their chest."

Now it was my turn to scrunch my nose.

"Mother! How many times do I have to tell you not to say those absurd things to her? She is too young for that." Nana rolled her eyes going back to her sauce as Mom strolled in, glaring at the old woman.

"Yeah, too young that she finds those men hot," mumbled Nana sarcastically, stirring her pasta.

Ignoring her, Mom turned to me and cupped my face. "Sweetheart, don't listen to her. She was just blabbering," Mom said, causing Nana to huff at her daughter's displeasing remark. "It doesn't matter if the man has hair on his chest or not, handsome or not, rich or poor. What matters is, if he is a good man, if he loves you with his whole heart. And when you will find someone like that, then think that he is the prince your fairy godmother has sent for you."

"And when will I find my prince, Mom?" My wide curious eyes stared at her hazel ones.

She smiled, looking down at me. "Soon, baby. You will find him soon."

Suddenly, her beaming face started to get blurry. I rubbed my eyes, but her sight only got hazier. Her distant voice drifted to my ear, but I couldn't seem to respond as black spots spread across my vision. And then everything was dark.

Out in the darkness, a whisper echoed like a gust of wind somewhere from an uncouth distance, drawing me towards it...

And then the whisper turned louder and louder, slowly pulling me from a profound darkness towards the rays of bright light that danced across my closed eyelids, an urgent voice reached my ears along with a jerk on my entire upper half.

I almost thought an earthquake was taking a troll around the house, until her sweet yet alarmed voice kicked my brain to consciousness.