Too Nice

XIII. Past

March 23rd, 2002

Bright lights and loud voices filled the air. He tried everything to get away but was only met with more force and even louder voices. He wanted to go home. This place was too much for the poor man.

"We need a translator! Someone get a translator!"

The man only continued to thrash as more and more different voices appeared. His demands to be let go only became more violent. Just as the man balled up his fist he felt a sharp pain in his thigh. Within a matter of seconds, the raging man was out cold.

"Alright. What's the idiot high off of?"

"My guess is Heroin. The guy is covered in track marks."

"Of course. That's all people use nowadays. Especially the stupid foreigners."

"This country is going downhill."
__________________________

July 3rd, 2017
Present day

"10 more pounds in 3 weeks! This is great!" Viktor shouted happily as Amari stepped off the scale. The now 25-year-old has gotten used to Viktor's workouts. June was a horrible mess, but she wasn't going to allow July to be the same way. July was always Amari's month

"Since when does gaining weight make someone happy?" Amari questioned. She gazed at herself in the large mirror and squeezed the newly formed muscles in her arm.

"Your personal trainer has a fat chick obsess- AHH! Stop! I'm just playing!" Jae screamed. Before he could finish his comment Viktor had him pressed against the gym floor with a knee in his side. Today was Monday which meant no witnesses at the gym. Monday's were always slow.

"Stop before you kill him," Amari grunted. Her eldest sister used to do that same thing to her years ago. She would never stop no matter how much the 12-year-old cried. Amari couldn't help but clench her fists at the thought. She never noticed how painful her childhood was.

"I love you," Jae said to Amari. Once the aching pain in his side had dispersed he made his way towards the young woman.

"Soooo." Jae started.

"Noooo," Amari replied.

Both of them flinched as Viktor's laughter echoed throughout the gym. He doubled over in attempt to catch his breath. That's was the quickest someone has ever rejected Jae.

"Shot down!"

"Shut up you Russian ass!"

Amari couldn't help but roll her eyes as both of the men wrestled. They both reminded her of her brothers. Whenever their mom left they would wrestle for hours, but if they weren't wrestling each other they were torturing her.

Stop! Stop! I said, uncle!

Shut up! Stop being a little bitch!

Get off me! I can't breathe! Jermaine!

Oh God, she needed a cigarette. Amari quickly made her way out the door and grabbed the pack in her pocket. A swear escaped the young woman when she realized that there were only 2 cigarettes left. God knew she needed them both now. She wasted no time in pulling out her green lighter and setting the end of the cigarette ablaze. Amari had only started smoking yesterday, but for some reason, she felt like this was natural. After she'd broke her hand Amari started smoking like a chimney. She chained smoked all through the day trying to push back her fucked up thoughts. The unhealthy remedy worked, but it's wasn't long before the images in her head appeared once more.

"Hey. You ok?" A voice called behind her. She turned around to she Jae making his way towards her.

"Yeah. Just thinking about old stuff."

"Oh!" Jae cleared his throat and did his best Korean accent. "The wise do not grieve for the lost, the dead and the past."

Amari just stared at him with a confused expression. "...What?"

"I don't know. That was just one of the wise things my Grandfather used to say. He died when I was 10," Jae explained awkwardly. When Jae lived in South Korea he only had one friend. His 84-year-old grandfather. The man was incredibly goofy and good with the ladies. Jae practically worshipped his Grandfather. When the old man died so did a little piece of Jae. There was only one thing Jae could fill that hole in his heart with. Food.

"Hey. If you ever need to talk to someone we could meet at the diner on-"

"You're trying too hard," Amari interrupted. She needed a way to keep this man away from her. It was better to be blunt than to trick him into thinking he had a chance.

"I am not looking for a relationship right now. You seem like a nice person, but please just leave me alone," Amari sighed before taking another puff of her cigarette. She dropped the still burning bud and stepped on it before making her way back to the gym.

"Ah! You have returned. Are you ready for lunges? I'll go easy today because- hold on. You are supposed to be in Anger Management class. No?" Viktor questioned.

"It's one day a week now. Only Thursday's," Amari explained before reaching for her gym bag. "I'll be back later. I... I have to go."

"Ok! Remember we close at 9:30 so-" Before Viktor could finish his sentence the young black woman was gone.

"-Be back... Soon," Viktor finished quietly. He couldn't help but wonder where his client was going in such a hurry. Of course, it was absolutely none of his business, but he couldn't blame himself for worrying. For 10 years Viktor helped clients deal with eating disorders. Whenever his client walked out of the gym a wave of worry washed over him. Viktor would always expect to hear the worst news after opening the gym the next day. There was always the chance of death when it came to eating disorders. This was his job. He never wanted to watch a human being waste away ever again. It didn't matter how sick Amari was. He was going to help her.

"She's playing hard to get," Jae smirked as he walked back into the gym. "I'll get her eventually."

Viktor couldn't help but let out an agitated sigh. "Why don't you just leave her alone? I told you that most of my clients are sensitive when it comes to relationships."

"Viktor. What makes you think I give a fuck about how she feels? She can die just like your precious granny. I wish you would stop being a little bitch and-"

"If I wasn't a little bitch then you wouldn't be here. Remember who saved your pathetic life, fat ass. If you ever say anything about my grandmother again I will not hesitate to kill you," Viktor snapped. Before Jae could respond the angry Russian was out of the room. Once Viktor took a step into his cramped office it wasn't long before a familiar urge overcame him.

No. He couldn't. Not now.

He rolled up his sleeves and stared at the marks going up and down his arms. Red, purple and black. They were hideous. They taunted him. Doing nothing but reminding him of his painful past.

'Cover them' A voice rang in his head.

Yeah. He could do that. Nothing another tattoo couldn't fix. Viktor kept the marks for over 15 years. It was about time he got rid of the source of his suffering. Yeah. Covering them was for the best.

"Not now. Please not now," Viktor mumbled as he dug through his desk. It had to be in here. If it wasn't then he would-

"Oh thank God," Viktor pulled out the sandwich bag full of adult fudge. He'd be damned if he let himself relapse again. A small moan escaped him as the drugged dessert began its job. He relaxed and let the sounds of a ticking clock carry him away. If he couldn't have one drug then he would damn sure have another...