crossfire ↬ rihanna & aaliyah

uno

aaliyah stared up at her ceiling completely stunned. her head was spinning with all the new information she had found out in the past hour.

her loving, well educated, successful parents were into something so deep she had to marry a man she'd grown to respect. her parents being affiliated with some serious mob stuff didn't make sense. they had earned this luxury lifestyle didn't they? all the money couldn't really be dirty. her mother was an honest hardworking woman this didn't make sense. where did it go so wrong? why was it so dangerous the teen had to miss school?

they continued to arrange this party that was hushed when aaliyah was present. it annoyed her how everything was so private all of a sudden. why keep lying when the truth would be out soon?

"aaliyah" her brother spoke from the other side of the door.

"do not disturb. you see the sign" she shot back still staring up at the ceiling.

"please don't hate me" he begged making her face turn sour.

"you knew! i'm a prisoner in this house and you knew!" she rolled over onto her stomach, "just go"

she didn't know who to trust so she decided on treating everyone like a rival. everyone was so afraid for her safety.

her friends would stop associating with her once word gets out. no more pretty innocent aaliyah. no more shopping sprees in beverly, no more quick trips to paris, no more taking daddy's ferrari for a spin. aaliyah didn't consider herself shallow, - the money didn't make her genuine - but her friends sure were. she was the richest of her friends, but it really didn't matter to her. she wasn't raised in the kind of environment were 'real friends' were made; they were bought.

all that hardwork her parents put in. her once comfortable reality was slipping through her fingers. for the first time in her young life aaliyah truly felt alone. tears glided down her beautiful face; she couldn't help the small hiccups that escaped her. she snapped from her fit before sitting in front of her vanity mirror. she patted wiped away her makeup and decided on applying a thick layer of chapstick. her gorgeous reflection kept her in a daze. when you've spent most of your life being beautiful you know. she'd heard the mumbles of awe and the looks weren't any better. as shallow as it seemed at least she had her beauty. if nothing else in world full of lies she was certain she looked good.

an idea popped in her head soon enough she was laying out makeup brushes in front of her vanity. she played around with a few palettes before there was a faint knock on her door.

"do not disturb" she shouted as she blended her eyeshadow out.

"little miss aaliyah. please don't be that way with me" x chuckled from the other side of her door.

she dropped her makeup brush and rushed to open the door to him.

"what brings you here?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"i needed to talk to you - see where your head is" he tugged at her arm releasing them in front of her and pulled her into his arms.

she sighed into the hug not sure when she'd needed to be held so much.

"i hate it here. it's like i'm in solitary confinement" she mumbled into his shirt.

"it won't always be like this" he replied against her long hair.

"i'm not so sure about that"

he tilted her chin angling her face to look at him, "i promise. things get worse before their better"

"i didn't ask for any of this" she whined moving back towards her open doorway.

"i am your protector; always have been. that hasn't changed" he brushed a few strands of her hair off her shoulder.

"not yet" her gaze fell to the floor.

"i'm the same x. i'll never do anything to hurt you nor put you in harms way. you know that" he stroked her shoulder.

"take me away" she plead.

"i'll do you one better-" he chuckled as the thought crossed him mind, "i'll send one of my best to do whatever you want - shopping or whatever pretty girls like you do - you just have to promise to be on your best behavior"

"i promise" she smirked satisfied with the compromise.

"good. i'll see you soon enough. got some business to take care of" he pecked her forehead.

she watched him disappear down the long hall and with a huff her door was shut behind her. she returned to her spot in front of the mirror.

x had been the only person to actually see her since the news broke in the large house. they'd always been familiar with each other since he worked with her parents. he'd even went on vacation with them a handful of times. she always seen him in the same light as a father or an uncle. it made her feel good that he was still treated her like a child and not an equal. now wasn't the time to be making a mental bulletin board covered in questions so she turned on some music as she finished playing in her makeup.