A Triangle that's Straight

Spin Off Part 1

Ashley's POV:

I was sitting this swing inside this playground sort of thing which was apparently exists and I discovered it few days ago when I  left Stella and Michael in their little closet adventure, after that I've been coming here so often that some of the kids started recognize me.

I usually come here to get rid of the loneliness I feel whenever I leave people behind after I went out with them for a month or so. But today it seemed like I carried my loneliness all the here to play swing with me. I sigh, for the hundredth time today
Stella understands me the best. She supports me the best. And I know too that she wants to ask me why am I being like this, I can't answer her because I don't know myself. I sigh again, looking at the familiar scene. But this time I see an unfamiliar figure among the kids. A girl, almost same age as me plus or minus one or two years.

She started to chase the kids, out of fun, as it looks. One kid fell down tripping, he started to cry. His friends were staring at him awkwardly not knowing what to do. This ominous girl went to him brought a handkerchief out of nowhere and wiped his eyes, then started to speak to him. The boy stopped crying. Then she spoke something else, the boy nodded. Then she immediately knelt with her back facing the kid, the boy hopped on her. The girl carrying the boy went out of the playground.

Lights went out in my head. Kidnapping? In broad daylight? But the girl probably didn't look suspicious, then again kidnappers won't have a board hanging on themselves saying 'I am a kidnapper, beware'

So I followed them, silently, I dialed 911 thinking if she did anything suspicious I would hit the call button. I kept all (only two) my eyes on the two of them so I didn't realize we were in a neighborhood with beautiful houses not far away from the playground. They stopped, the boy said something to which she nodded then took a turn went towards a door, put the kid down and started to ring the bell. Someone answered the door, probably the boy's mother. They were taking something, after a minute or the boy's mother half-bowed to this girl, probably thanking her for her kindness.

The girl was leaving the same way she came. Now that I knew she wasn't a kidnapper,I decided I'll pretend that I'm just a human who happened to be standing on the road she was walking.
She almost walked past me and I was about to sigh in relief, she turned around

"I saw you" she said

"So?" I replied before thinking.

"Wanna explain the stalking?"
The way she said 'stalking' was in a mocking tone.

I knew I can't follow people; it's a normal trait like how few people can't take the spicy food.

"For a clear conscience" I say. What the fuck? Why couldn't I just say 'I followed for the kid'; nevermind that just sounds like I'm the kidnapper.

"Do I look like I would kidnap someone?"she says folding her hands
Huh? Did she just read my mind?
"Kidnappers look less suspicious, that's the reason why people get kidnapped" I retort trying to suppress the shock on my face.
"Agreed" She says
"I don't care" I say and walk in the opposite direction of where she was going. "feisty" I heard

I don't care who she was or what she was doing in the park but all I cared about was how , I only care about how the hell was she able to tell that I was following for the kid

**************

"You are going to that playground frequently these days" Stella says smirking

"Yeah, So?" I say

"Did you meet the park girl yet?"

"No"

"What's her name again?" she asks for the hundredth time this week

"I. don't. know."

"That's an odd name for a person" she says, obviously teasing me

"Yeah that's coming from a person who called her 'park girl' I say

"Buy food for Chrome, Mr. Briggs and Jane"
"Changing the topic now are we?"

"Just go or I'll jinx you" she said as I was putting on my shoes.

"I'm taking Jane"

***************

Jane was sitting beside me, on the ground and I was on the swing. Music was blasting so loud in my ears that I almost missed the movement beside me. Someone was petting Jane. Yes, it was the 'park girl', she was uttering something I couldn't listen. I remove my earphones saying "huh?"

"What is his name?"

"Her name is Jane" she let out a small 'oh'

"Can I ask you something?" I say after few seconds.

I was going to ask her because well, firstly I waited a week and second at least I'll ask it, instead of keeping to myself, she can answer if she wants to. I see her nodding.

"The other day ................" My voice was cut down by a huge horn by some truck passing by.

"Did you wanted to ask about how I knew you were following for the kid?"
Wait. Did she just read my mind again? Because I'm pretty sure she couldn't hear anything coz of the horn. I nod dumbfounded.

"I saw you a few times so I assumed you knew the kids"

"Oh"

  Wait that's it? Honestly I expected some mind reading tech. Meh.

  "Do you live around here?" she asks. I nod.

  "What is your na- I was about to ask her, but her phone started ringing.
  "I have to take this" she says and goes a little away from me.

  I stare at a kid pushing other kid from the slide, then I turn back to see this 'park girl' if she was still on phone.
  She disappeared.

  **************************

"Making you dumbfounded, she must be gifted" I hear Stella say when I tell her the complete story.

"Just stop."  I say raising my brows.

"Okay serious stuff, Why are even interested in this mysterious girl?" she says popping a berry in her mouth

"Sometimes it's good to have people who can tell everything just by observing small things"

"Is it because you don't want to explain?" she says between her chewing the berry

"No it's because I know I can tell what I want to tell whenever I want to tell instead of just getting anxious"

"Is that what happened these past months?"

"Pretty much"

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No"

"Berries?"

"Yup"