Tetra of The Fall

20 - Reconciliation

Ka-tap!

With a gasp, my eyes snapped open - all stingy and red - knees pressed up against my chin. A few times I blinked, the small teary plips! almost echoing in the confined space of my bathroom cubicle. Although shuddering, and fighting a phlegm filled throat, my tickled breaths wisped at near silence - just beneath the sound of a closing door handle. Though faintly discernible, each wet foreign step actually clopped into two - one sound for the toe and the other for a slight heel.

"Uhm... Tetra? Are you in here?" a gentle yet exhausted voice prompted with a nervous shudder.

Blinking once more, I managed a tilt of the head, though I knew she couldn't see. I wouldn't want her to see me anyways.

Not like this.

But as her footsteps became quicker, her breaths loud and unsteady whilst she knocked on door after door, an anvil's weight of guilt dropped in what felt like the heart. For a brief moment, my gaze drifted downwards to the amassing puddle below. "This is pathetic" I whispered as lightly as I could manage. Down there, my reflection stared back - snot nosed, tilted eyebrows and teary eyes. I sniffled, shaking my head with a shrug, my shoulder blade glancing off of a small button behind.

Flussshhh~!

"Tetra?!" Her voice perked up with a hint of excitement. Footsteps splashed as she ran, a shadow soon visible from beneath the stall door.

I coughed, low and fast, whilst I sniffed up what I could.

BAM!

"Tetra!" She gasped, hand held to her mouth as she looked on. Behind her, the sink spewed water like a malfunct fountain - no doubt catching her on the back. Without a second to waste, she ran towards me, almost tripping over the collapsing door in her rush. I buried my face, arms squeezing at my shins.

"STOP!"

Just as I'd commanded, she held as still as she could despite her shuddering.

My eyes began to tingle, my lips began to tremble and my fingers began to slip. Mid-cough, I was caught off-guard by a fresh set of shuddery breaths. "WH- ahem! What... what are you doing here...?"

Through the crack in my knees, I watched as she began to shuffle forward. Her thighs tensed, as did her arms. She'd observed the dangers of getting too close - the whole bathroom lay in ruins. But despite all this, she stayed perfectly visible - not even a transparent hair.

"Tetra..." She began before a shudder of her own. Breathing slow and heavy, she looked up towards the dented roof for breath. "You... made me a promise"

...

"You said you wouldn't scare me like that again! Not a day even passed!" She swung her hand to the side in gesture of her rage, clearly stepping forward despite my commands.

"It's over" I muttered. "You heard the recording I got. There's nothing I can do. Just like damn usual"

Taking a deep hissing breath, she stood before me now, a gentle giant with a firey attitude. I raised my head to look her blurrily in the eye. After all, what she said was true. I'd broken a promise already. And even to my surprise, the thought crushed me inside - gripped my heart like a vice and squeezed, my throat burning with teary warmth. Looking into her eyes then, I shuddered.

"I'm! Nihilla... I'm so so so-"

Pat!

My eyes widened with the speed of the movement. The irregularity of the acquired weight sent me off-balance, legs collapsing to the floor while my hands gripped the toilet seat below for support.