Internment

Chapter 37

"You mean," She paused, as if she were contemplating how best to word her next question. "She's ... like us?"

"Oh, no," The blonde laughed bitterly. "No, she's far too good to work in the sorting sheds with the rest of us," Her voice had grown louder - something Reyna was sure had been done intentionally. "She whored her way out of that almost immediately."

Reyna bit her cheek, doing her best to tune out the pair. Where were those eggs? She'd grown accustomed to people whispering behind her back, but she'd always been able to walk away before she overheard anything particularly nasty.

"Then what does she do?" The brunette pressed, still doing her best to keep her voice low. At least she was kind enough to carry out her gossiping at a whisper.

"She lives in the Stubaf's house," The blonde shrugged her shoulders, picking at her nails as though talking about it was boring her to tears. "His own little personal toy," She added, and Reyna could practically hear the smirk on her face. Where were those damned eggs?! "I hear she sleeps at the foot of his bed every night like a dog."

She clenched her jaw, doing her best to keep some semblance of composure. She wanted to run - wanted to get as far away from this room and those girls as she possibly could. She wouldn't - couldn't - give them the satisfaction of seeing her upset though. Doing her best to imitate the confidence Liza always carried, she drew herself up to her fullest hight and took a deep breath, setting her eyes forward.

"Here's those eggs." The woman had reappeared and was holding out a cardboard box, an egg placed into each of the twelve, small compartments within the box.

"Thank you," She nodded. Tucking the box underneath her arm, she turned for the door. She'd made it a few steps when her foot caught on something, her body plummeting to the floor with a resounding thud.

"Oh dear..." She heard the shrill voice of the blonde girl from above her. She looked down at her dress that was now splattered in egg yolk. Everything was covered in it - her hands, her arms, the floor around her. "How clumsy..." The girl tisked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You really should be more careful."

Reyna looked up at her, a satisfied smirk plastered across her face. She'd done this. She'd tripped her. Reyna clenched her jaw, biting back a retort - not that she had one to give. She wiped her hands down the front of her dress, doing little to remove the egg from either of them. She needed to go - the state of her appearance and the mess she'd leave behind be damned.

Suddenly, a hand appeared in front of her, outstretched for her to take. She looked up, her chest tightening further as her eyes met Luca's. Hesitating briefly, she reached up and took it, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine," She shook her head. Not giving him, or anyone else, a chance to reply, she pushed past him, all but running towards the exit.

"You two," She heard Luca say from behind her as she opened the door and stepped outside. "Clean this up." She kept walking, biting back the tears that burned her eyes. She needed to get back to the house - needed out of these ruined clothes and needed to forget about all of this. "Reyna," She heard Luca call from a few paces behind her. She ignored it and kept walking. "Reyna wait." He was closer now, probably only a step or two behind her. She huffed a sigh and stopped walking. He'd caught up to her now, nearly running into her as she turned around to face him. "Are you okay?" He asked breathlessly, falling into step beside her as they began walking towards the house again.

"I'm fine," She said flatly.

"What those girls said-," He pressed on, but she cut him off before he could finish whatever he'd been about to say.

"It doesn't matter," She shook her head dismissively.

"Yes," He grasped her arm, pulling her into a nearby alcove between the barracks. "It does."

"Why?" She whirled on him, yanking her arm from his grasp. "We both know you think the same thing."

"What?" He blinked, taking a step back.

"Don't you?!" She shot back, anger bubbling up inside her.

"No," He shook his head, looking as though she'd wounded him. "No."

She scoffed and shook her head, turning on her heel. She felt his hand on her arm again and she pulled it free. "You haven't spoken to me in weeks Luca." She was facing him again. "You won't even look at me," She pressed on, her voice rising an octave. "So whether you want to admit it or not, that is what you think."

"And what exactly would that be?" He challenged.

"Take your pick," She shot back, shaking off his hold on her for a third time. "That I'm a traitor ... That I've sold myself for safety, or comfort, or pleasure, or whatever it is you want to call it."

"I'm a Kappo same as you," He cut in. "I know how it feels to be called names behind my back."

"No you don't!" The words came out in a bitter laugh. "They don't call you a whore! Or a dog." Her chest was heaving with anger now. She wanted to hurt him as badly as he'd hurt her - as badly as those girls had hurt her. "And the worst of it all-" She paused, her voice cracking. She drew in a sharp breath, willing the tears that stung her eyes to evaporate. "That's how you see me as well."

"I never said that," He shook his head, but the determined look in his eye - the determination to win the argument - faltered.

"You've said as much," She bit back. "Why else would you be avoiding m-"

"Because I'm ashamed," He cut her off. She blinked, her breath catching in her throat. "Ashamed of how I treated you ... of what I said," He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. She said nothing, the heaviness of what he'd said settling over her like a wet blanket, extinguishing the burning anger inside her in an instant. "I wanted to go after you the moment you climbed those stairs," He carried on. "I wanted to take it all back and apologize. I just..." He paused, heaving out a sigh. "I didn't know how to fix what I'd done."

They stared at one another, neither saying a word. Luca's eyes were fixed on her, his brows creased as though everything that had happened between them was physically hurting him. She let out a breath, realization hitting her... she didn't want Luca to feel how she felt. She just wanted her friend back.

"An apology would've been a start," She said into the silence. She met his gaze, a small smile tugging at her lips at the awkward uncertainty in his expression.

"Hmph," He let out a breathy laugh when he realized she was only being half serious. "I suppose so." He stepped towards her, and took her hand in his. She didn't pull away from his touch this time. "I'm sorry ... for everything."

She met his eyes. He was gazing down at her, a small smile turning up the corners of his lips now.

"I forgive you," She said, squeezing his hand. They stood there like that for a few more beats of silence until Luca leaned in.

"Your hand is covered in egg," He muttered, glancing down at their hands that were still clasped together. Letting go of his hand, she laughed, any ounce of tension left between them dissolving as Luca joined in.

"I've missed you," She said, the heaviness in her chest lifting.

"I've missed you too," He said, flashing his signature grin. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed this... missed him.

"I would hug you, but," She gestured to the front of her dress, bits of shell stuck to the fabric where the egg yolk had began to dry. She felt his arm loop around her waist as he pulled her into an embrace anyway. She smiled against his chest, throwing her arms around his neck in return.

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Luca has entered the chat once again :)