Blame It All on Me. Alternative Ending

Chapter 20. Tell Me I'm Not Going Crazy

"Yes..."

"'Lost control of the car...'" the young man drawled thoughtfully.

"He did..." The girl sighed wearily.

"Just as I thought." Kirill smiled bitterly while Arina averted her gaze, embarrassed. "Are you sure he is worth the indulgence? You almost died because of him..."

Arina could hardly keep her cool.

"What makes you say that? I never mentioned anything of the sort. Did my mother tell you?"

"I was there," Kirill said after a brief pause. "And, if I understood you correctly, you would hardly be warning him about the police, had this been a true accident..."

He did not mention that if he had been just a little closer, the car would have swept him off as well. But Arina already remembered that moment herself.

Back then it was unnaturally stretched, as if in slow motion. And she saw clear as day how the headlights of their car briefly illuminated someone's face with wide-open eyes. No, not 'someone's'. His. Kirill's. And she even managed to sigh with relief in the back of her mind that they did not hit him. And now she was almost terrified anew: trying to save them, she almost killed him.

"I see..." she murmured, recollecting herself with some effort. "Why didn't you tell the police?"

"It was pretty dark and everything happened really fast. I was not completely sure what exactly happened there and wanted to talk to you about it... But now everything is finally clear. Are you... really going to let him get away with it?"

"It's just not worth it... and besides, I don't have the strength to do it..."

"You don't need to do it all by yourself..."

"Still," Arina shook her head, "I'd need to provide testimony, make an application or whatever, visit court sessions possibly. Anyways... I don't want to... I just want him to leave me alone. I'm alive and relatively unharmed – at least I hope so." She chuckled bitterly. "I don't need anything from him and I see no point ruining his life out of mere spite. Even after all he did."

"It's not only about the revenge, but rather justice... But it's up to you," Kirill said, looking at the girl intently. "Let's hope that he'd learned his lesson at least."

"Sometimes the most desirable outcome is that you are left alone. If he doesn't, and keeps pestering me, I will consider it..." Arina muttered, flustered by his intent gaze.

"What about, if I may ask?" Kirill inquired. "It's not just about the accident, is it?"

"We... we broke up... before the accident. And he wouldn't let me be... I'm sorry, I don't want to talk about it..." Arina wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"Of course, sorry." Kirill looked away awkwardly.

Arina seized the moment to cast a glance at Kirill, but her actions did not go unnoticed.

"Say..." he drawled cautiously. "The way you look sometimes... It seems to me like you've already seen me before? Am I right?"

"Well... during the accident... but if you hadn't reminded me..."

Kakashi shook his head.

"You know that's not what I'm talking about."

Arina averted her gaze again. What could she possibly say?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her – what if this entire nonsense was prompted by that brief moment when she spotted him on the bridge? The brain is a fascinating and not entirely explored thing... That would explain a lot. Well, except for the fact that this 'dream' somehow managed to leave such distinctive void in her soul... but then again, the consequences of the accident... It will pass, it must pass...