The Viral Chase

Chapter 23: Decision

Chapter 23

Decision.

"You haven't even explained your escape scene yet." "Yes, I am pretty excited." Kevin mutters before floping down on the chair next to me, as excitedly as he said the word, 'excited'. "Well, lets say, we don't have time for that." Harry says, spoiling the fun for Kevin.

We are packed up, ready to leave in the next hour, if necessary. But it is unlikely that we will be relocating before Kevin finishes up with his firewall. Harry is writing something on a piece of paper and Kevin is watching him intently. I swear, he is going to marry him one day. I mean he is totally obsessed with Harry or Edward, as he fondly calls him. "Back to earth, Alina." Says Harry, waving his hand in front of my face. "Yeah, what?" "You zoned out." He explains me and shakes his head. "So this is the plan." And he is interrupted by Kevin. "What!" He bellows, frustrated by the distractions in his important speech. "We kind of forgot to mention but now that your tracker like device is blinking, I might have remembered to point it out." Kevin says, pointing to the tracker device that has been blinking and giving instructions unknown to us except Harry. As soon as Kevin mentions the device, Harry's hungry gaze follows it and in the next second, I see him rushing towards it.

Harry breathes a sigh of relief, making me and Kevin exchange confused looks. "Are you going to tell us, who are you trying to locate, everyday?" Kevin's voice sounds.full of curiosity. "I think we should-" "I think its time you tell us about it, Harry." I cut him off with my own suggestion. "Alina, you really like that name, don't you?" Kevin comments with a chuckle. "You will have to like it soon." I reply gravely, totally aware of what destruction my words can cause. "Alina, you have no right to discuss about my personal life. Stay away from it." He speaks through his gritted teeth, giving me a death glare. Ha! Like I am scared. "Its totally fine if you don't want to tell me but Kevin has the right to know. He has been beside you in every situation, trusts you more than himself and he portrayed himself as the rogue agent to save you, to prove your loyalty. Isn't that enough for him to gain your trust, Harry?" He appears speechless, eyes wide and hands balled up into fists at his side. Suddenly, the tension is thick in the air surrounding us. "Just leave me alone." These are the last words he mutters, in a forced calm voice and strides away from the room.

"You shouldn't have forced him." Kevin speaks softly while I am making ourselves some coffee. The only relaxing beverage that comes to my rescue, is a cup of smooth coffee. "But he should have told you by now. How long have you guys been working together?" The screeching noise suggests that he is dragging a chair near the table, probably to take a seat before talking. "Around two years, I guess. But it is about his personal life. If it is that important, he would have told me by now." And he shrugs, leaning forward on the table as I glance sideways to catch a glimpse of his casual features. "How can you be so sure of him?" I ask turning back to him, leaving the coffee mugs empty with the coffee pot held in my hand. "Trust." He replies with a silent smile.

"I don't get it. You trust him and share everything with him but he doesn't do the same in return. He keeps hiding stuff." "The thing about trust is that if you feel it for someone, you know that person will keep it." What? "You lost me at the thing about trust." He chuckles and shifts in his chair to be more comfortable before he speaks again. "See. Even if he doesn't trust me, he knows I trust him and he will keep it. I know he will because I trust him and he won't break it because he knows how difficult it is to gain someone's trust." This leaves me speechless. Too much of trust in one statement. Somehow, I feel there is a deeper meaning to the words he said. "I should apologize, shouldn't I?" And he gives me a nod, suggesting I should. "It will be difficult." I huff, closing my eyes, wondering if he will lash out his anger on me.

"Hey, I bought some coffee." I mutter, standing at the door to the room Harry is in. He neither moves nor utters a word so I step in placing the coffee mug, near the bedside lamp. "Have it. Really helpful in stressful times." Yet, no response. I carefully place my steps unless I am standing behind him. He has his head in his hands and his shoulders slumped while the device lies in his lap.

"Harry, are you -" "Do me a favor and leave me alone." He growls and I stumble back, hitting my back against the wall. "I-I just came to-" "You came here because you have an habit of interfering in other's privacy." He speaks with his best efforts to keep his voice calm, though it was not the tone but the words that stung me. "I just came here to apologize." I speak fast enough to complete my words, not giving him a chance to interrupt me, again. But the damage was already done, on both the sides.

There is a stinging in my eyes and a painful feeling engulfs me. I lower my head, staring down at the floor. "I-I am sorry. I never intended to hurt you." I manage to get the words out as my throat feels constricted now. The support of the wall against my back, holds me on my feet but I may lose it soon. So its time, I actually step back and leave him alone. I turn back to the door I came from and suddenly, walking has become a great deal for me. I break into a run and end up in the kitchen. The only area that appears to be empty of people, blame the restricted space here. Sliding down the wall in a corner, farther away from the entrance, I drop to the floor, hug my knees and hide my face as the tears break all the barriers my control had built up moments ago.

Though, it was not much of a deal, it still hurts me. Was it like this, what Harry felt when I accused him everytime for the wrong reasons? I keep thinking and thinking, in the corner I found myself. Kevin is right. He surely must know Harry better than me. Obviously, two years is a long time. It is my mistake, just like everytime.

I really have no idea how long it has been since I found myself this spot. My mind is wondering about the various things my head is filled up with. My eyes feel heavy and begins to droop while my head is dizzy. It can be the thoughts or it can be the crying or it can be both that is spinning my head.

"Hey, Alina..." Some distant voice calls to me but its seems impossible to know where it is coming from. "Listen to me, Alina." It is him. His husky, low voice is enough to grab my attention but where is it coming from? I run and run around this foggy forest covered path but he is nowhere to be found. "Alina..." I walk hastily towards the voice beckoning me and the next step I take leads me to a fall in the valley, jolting me awake to reality.

"Harry!" A scream left my mouth as I am woken up, abruptly. He is crouching in front of me, eyebrows raised with one of his hands on my shoulder and my fingers grasp the thin fabric on his arm, clutching it tightly. His big eyes boring into mine and my ragged breathing slowly falls back to normal. I become aware of my surroundings and the memory of how I ended up here, huddled in the corner, strikes back in my head. I stand back on my feet with great efforts. There is a numbing pain in my legs, stiffness in my back and I feel exhausted. I hear the cracking of the stiff muscles in my back as I straighten myself. He gets up too, standing in front of me, too close for my liking. I step back, realising I am trapped with a wall behind me.

I try to step aside and walk away but he keeps his strong arms on the wall on either sides, besides my shoulder with his palm facing the wall. Thus, blocking my path to escape. I still don't look him in the eye. Instead, its the kitchen counter that interests me which is on my right. "What do you want?" I croak in my broken voice. "Your attention." His low, husky voice demands. I turn my face to look at him in bewilderment. "Because I want to tell you what you want to know." He and his riddles. "I don't want to know anything." I say it convincingly even though it was completely untrue. "C'mon." And with that, he pulls me by my hand, leading me to the living room. I jerk back my hand, making him halt midway. He whirls around and faces me with a puzzled look. I turn around, making my way to the lab only to be stopped by his hold on wrist.

"Come with me." His smooth voice pleads, his grip on my hands loosening. But he doesn't let go. "Let me explain." His face, resembling a kid's innocence as I glance back at him. A face, I couldn't deny. He has the right to explain. "I don't want to force you to-" "There is no force. Its my decision. I want you to know." He steps nearer to me and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. "Will you come with me, now?" I nod slowly and he leads me back to the living room, where Kevin is already lounging on the couch.

If he has decided to tell me then I won't make him regret this decision. I will not say it out loud but he will have my trust.

*****

Vote and comment, if you like.

Regards,

A.R.