The Second Knight

Who's team?

6:27

I've been sitting in this faux leather seat for about an hour now. The ice in my coffee said it's goodbye at half an hour point. The night, or shall I say early morning, didn't entail what it was supposed to, at least I don't think it did. Robin simply got up and peacefully walked to the door, he didn't shut the door with anger or resentment. He closed the door lightly after giving me a glimpse of his pale complexion to leave me in a dazed state of mind. What just happened? 

Even though he didn't say anything out loud, his silent eyes screamed out emotions that I didn't even know I could feel. I didn't want to do anything. He was the victim of my sister's determined trail, and although I shouldn't, I felt nothing but obligated to pick up after her. It took me an hour but I left my room, with keys in hand, and searched for someone. Anyone. Whether it was Robin or Alex, I just wanted this to be finished. 

I texted Robin knowing in the back of my head that he wouldn't respond. I checked the lobby, but the only thing present was the smell of hazelnut coffee being freshly brewed for the early birds. Next thing I know, I feel a slight buzz in the back of my pocket. Subconsciously, I knew it couldn't be Robin, and my subconscious was right. It was a random number. 

"Roof." 

I don't run. I don't speed up. I take my time, cause god knows what's going to happen. I breathe. I think and press the buttons. 

The sun was rising, only a mix of some oranges and yellows. I don't need to scan the space to see the silhouette of the only person up here. I know the sender. It's Alex. I had wished I had put myself together a bit better, maybe a change of clothes or washing my hair. I meet her stance at the ledge. 

"I have work soon," She doesn't bat an eyelash at me. She just continues to stare at the sunrise. I do the same. I'm having an internal battle with myself. I don't have the energy to release the entirety of hell on her but I also have myself in a position where there are just too many things to discuss with her. 

"I need you to leave Nouvelle. I don't know why you thought it was a good idea to go there. I thought you became a doctor or something," I'm not saying I'm not surprised, but this is in the same ballpark for what I was expecting. 

"They seem to care about you. You should keep it that way." 

"I'm not sure I can even make them stop."

"Why would you want to?" 

"You're smart, you can figure it out."

At this point in time, I really contemplated taking her suggestion. Why was I in this mess in the first place? Why did I get caught up with her friends even AFTER I knew they were her friends? I dug myself a hole and basically cannonballed into it. 

I shook it off, "What'd you say to Robin?" 

"Say? I said nothing. There's nothing to say. I can't tell him to leave or stay." 

"Alex, you need to go back. I'm not saying this for you. I'm saying this for him, for all of them." 

"I need you to leave, your presence just caused them to stir up. They're supposed to forget about me but you just made them push even further." 

"It's not my fault your name is basically all over the fucking school Alex. Are you really just going to let go of Robin? I know better than anyone how he feels, how all of them feel, and if you stopped being such a shitty person for one MINUTE. Jesus, your life would be so much easier. Doesn't it get tiring? Having to leave without any trace?" 

Words kept spewing. There wasn't much to say but at the same time, I wanna yell at her for everything. I didn't have an ounce of respect for her, but I hoped that there was something in her that would change. 

"At some point Aspen, you're gonna need to learn to let me go." 

"And at some point Alex, you're gonna need to learn how to hold on." 

I turned my heel back towards the door. My blood wasn't boiling but my heart hurt because I knew what she was and wasn't going to do. My heart hurt for all of them that are going to be left abandoned. Before I closed the door I said what I really meant, 

"I was rooting for you, Alex." 

"And I was rooting for Robin," she said walking past me to take the elevator back down.