The Hunt

31

"Where will you take me?"
"My home."

"I can't trust you."
"It's ok if you don't believe me. Keep your 911 dial ready all the time. I don't mind that."

Saying that, she sat on the driver's seat.
There's no other way I guess.
I sat beside her.

She didn't turn on the music in the car, which made the trip awkwardly silent. As I couldn't think about something fruitful right there, I started observing the pedestrians out my window. That's when I heard her, humming and tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. She seems to be in good mood today. My eyes slowly traversed over her features, bit by bit. Her short hair didn't reach her shoulders. The side bangs were long enough to hide her right eyebrow. Her eyes were hazel, with a deeper shade at the rings. The tattoo was still visible at her neck.

Her sharp nose, arched eyebrows and pale skin made her look mature, and elegant. No wonder Mr. Edward still remembered her. I mean, anyone would.

"What?" She turned towards me suddenly.
"N- nothing at all!"
I quickly averted my eyes. For how long was I staring at her like that? Facepalm.

Minutes later, I found myself standing in front of the locked door. May fumbled inside her bag for the keys, and opened the lock as soon as she could.
"Hurry up inside." She ushered me, while keeping an eye at the back.

She led me to her room. Her room had minimal decor, with a queen sized bed and a mirror slanted on the wall. It wasn't too clean, but not as dirty. The imperfection made her room feel more cozy. I made myself comfortable on a chair, she sat on the bed and sighed.

"So.... what now? Ask your questions."
Her voice snapped me back to reality.

I took a deep breath.
"Does Syndicate want to KILL me for any reason?"

Her eyebrows creased in between.

"I don't think so. I heard about you being seen with a Saviours' guy, but Rio stopped us from digging it deeper. He told us he's keeping an eye on you, and we believed he's doing his work."
She wanted to say more. When I didn't interrupt, she continued.
"I wanted to check upon you too, I mean, Rio's never been so considerate about someone, so, I kept track of you one day and saw you coming. Brady had created an illusion so that no one can see us. But you looked so vulnerable."

So vulnerable? That gave you the permission to attack me?

My question must have shown on my face.

"When I saw you coming, I saw you closely for the first time. Your face, oh hell, you don't know how innocent you looked. So I just wanted to tease you and try to know if Rio has spilled out any secrets yet. But you were so desperate."

"Rio hadn't told me anything before that night."

"Yes.... I understood that later. I'm sorry. You know, I really.... lost my temper. My sadistic self took over. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

Did she just accept her guilt? So easily?
I look at her eyes, no, she isn't lying. She's really sorry about it.

"It's ok. It was just a misunderstanding."

"Yeah. I thought he had told you everything and you are keeping your mouth shut. Thanks for giving a chance again."
Her hazel eyes lit up.

"So, you are saying, Amyra didn't tell you to keep an eye on me?"
"AMYRA?"
"Yes."
"No. She didn't. We ain't in contact since I left Syndicate."
"Oh I see."

Amyra didn't do it. Somehow, I was still unsure.

"I had hinted Rio about Amyra, but she wasn't involved. Just wanted to give him a bit of trouble you know."

"Trouble?"
"You don't know? Seriously?"
"What do I not know?"

"That they are together?"
"No. I didn't know."
But at least I expected that coming.

"It's so much fun pulling Rio's leg every time."

"So, why did you resign from the org?
"I had some issues."
Her face turned cloudy.

"Why do you still have that tattoo? Don't you people remove it when you leave?"
She instinctively touched her neck.

"Amyra didn't remove it."
"Why?"
"I don't know. She doesn't remove tattoos nowadays. And we can't do it by ourselves."

I saw her fidgeting, her knuckles turning pale as she made a fist. She's definitely hiding something. She might have some problem with Amyra I guess.

"So, by any chance, my life's not at risk?"

"No. Not yet."

"Not yet?"

She suddenly stood up.
"You have to go now."
"Why?"
"Cause I can't guarantee your safety if you meddle in our lives. Leave this place, as soon as possible."

"Alright. Guess I have heard enough."
I stood up too.

"I'll drive you to the bus stop. You can go from there?"
Just HOW innocent does she think I am?
Not able to go to my home next town?
Huh.

"I can go by myself from the stop."
The lift till there will suffice. I am a lazy ass anyway.

She waved a good bye as I took a seat inside the bus.
But thinking about Rio made me upset again.
Rio and Amyra, together.
That made sense. It had made sense since the beginning. But I didn't believe it.
I didn't want to believe it.

There's a question though. Why was he asking me about the weekend?
It didn't matter anymore.

*****

I was standing beside the table, holding a conical flask in one hand and a test tube in another. Chemistry lab has always been one of my favourites.
Rio doesn't take chemistry class, nor Ruth. And Dan's at the farthest corner, so far that he can't listen to my thoughts even if he creases his forehead with concentration. So, I silently allowed all the small murmurings of the lab to float into my ears, to distract myself from my own dilemmas.

I tilted my test tube slowly, the reagent inside it flowed into the flask. The girls behind me were writing the steps and whispering to each other. My ears grasped those words in the air, and fed it to my eardrums. It was as if my hearing ability had improved a lot these days. I could make out their words perfectly, even if we were a few metres away.

".............beautiful, isn't she?" One girl spoke.
"Yeah..... she's like an ANGEL." Second one spoke.

I knew about whom they were implying. So now, SHE is famous like a Hollywood star.

I tried to bring my mind to my conical flask and test tube. The truth's so true, it sucks!

"And you know, Katie saw it too. I was so....surprised." The second one's eyebrows sailed with her words. Did they change the topic so fast?

What did Katie see? Say it already.

"Rio and Amyra. KISSING?"

It was as if she answered me. Both of them were exchanging opinions on it. I didn't register any of that. Just ONE HOLY SENTENCE.

A surge of anger sparked inside me. Just how much did I start liking him anyway?

Usually, no one notices my flipping anger, because as fast as it comes, it goes away too. I had that much control on it.

Like every time, my anger came down. But my hands felt cold and wet.
Everyone had their eyes on me now, dumbstruck.

What the hell did I do now?