Entangled

Chapter 3

The sidewalk was oddly comfortable. Not bed soft, but definitely softer than Liatta would expect from concrete. For a second, Liatta considered just snuggling into it for a few more hours of oblivion before she faced whatever was waiting for her when she woke up. But she ignored the impulse and got up anyway. She would have as much oblivion as she wanted after she saw Anita.

Liatta opened her eyes to an office with polished wood floors, steel gray paneled walls, and a man staring at her. Sitting in the chair opposite her lost in thought with his chin resting in his interlocked fingers was Theus Arach.

He was just as polished as before. He wore a steel gray suit with a cobalt blue diagonally striped tie the set off his red eyes and made them even more intense. His black hair fell over his face providing a soft contrast to his predatory sharpness.

It hurt to look at Theus. His features were individually similar to Anita's. He had the same hair, the same eyes, the same marble-like skin, but together their effect was so different Liatta had trouble believing they were related. Where Anita was open, he was closed off. Where Anita was soft, Theus was jagged edges.

Liatta was never very good with the unexpected so the moment she noticed she wasn't alone in the room; her mind went into overdrive. Was this Theus's office? Why was she here? The questions looped in her head.

Liatta stared at Theus, getting more and more tangled in her thoughts. Neither person made any move to address the other. Both of them sat completely still, the only sound in the room was the ticking of a clock's second hand.

Finally, breaking the stillness that had now grown oppressive, Theus gestured to the table in front of them. On it was a glass of water.

"Drink it," The clarity of his order was simple to follow compared to the disarray of her own thoughts, so Liatta followed the command without thinking. As soon as the first sip touched Liatta's tongue, she realized how thirsty she had been. When was the last time she had drank anything? At least a day ago but probably more.

Liatta peered at Theus from the side of the glass. After he told her to drink he went right back to his previous position. His black hair fell over his eyes hiding any emotion they could convey. He seemed to be so lost in thought that he didn't notice her which was convenient because Liatta had been staring at him since she woke up.

Liatta had calmed down but she was still just as perplexed by Theus's actions. Was he trying to help her? Maybe he had changed his mind? Maybe she misunderstood him before, and he was actually a nice guy. Filled with a new hope Liatta decided to ask the most burning question on her mind.

"About Anita's funeral-"

"It ended. We finished while you were unconscious." In truth just from the moonlight streaming out of the windows and Theus's presence. Liatta already knew the answer but she needed to hear him say it.

"I-I see" Her shoulders shook a bit.

"Theus" His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly but the change in the air made it impossible not to notice.

Was she too familiar? Anita had only referred to him as Theus. But Liatta was a stranger so she guessed he felt uncomfortable with her referring to him by first name. It felt odd to refer to someone only one year older than her as mr. but she would try it.

"M-Mr. Arach, may I visit her grave. You might not believe me, but I was her friend before- before she passed, and I just want to pay my respects. I swear if you just let me see her grave once you'll never see me again."

He looked over to her and though he had just been sitting his expression made Liatta feel like she had interrupted him while he was completing some task more important than her life several times over

"No" He said it simply as if he wasn't snatching away her final chance to see Anita once in her life. She felt tears coming again, somehow his no felt more unable to be defied than the gate and hordes of guards. Liatta quickly wiped her eyes and tried unsuccessfully to compose herself.

"Please Mr. Arach you don't understand. Anita was everything to me and I never met her in person once all I want is to see her grave just for a second. I won't disturb anything I promise I'll do anything-" as she spoke her quiet tears evolved into hot choking sobs. She couldn't get a word out through the painful lump in her throat.

And as she broke down Theus-no Mr. Arach just watched her with a cool gaze as she choked on her own sorrow. He made no move to help her, yell at her or tell her to leave. He just watched.

Liatta felt like a show and a boring one at that. She became acutely aware of her inadequate appearance. She wasn't thin, but gaunt. Her deep brown skin would have been unblemished if not for the circles under her eyes so dark they looked like they were drawn with a permanent marker. The clothes Liatta wore were inappropriate for a funeral, or outside really. Just plain white t-shirt and navy sweatpants because they were the only kinds of clothes she had. And those clothes were hidden by her absurdly long bush of hair falling almost to her knees that she hadn't cut since she was a kid. In front of his polished appearance it was even more obvious she was a mess.

A wave of deep exhaustion came over Liatta dampening her sobs. She tried to speak again. To continue to plead her case before she was inevitably kicked out. But even moving her lips took to more strength than she was able to muster. before Liatta could speak Mr. Arach interjected as if Liatta hadn't just broke down in front of him.

"I'm aware of your relationship with my sister and seeing how...eager to see her grave you seem to be, I'll offer you a deal. Work for me for one month and, provided I'm satisfied with your efforts, I'll allow you to visit Anita's grave," He paused to look at the clock behind her.

"You have twenty seconds to decide"

"What-" Liatta had stopped crying thanks to this new state of exhaustion but now she couldn't gather her thoughts together. Somehow, she managed to open her mouth and form what she hoped were coherent words with her numb tongue.

"...work? What do you want me to do?" Liatta slumped back into her leather chair breathing heavily. She could no longer support herself to sit up. Her eyes had become too sensitive, each ray of light felt like a spear peircing her eyes and tearing through her brain. She closed them and listened for Mr. Arach's response.

Nothing. The only thing Liatta heard was the slow tick of the clock's second hand.

Mr. Arach seemed content to wait for her answer without bothering to respond to her. And of course, he was if Liatta didn't agree to his deal he lost nothing. She was the desperate one here. She was the one with nothing.

Liatta heard the clock's second hand ticking and realized that she didn't know how long had passed. What was she doing? She couldn't waste this chance.

"I acce-"

"Your times up, Ms. Davis," Liatta couldn't open her eyes but she heard rustling. He was leaving.

No, he couldn't just leave. She was going to accept. She agreed. She accepted. She would accept any deal so please don't leave.

The last sound Liatta heard before passing out for the second time was the clack of Mr. Arach's shoes against the floor as he walked away.