Aija quickly got herself to her room, the knowledge of her proximity with him scaring her, and called Zuri on her All Inclusive Voice Input and Output - AIVIO - Scroll.
"What?" Zuri answered. "I'll be there by eight."
"Zu! Zu I just met him!"
"Did you speak properly this time?"
"What? No not Ze. I meant that spy from the Apartment. I ran into him while I was taking the stairs." Aija shouted into the device as she changed into shorts and a t-shirt.
"Really? Do you think he knows where you live?"Zuri asked changing the call to a video chat.
Her image popped up on the wall onto the DigiScreen frame. Aija accepted the video call and stood in front of the DigiScreen looking at a surprised Zuri. The thought of the young man knowing where she lived scared her. She looked around the Apartment, nothing seemed out of place.
"I'm... I'm not sure, Zu. I'm scared now."
"Don't worry. Come over to my place tonight. Let's ask Ze to come here."
"Fine, I'll come soon."
"Yes," Zuri said nodding.
Aija showed up at Zuri's place a mere half hour later, a backpack in tow.
"I'm sleeping here tonight and tomorrow night as well." She declared setting the bag on a chair.
"Sure. What's up with the pain patch on your ankle?"
"I twisted my leg when I fell."
"Did he hurt you?" Zuri was anxious.
"No. Not intentionally." Aija admitted, remembering their encounter.
"What is it?" Zuri demanded when she seemed to hesitate.
"He had the weirdest eyes ever. Have you ever seen anyone with pink eyes?"
"Pink? I'm sure you didn't see properly, Ai."Zuri said sitting on the small couch. She'd changed into grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt.
"No Zu. I am very sure his eyes were pink. And blue..."
Zuri sighed, unable to say anything to convinceAija.
"Well Ai, it looks like he's after you"
Aija groaned. "If he was he could have just taken me today. I was right in front of him. And he seemed genuinely concerned about my ankle."
"What are you suggesting, Ai?"
"I don't know, maybe....maybe we are unnecessarily doubting him. It could've been all a coincidence? He did have a chance to kidnap me today."
"I can't believe you are defending him!" Zuri sounded exasperated.
Zuri's Scroll chimed just as Aija started to say something. "New message from Ze Roan." It declared.
"Read it." Zuri commanded.
The Scroll read out, "Hi Zuri. Just wanted to know where I am supposed to meet you. Let me know."
"Why did he send it to you?" Aija was hurt.
"Probably, since I invited him. Don't worry I'll leave you two by yourselves. But, be sure you find your voice and not stare at him like an idiot."
"I don't stare!"
"Really?" Zuri teased. "Anyway, I've got something nice today for us."
She went into the kitchen and brought out two bottles. The blue shimmery liquid fizzed as she held one out to Aija.
"Aren't these alcoholic?" asked Aija taking it.
"Yes. Too bad I have only two." Zuri said and added, "Don't look at me like that, Ai. Live a little." when Aija looked at her disappointedly.
It was later decided that they would meet Ze on the rooftop of Zuri's building. They debated for a while about whether they should tell him about the spy/kidnapper and decided not to drag him into that mess, well it was Aija's decision and Zuri didn't like it. Zuri wanted someone to know what was happening, just in case they needed help.
The rain started at about nine p.m. Aija and Zuri headed to the rooftop and found Ze there waiting for them.
He smiled at them and Aija found herself blushing.
"I didn't know you two liked watching the rain too." He said.
"You watch it often?" Aija asked.
He nodded. "Used to more often when we lived out of Innermost."
"You lived outside the city?" Aija asked incredulously.
"Yes. We moved here a long time ago." He said and Aija could sense that he was missing it. "Mom used to own a farm very close to the Open. Trust me the rain looks and feels better out in the fields than in this forest of buildings."
"It must have been beautiful," Zuri said lost in thought.
"It was." Ze agreed.
Aija looked at him with wonder. Occasionally she did meet people, who came from other towns in the City, but it was a first she'd seen anyone who'd lived close to the Open. She was aware that there was so much more to people then one could tell. They had their own stories, experiences, and feelings.
People are energies with emotions.
"I came from one of the outer towns – Apper town," informed Zuri.
"Oh wow," Ze said.
"Aija has never been out of Innermost." Zuri added.
Aija smiled feeling embarrassed. It was at times like this she felt inadequate. Like most people knew and experienced more than her. And she had lived all seventeen years of her life in one place.
"My cousin's like that," Ze spoke. "He hasn't been anywhere out of Innermost either. But, according to me, one is privileged if they live in Innermost all their life."
Aija felt strangely targeted. One was allowed to stay in Innermost only if they could afford it. And Innermost was outrageously expensive. It meant that the Leadership officials and the affluent stayed there. Aija had heard that Innermost was the best place to live, but she'd never been out of it, so she had no idea how other towns in Pristine City One were. People from other towns worked hard to try to get a chance to live in Innermost. Pristine City One was a bit more liberal than the other Cities. If people could somehow manage to afford a comfortable life at Innermost, the Leadership allowed them in. But, the other Cities weren't as lenient. They were extremely strict in their rules.
It was during such conversations that Aija felt unnecessarily privileged to live in Innermost.
Zuri looked at Aija and noticed her discomfort. She tried to change the topic. "Why are you volunteering as a teacher, Ze?"
"Because I couldn't do what I really wanted."
"And what's that?"
"Get into the Army or get into Research or to study to become a doctor."
"Oh!"
"I don't understand why there is even an Army."Aija commented, opening her mouth after such a long time. "I mean we are living like this because of what the last Wars did to us. It doesn't make sense to want to be prepared for another one. There are no countries like before - only a few Cities that work in collaboration with each other. Are they expecting theCities to wage War with each other?
"That's an excellent point," Ze said.
The door to the rooftop opened and an old man stepped out. He gave them a nod and with a smile, he went to the other side of the rooftop and looked out at the sky. The rooftop was covered with glass all around making it look like a glass room. The glass ceiling was sometimes removed when the rain wasn't scheduled.
Aija uninterested in the conversation anymore, walked towards the edge of the rooftop and looked at the rain. She closed her eyes and just listened to the sound it made as it pounded against the glass ceiling. She was glad the conversation was interrupted. She wanted to enjoy the rain. That's what they were there for after all. Besides, she didn't like talking about the Cities, mostly because she didn't know much about places out of Innermost.
"Would you ever like to go out of Innermost, like the Open, perhaps?"
Aija heard the muffled voice of Ze. She turned to see them from where she stood.
"Why not?" replied Zuri.
Ze smiled at her. "The rain really is much nicer there, even if it is scheduled artificial rain."
Zuri laughed and Ze looked at her with charmed inquisitiveness. Aija half smiled, understanding the situation, feeling hurt.
"You should take Aija sometime," Zuri said. "She really hasn't been out of Innermost."
Ze nodded; his eyes still on Aija's best friend.
Aija turned around and closed her eyes. Neither of them had noticed her. She felt a little sad.
Aija opened her eyes and looked at the swaying trees down below. From one hundred and twenty stories high they looked minuscule. She wondered how it would be if she could stand under the trees as it rained heavily. She also wondered how it would be if Ze had any interest in her instead of Zuri. She wondered how it would be if it could have actually worked, even if he liked her.
The door to the rooftop opened loudly drawing everyone's attention. And there he was again, the golden brown haired,pink-blue eyed boy, followed by a boy and a girl who looked like brother and sister.
Aija's heart beat faster. What was he doing there?
He took one look around and when his eyes found her, he stilled.
He hadn't been expecting her, it seemed. He ordered the girl and boy in a language she didn't understand and turned around to leave.
"Wait!" Aija yelled.
He glanced back at her once and ran.
"Wait!" she screamed and ran after him.
✽✽✽