MARK.
I woke up with an incredible throbbing from my head. I tried to rub it when I realized I had been tied up and propped onto a chair. I analysed my surroundings anxiously, trying to recall the events before i had gotten knocked out. The house I was in was abandoned, with broken windows and dusty furniture that hasn't been touched in ages. It was already dark and the only light coming in from the outside was the reflection of the moon that shined on the shattered glass panes lying on the floor.
"Ah, shit." I remembered, suspecting she must have found out already. This isn't going to be good.
"You're awake." A sudden voice came out from the eerie corner of the house, causing me to jump out of my skin a second time today. I guess i should have known this was coming.
"What the hell, you scared me..." I sighed, half relieved knowing that it was only her, and the other half fearful, because it was her.
"So it is you. You pompous son of a bitch." She came out from the shadows, a gloom of cloud over her head and a murderous intent that was very familiar to me.
"Its me, your friend." I tried to reason with her.
"Friend? Friend?!" She walked to my chair, hands on the armrests and spat in my face.
Chills went down my spine, feeling the cold gooey saliva slide down my face. She was still so disgustingly dirty and crude. This was not an interrogation, this was torture, and I couldn't even wipe it off! I took a deep breath and calmed my nerves.
"Tell me one good reason, why I shouldn't kill you right this second." She took a knife from her right side, and gingerly traced it down my face and to my neck. I felt the cold touch of the sharp metal as she rested it right under my chin edging too close almost cutting me. The hairs on my skin were already standing as I gulped down the fear that had already sprouted inside me. I closed my eyes. Did she really have to go this far?
The air was filled with tension as she stood back to wait for me to speak.
"Chocolate milk." Opening my eyes, i tried hard to not sound shaken.
"Chocolate milk?" Her face grew serious, she knew, and i did too.
"Chocolate milk" I repeated it back as firmly as i could while holding her gaze. My hands that were tied together behind me were beginning to sweat uncomfortably as terrible thoughts ran through my head. Maybe she has gone crazy. I played with my fingers to distract the real fear i was holding back so i could maintain the eye contact. She would want me to, at least i think.
The tensed silence continued between us while we both held an incredibly long eye contact game of who would blink first.
Then, thinking my heart was going to sink down further, a big smile was revealed wiping away any trace of her once grim and horrifying face. With the tilt of her head, she lifted the whole atmosphere and I finally saw the person I have been dying to meet. I returned her smile with a cute wink, which brightened the room further and had us both grinning from ear to ear. We shared another short moment of silence after, knowing exactly what 'chocolate milk' actually meant.
Again, she broke the silence first, filling the space with the lost comfort i had yearn for so long. I was an idiot to think that she would be believe that i was a traveler. I had meant it as a prank, but I didnt realize it would backfire like this. I had it coming, i must have really looked like a guard.
"Ah Jun Jun! Youve grown so much, I couldnt even recognize you!" She had two hands on my face, already squishing it all over the place. Long ago, i used to have a really round face which she made her rightful ownership to squish it whenever she sees me. I didn't mind the affection from an older person, as long as it was only her.
"Not again." i rolled my eyes, but still kind of liking it.
" Traveler? Really bad cover." She smirked.
"Your baby fat is all gone now, uh these muscles! Holy shit." her hands now sliding down to feel up my chest. I swiped it away, embarrassed but still couldn't stop the contagious smiling. It has been too long since I last saw her.
"I cant believe you knocked me out!!" I raised my voice, suddenly remembering.
"You look so grown up now! Im so proud of you. Seriously." She walked behind to untie the knots, freeing me. I laughed, not because i knew that she changed the subject but because i knew she would say that. I had been on a rigorous workout schedule and I had been hoping to impress her.
"Im sorry I spat at you, you kind of deserved it for only coming to see me now." She spoke softly, finally being her softer self.
"I seriously thought I was going to die." I snarked.
"I had to have some fun with an old friend. Shit, how long has it been?" Her face crinkled
She took out a handkerchief and wiped my face clean with some water she poured from my bottle. As i watched her, i remembered the days she would always be there to patch me up. The only person who would dress my wounds from when i got hurt from tripping over things all the time. Her and ofcourse another person.
"Sorry i took this long. I would have come sooner but I had to straighten out some loose ropes first." I looked down, knowing that she must have suffered waiting for me to come.
We had planned a rendezvous at this place 2 weeks ago, but I was kept back because of an extra job they gave me in the last minute. Luckily, after completing, they finally gave me some time off. I managed to sneak out using the tunnels and left my uniform and emblem back at the dorm so that they would not trace my whereabouts and followed me.
If people knew better, theyd have known that the both of us had been childhood friends. Although we went to the same school, i was in a different year so they didnt really suspect me to be the friend of their enemy.
No, not both. The three of us.
She took both my hands and raised me up to stand. As I faced her, I realized how much taller I had grown since. She looks smaller than I remembered her to be, but still those strong eyes remain. Her curly unkempt raven hair, tied up into a messy bun and her dirty clothes were torn from what i presumed to be either from fights or sharp branches.
Now, there is a bounty on her head, and as an imperial guard I could take her in this instant and receive the highest reward and possibly be raised to the top guard position. Except, I am here not as a captor but as a friend who she has raised even when she had nothing to offer but her friendship. Plus, i couldn't take her down even if i wanted to. The reason I am a recognized guard, the reason i am who i am now was all because i owed it to her. Now, we both are where 'we' are now because there is bigger game to be played, and I will help her achieve it.
We embraced each other and I felt her sink into me the way that i used to sink into hers.
"Thank you for coming."
"Always, whenever and wherever."
Chocolate milk was our secret code, it was Thomas's favourite drink.