Jᴀɴᴜᴀʀʏ 31, 2024
"But, I saw—"
"Hush up, child!" Petro is pass livid. "You NEVER turn your back on a fight, just because you saw something, important or not. If you're going to run off, at least make sure you won't be stabbed in the back first."
Alexa hangs her head in shame, sulking quietly for the next few minutes Petro Moskal scolds her, until her belly abruptly rumbles.
He pauses, staring at her for a long, hard second, before sighing, "Go have something to eat and never do that again, okay?"
She nods eagerly, unable to keep hidden how badly she wants to leave his office. She hates being scolded by him in light of her past. Her surroundings always seem to be getting smaller and closing in on her when he speaks to her harshly and she's always preparing herself to be hit. That's one thing Petro doesn't notice; her trauma.
Quickly, avoiding eye contact, she rushes out.
---
That night, she meets Phillip in her room again. They try to take it a little further this time with fondling and though Alexa is a blushing mess, she deems it as normal and labels their interaction as nothing but curiosity. Phillip isn't really into it tonight, being stuck in an unexplainable daze. Eventually, he tells her to stop, she complies a bit stunned. Something in her chest starts aching and they both sit in silence. Phillip is still zoned out, unaware of Alexa's sudden drop of guard as her embarrassment, awkwardness and hurt are portrayed clearly on her face.
He gets up out of the blue and finds his way out of her bedroom without a word, closing the door quietly.
"Ah.." she breathes, clutching the material over her chest.
The dead silence of her room is her companion every night, but this one is mocking and jeering at her.
She takes a warm shower and slips into a newly bought nightwear; all lace, nothing significant, but the fabric is nice. Turning off the lights, she gets into bed and knocks out almost immediately. Soundless, she sleeps-something her friend is struggling with...
Katya...
Sleep. Peaceful or not, not even sleep Katya Sharpe is able to get. When she closes her eyes, she sees a green-eyed brunette, with a goofy smile looking back at her. Katya is extremely tired, but she just can't seem to get a wink of sleep. She's too weary for classes which are said to be mandatory. She's missed so much and to her, nothing makes sense right now, she doesn't even want to be here. If she stays, she feels like her life will just drone on without a real reason.
"I'm sorry." She whispers to a sleeping Alexa, a duffle bag slung over her right shoulder with her belongings. "I'm running away from this place," She giggles, "Don't worry, I know a way out. You might not know, but Ryan and I were planning on it way back before we met you. By the time they realize I'm gone and they start searching, I'd be too far ahead for them to even locate me..." Katya sighs, hovering over the unconscious girl. Sadness clouds her mind. "I don't know how you do it, Lexy. For a girl that's been through so much, you go around like everything is fine with that blank face of yours. How are you so stable after all that? How are you still functioning? I envy you for having such a grip on yourself, it's almost inhumane." She laughs, "Yeah, sorry I read your profile a while back. Anyway, I know this'll sound hypocritical, because I doubt my own attempts at being confident, but don't let anything or anyone bring you down, ever. And...and don't fall in love." Kat leans forward and kisses Alexa's forehead. "Goodbye."
An hour later, the girl opens her eyes. It's dark out and there's a new sense of loss hanging around her. She knows she didn't dream of Katya's voice and there are so many ways she wishes to respond to the words of her friend. Like, "I'm stable? Says who? Who told you I'm fine?" Of course, keeping her emotions and mentality to herself takes one strong fucking diamond grip...
And, lastly...don't fall in love? "I have no idea what that is." She reflects on her mother saying those words a lot about Sebastian before and in the end, he's the one who killed her. Then, he went insane after. "I'm not interested in knowing."
"Goodbye, Kat."