Sᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 13. 2024.
Her eyes widen in fear of that she has been caught. If an assassin recognizes her, it's probably one from where she had escaped months ago. She starts fighting; kicking, thrashing and splashing up the cold, polluted water in her lame attempt at trying to get away.
Alessia had already noticed her hesitation, confirming that it is indeed her friend.
She stutters, "It's me, Aless--Alexa, I mean."
Katya pauses again, just like when the girl sitting on her said her name before. She starts analyzing her pale, round face and small nose. "Y-your eyes..." she mumbles, and quick to prove that she is who she says she is, Alessia pulls off a glove, removing the coloured contact from her left eye to reveal a dark brown iris.
Both girls stare at each other for a moment, before Katya sits up, throwing her arms around her. "Oh my God, I can't believe this!" She exclaims in-between sadness and excitement. "I missed you so, so much. How are you?" She pulls away to look at her face again.
"Shouldn't I be the one reacting like you are? You're the one that got away, Kat..." Alessia retorts.
"It's too long of a story and there's no short version."
She nods, knowing they don't have all the time in the world for storytelling. "Well, I graduated and I'm living on my own now. I still work for him, sadly. I'll cut him off as soon as possible..."
Katya shoots her a pointed look at that, before frowning at how she doesn't talk about the others or a certain someone. She jokes lightheartedly, "Where's Phillipeño? Y'all broke up?"
Silence settles between them and Alessia stands up. She sighs, putting the contact in again, blinking away its uncomfortableness, meanwhile a train that's been hooting from miles away, finally passes by, sending vibrations throughout the concrete and noise in the hollowness of the drains.
She states dryly, after she's sure she can hear herself speak, "He's buried. And, so is this." She taps her chest, then looks away at the far end of the tunnel, pursing her lips.
The bluetooth in her ear beeps and Petro's voice suddenly chips in, snatching her soul out of reminiscing. "Alessia, are you there?"
With wide eyes and a thumping heart, she answers as Katya watches her warily, "Yes."
"How is the situation?" he asks.
Alessia meets Kat's gaze, saying, "They got away."
"What? That's not like you..." A deep trench forms in the old man's forehead at how hard he's frowning at the shocking news.
"I know," she grunts, feigning exhaustion, "I'm sorry."
Petro buys it. Immediately, his hate for her attendance at school begins to eat at him. He's telling himself that it's the cause of her cloudy thoughts and tiredness. It really sucks for him that he can't pull her out of school, because that's what she wants the most.
he huffs, asking her the usual, "They haven't seen your face, have they?"
"No, and it goes vice versa."
"...okay." He shakes his head, dragging his hands over his face. "Tell me, are you near your car?"
Alessia hops onto the pavement and grabs her gun, motioning for Katya to follow her as she starts to leave. "I'm heading there now. The assassin took off in the opposite direction, don't worry."
"Good, because Monica was by your car waiting. She told me you were taking too long, so I ordered an Uber for her. She hasn't gotten back to me yet, but I'm sure she's okay." He reasons, staring blankly at his desk covered in papers. "I'll call you if anything. Go home and get some rest." he hangs up.
Alessia stops walking, dropping her shoulders in a slouch and letting out a deep breath of real exhaustion. She peers behind her at her friend, who's already looking at her confused.
"What is it?"
"Do you lie to him often? You didn't even hesitate."
"That was my first time." She smiles wryly, wanting it to be her last time as well. Tell a lie once and all your truth becomes questionable.