Chapter 4 : Caveats Away

Zia Stephanie's POV

I felt like time begun to lose its meaning. The passage of time felt like it was heavenly distorted where space time worked into different scale on the other dimension. What should only be a few minutes seemed like I had endured dew hours and what might feel like small width of time could be extensive.

While I walked down towards the hall away from the classroom, I could feel the eyes of students who were giggling, laughing, busy chitchatting with their group of friends. I felt exposed with no room to duck into and no stars to took. I simply focused on those light from the end of the hallway as I made through my way through the tight busy corridor, I felt irritated like I was being pounded like a sandwich.

I was walking down the garden staircase when the corners of my eyes caught the teenagers getting out the principal's office. Many were in pairs laughing about something.

There was a blonde who had just opened her locker and slammed a few books in, obviously frustrated about something. I looked straight ahead and up ahead to the right was the school store where you could buy anything from school supplies to the latest t-shirts.

"Steph! Steph!" I heard someone called my name. I roamed my eyes towards the surroundings, following the voice. I snapped my fingers as I saw the epitome of Ethan, beaming with joy and happiness. From those chubby cheeks from before, it now turned into a refined jaw. Her hair was as dull as ash, but you could see that she was now more matured and grown up.

I waved my hand in the air. "Mae!" I beamed while my eyes were darted towards her, walking towards me. "Where's your brother?" I asked, head hanging low. Just like her brother having those shaped jawline, pale lips, and skin, she looked like her brother, giving more fierce face having deep cold glaring eyes. I halted. Why am I saying things like this?

Mae's face literally lit up. I heard her giggle and in a sly voice she asked, "The sparks still there, aren't they?" I elbowed her. I heard her snorted, laughing.

I let a small laugh, crossing my hands above my chest. "I don't think so?" I replied, making me chuckle. As we both started to walk, I asked, "Do you want to grab a bite?" In return, she just nodded.

"Its been years! Long time no talk, Steph," she said, giggling, wrapping a curl around her finger. I guffawed looking for opened stores. I gazed towards my watch, stating that it was already five in the evening.

My mind had been mostly empty as if I was into another space engulfed by darkness. Her words seemed to wash over me like a cold tide. I somehow missed them like how winter missed the warmth of summer. It sat through my mind like a solid weight, sinking to the bottom of a mudded pool. I decided to snap out of my thoughts.

Wrapped in a slender arcade of around fifteen meters concrete panels, the cafe was blinking its name stating that it was 'Dutch of Hell' making me scrunched my face. At the outermost end of the spiral a staircase led up to a roof garden above the restaurant, which was accessible to the public independent of the spaces below. Large planters were embedded in the protruding core of the spiral as well as around its edges.

"I think I just saw something. I'll check it out first," she said as her nose crinkled in melodic laughter. My eyes darted at her as she bolted towards the post.

I was about to push the door at the entrance when I saw Franz looking puzzled and confused. "Franz!" I yelled. He was literally like a walking zombie having dark black tone under his eyes. I walked towards him and tapped his shoulder. "What's up with that long face?" I asked as my eyebrows creased a little.

"Akemi wasn't replying on my emails, I have texted her almost a hundred," he mumbled, massaging both of his temples. Why was this guy so problematic? Was that also a part of the council? 

I shrugged my shoulders, pursing my lips and said, "Perhaps she's just busy."

"I called her mother. But she told me, Akemi did not go home. It's quite odd, isn't it?" he said as fear overtook his features. I patted his back once again, assuring him.

I am starting to get worried. I nibbled my lower lip as my palms started to get sweaty. "We'll find her, alright?" I said as I pulled way.

"I'll look for her," Franz said stiffened, bobbed his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'll update you back."

I nodded. I saw him bid goodbye waiving his hand, fixing his glasses using his index finger.

I walked towards the entrance making the door creaked. I glanced at the retractable, curved glazing elements in a sash window to lowering the windows into a basement channel. These windows sat partially lowered to form a glazed balustrade around the interior or can sat completely flush with the ground level of the square.

I searched for the vacant seat, leaving my small black bag excluding my wallet and my phone. The off-white walls curled in on itself to create a concrete core, mirroring the arcaded form of the outer wall and housing a lift. Ash wood slats lined the ceiling of the café, emphasizing its spiral form, and curved seating booths alluded to the arched forms of the structure.

"What's your order?" he asked, smiling from ear to ear. I returned his gesture, smiling back at him. I looked up and searched for the menu, weighing the value of his question.

"Two tall caramel winter tea, extra whip and two blueberry cheesecakes," I said, tucking my hair into my ears. He looked at me as if amused because of what I have ordered, I creased my brows asking if he was okay.

He nodded and asked, "Have we met before?" I looked at him perplexed expression as if saying no, of course not. "We'll nice to meet you then," he added.

"Well," I replied, "nice to meet you too." I took out my purse and payed him. I waited for my number while I darted towards its design. "Is this your store?" I asked. The exterior and interior walls featuring textured concrete was there.

He paused, staring at me, and nodded. I looked around, wood-clad walls, cabinets and seating offset the rough material, along with muted terrazzo floors was visible. "Nice store," I uttered.

After he handed me the number, and was about to pivot my feet when he placed his hands on my shoulder. "Don't be so obvious, someone was following you," he whispered that made my heart raced. He smiled at me, acting like he was an old friend of mine.

At one point, I am keenly aware that I was being followed. I could not find the reason why. It could be the young woman fixedly typing into her phone. Maybe the figure in the next car, back against the window. Perhaps it was the middle-aged man wearing a fedora hat. It could be none of them. But I could not shake the feeling that they get neared and nearer,

I went back towards my seat and saw Mae waved her hand, smiling. I sat beside her as I averted my gaze towards the wavy white ceiling that wrapped the walls to create a bright space. This cafe was filled with dozens of white tables and chairs placed atop pale wooden floors.

Minutes have passed when I saw the guy from the counter walked towards us with a metal stray on his hand. "Your order," he uttered, flashing his dimples on his cheeks. I mouthed the word 'thank you' and in his response, he bowed before turning his back on us.

"Sorry, I'm late," I looked up and my jaw dropped the moment I saw a midnight haired guy in front of me as the corner of his mouth turned up, giving me a lopsided grin. "Done checking me out?" I snapped out of my thoughts, looking away from him. I blew a sigh, looking at the pale walls, floors and cushions, and wood furniture modelled on the American Shaker movement.

"So, what did I miss?" he asked, sitting in front of us, grabbing my cheesecake. I furrowed my brows at him. I pursed my lips together, I tensed.

"Everything, Ethan," I mumbled, pausing for a while. I sipped my tea and continued, "...everything." I looked away.

It was becoming a riddle why they left, he left without saying anything. It was like I am only one small driftwood against the tidal waves of a storm. I could not find myself for I was longing for someone. At the moment, I wanted to ask him, but it felt like I was hitting the dead end or an allegorical new world.

Silence muffled into my ears with the mixture of small chitchats and soft music in the air. I was sipping my tea when I met Mae's eyes pleading, and in her sly voice, she asked, "Wanna hang out tomorrow?" She jerked her head in my direction, resting her chin on her palm.

"I'm not sure," I replied, pursing my lips. I blew a sigh and added, "I'm not done with my clearance –" I was cut off by Ethan.

He placed his hand on his nape and said, "I pulled out some strings." He looked away and continued eating my cheesecake. "A simple thank you may do," he said. I heard chuckling beside me. But I still glued my eyes on him, a warm smile stretched across his lips and I had to admit, I had not seen his smile in years.

My eyes darted towards the magazine. I raised my brows, looking intently at the headline. "A boy in a box killer was on the loose," I whispered. I inched forward as my eyes widened in fear. "Through the testimony, it resulted that the evidence was matched. Under their roof, he was subjected to physical and sexual abuse. His substantial history of mental illness corroborated the autopsy."

I waited until they finished their meal. But the corner of my eyes wrinkled towards the guy in his forties, looking at us intently. I pursed my lips together trying to figure out who he was.

For a while I had tightened my grip towards the door, trying to regain my bearings. It was like standing on quicksand where I was sinking slowly. I could feel warmth escaping my body and a frigid chill set in through my body, travelling through my veins.

I stepped out of the doorway, zipping me jacket as the cold breeze pierced through my skin. I looked up and saw the clouds were hanging low in the sky, gray and ominous. They seemed to drain the happiness out from those who walked through the streets, storing it in its fluffy reserves.

I was walking ahead of them when I heard small whispers. I was about to take another step when I almost lost my balance. My quick reflexes kicked in, making me instantly pivoted my other foot. I looked up as their laughs and chitchats muffled into my ears. "I'm trained for this," I whispered, making me grin from ear to ear.

I folded my arms into my chest, chest rising with rapid breaths while face, flushing red. The corner of my eyes caught the girl in red, laughing reluctantly. She had a long brown hair, a devious smile, wearing her contacts, raising her brows at my direction. Poor little thing.

"Neraiah," I said, calling her name. She instantly turned into my direction having a smirk in her face. My blood started to boil and asked, "Are you some sort of a frog that come from the dump?"

I slowly took steps towards her and without hesitation, I pivoted my feet going to her back and pulled her hair. "Or you're the dump itself?" I mumbled, pulling her hair further. "If this is all fun and games, then it's over," I whispered. She tried to reach me, but I pushed her away from me, making her stumble on the ground. Gasp, chitchats, and laughs lingered in the area.

The corner of my eyes wrinkled the moment I saw a short haired girl, walking towards me. "Maurice, the number two," I mumbled, chuckling. She lunged forward, quickly sprinting towards me. "What are you? A backup?"

Maurice went closer, as she tried to punch me on my face, but reflex kicked in and I ducked forward. She snatched out a knife in her pockets, but I cleaved her legs, making her fell on the cold concrete floor.

I heard her hissed, swiftly grabbed her clenched fist and bolted towards me. I sidestepped to the left and punched her face as I twisted her hand, making her screamed in pain. "Oh my God, your eyes!"

I gazed at her eyes, I could see broken contacts as her eyes cried out the red warm liquid, smelling like old coppery metal. "I told you not to mess with me," I mumbled, flashing a genuine smile. I winched when I felt a warm liquid dripping from my arm. I haven't seen this coming.

"You wrench," Neraiah yelled, eyes squinting, face flushed red.

I raised my brows towards her as she stepped back, fixing her damaged hair.

"Excuse me?" I asked, stretching my hand, blowing the strands of my hair out from my face. "Are you pertaining to yourself?" I added as the corner of my lips turned up. I clenched my first and shook my head, walking away from them.

"What have you done?" I heard a stern voice yelled. It was Ethan.

I shut my eyes momentarily and said, "They started it. It's not my fault!" I opened my eyes and gazed towards the sky. In a few hours, it will rain.

I always observed the same cycle for the past month that I could know that the happiness of the clouds has taken from me so greedily. It became too heavy and returned to be cold, driving rain. It was depressing, but that was life.

"Are you okay?" Ethan added, making me blinked several times. My mouth wanted to say something, but I could not. I was about to pivot my feet when my eyes darted towards Franz, walking straight ahead, running out from our building.

I waved my hand on the air, grabbing his attention. I was about to asked him, but his lips were trembling as he mouthed, "Akemi."

My attention was glued at him, making me tilted my head, brows snapped together. "Where is she? What about her?" I asked. His eyes glittered with worry as beads of sweat fell from his face.

"It cock-up. She's in the hospital right now," in his british voice, he said. My heart sank so I immediately followed him. I could see that even if it was possible to see the stars through the city lights, I wouldn't be able to see them now.

Thick, gray, and gloomy, they obscured my view and made me feel about sixteen degrees colder. After few steps, I heard a low rumble, and a cold drizzle of rain started to fall.