[Alice]
Jared got into the car and sat in front after a brief glance towards my direction. His breath was uneven, I could tell from the way his chest heaved forcefully despite his attempts to conceal it. It was as if he had carried out a heavy task or had a run, or had been greatly frightened.
"Drive," he said in a commanding tone, and his friend started the car. He was breathless, and his voice was raspy. Did something happen when he was getting clothes for me?" I asked in my head, as I realized that he did not come with anything.
The car sped out of the compound, and as directed by my instincts, I maintained a lying position in the back seat, even though the car's screen was overly tinted. I could not risk being seen at this point as that would be nothing short of suicidal. The car was tearing through the busy streets of the Mafia, and in my guess, heading for the airport. Jared's friend had his eyes fixed on the road but flashed fondly stares at Jared's direction at intervals. It was as if they were in communication with each other, and trying to keep me out, and in the dark.
I did not like this, or the way it made me feel excluded like I was the outsider or the third wheel or the intruder. I doubled my dislike for Jared's friend immediately, and blamed him for it.
"I noticed that you forgot the clothes you were supposed to get for me" I stated, searching Jared's eyes and expression through the rearview mirror. I had returned to my sitting position, and was bent on putting an end to whatever conversation they were having with their eyes. I tried hard not to stare daggers at Jared's friend, not because I didn't want to, but because he would easily see me from the rearview mirror. I was at his mercy now, as I had just realized even though I was sure of Jared's protection.
"I-l sa-I could not get the clothes, I ran into Ethan, and he was staring suspiciously at me." Jared replied amidst stutters, and I feared that he was lying. He was smiling sweetly at me from the rearview mirror, forcing me to smile back.
"Oh," I mumbled, not sure what to say. I didn't want to sound disbelieving, and at the same time, I didn't want to dwell too much on the possibility that Jared had just lied to me.
"But don't worry, we'll get you better ones when we arrive at–" there was a pause. Both men exchanged another look, for the briefest of time. "New Zealand," Jared finished, and wiped off imaginary perspiration from his forehead.
The car pulled up in front of the City's airport after long minutes of driving, and even though I did not expect my father to be anywhere close, I couldn't help but look around. I studied the faces of people who were going in and coming out, easily pointing with my mind's finger which persons were travelling in the shortest of time, and which persons were not, by the speed with which they walked. I could look at their faces clearly without fear because the tinted windows shielded me from being seen by anyone from outside.
"Go get the tickets," Jared's tone was harsh, forcing me to look away from the window, and look back in the car. Jared was looking out of the window with an air of indifference, while his friend was looking at the back of his head sadly, desperately vying for his attention.
How pathetic!
Whatever was wrong with him would definitely go away after Jared and I had left him behind.
He looked on for a few more seconds, and when Jared did not turn, he stepped out of the car, probably to get the tickets. Maybe his sadness was because we were leaving him behind, I thought in my head, with triumph.
"I know you're tired, we'll be home soon." Jared spoke from where he sat without looking away from the window, and I nodded even though he could not see me. Again, my thoughts were confirmed that his friend was the bad air around us.
I suddenly wished we could drive away from here before he returned, or that we could board a flight without his knowledge so that he will never get to see us again. But then I remembered that we were leaving him behind, and that we needed the tickets he had gone to get.
"Thank you so much for doing this for me," I said, suppressing my sudden excitement. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch him.
"I'd do anything for you." Jared replied, and I felt my cheeks heat up. "You're my sweetheart, remember?" He added, and looked away from the window to look at me for a few seconds. Once again, I wished something would happen to his friend to prevent him from ever coming back. It was so everything without him here.
I could not meet his eyes. I did not want him to see how much my face was flushed or the evil desire I had for his friend.
"Still shy around me uh?" He asked, and returned his gaze to the window. I remembered how he had asked me the same question the second time we met. I was thanking him for coming to my rescue the day we had first met, and my gaze had settled on everything except on his face. We had made arrangements to meet at the supermarket every week until Ethan found out reported me to my father.
Speaking of Ethan, he must be shaking in fear now which was just a tip of what he truly deserves. Ethan had reported me even though he had a much bigger blame but I could not say that to father, I did not want to. Instead I protested without thinking of the consequences, and ended up in the hospital. Not surprising at all.
I heaved heavily as these memories replayed in my head. Memories that were gloomy. Memories of fearful days, where I was at the mercy of my heartless father, and at the same time had to protect Agnes.
"Are you alright?" Jared asked, turning towards my direction with a concerned look, he must have heard me sigh. I couldn't risk saying anything because I knew exactly how I would sound, so I nodded instead. But he did not look away. He continued to stare at me more closely until the door suddenly pulled open, and ushered in his friend.
"You're back," Jared said, looking away from me to face his friend who had a cheerful smile about him. I suddenly wished I could reach out and yank that smile off his stupid face.
"I ran into an old friend who helped with the tickets. The queue is crazy." he replied, and sighed. Then as if he only just remembered that I was present, he turned towards me, and flashed me that bright smile I have come to regard as fake, and I flashed him a fake smile right back.
He stretched one of the tickets to me, and to my horror, he had two tickets left.
He's coming with us after all!
But that was not the end of the surprise. In a bid to hide my shock, displeasure, anger, disappointment, I focused on the yellow piece of paper in my hand.
I wasn't reading it, just staring at it until my eyes caught the writing. It was in the middle of the paper, in the part labeled destination. My eyes instantly flung open, and my head did an instant 360 degree spin.
"The ticket says we are heading for Russia," I said. My eyes were fixed on the back of Jared's head.
"Yea–" Jared's friend started to say but Jared caught him off.
"I need to get something from Russia, and also drop him off. We'll go to New Zealand right after." Jared replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief. New Zealand had little or no dealings with anything Mafia related, it was the only reason we chose to travel there but Russia was a whole different story. It was the birthplace itself. Rumour had it that the Mafia activities in Italy was a joke compared to the activities in Russia.
"Our flight takes off in less than an hour from now." Jared announced a few minutes later. His eyes were fixed on the ticket. He stopped looking after a few more seconds, and got the door open while his friend did the same.
I too stepped out of the car, and trailed after both men who were heading for the terminal. My face was downcast, I couldn't risk being seen or recognized.