Collateral

Chapter Seventeen - Arsen

It took Arsen a while to figure out where home actually was. 

He didn't think of the possibility that he might not remember the exact address until the driver asked him in an annoyed tone, "Where exactly is 'home'?"

So Arsen supplied a random address and while they were approaching the fake address, he racked his brain until he finally came up with something. 

"Oh, I'm such an i***t!" Arsen facepalmed. He didn't know if people actually did that anymore. "That's my friend's address. Mine is actually 4973 Paradise Lane. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience." 

"That'll cost you extra," the driver warned. He studied Arsen in the rearview mirror. "Anyone ever told you you look like that kid that was shot?"

Arsen gave a laugh. "All the time," he lied. "Hope I don't end up like him." Hoped he got the facts right from the information given to him by the driver. They rode in silence for a while.

"We're here. This house looks kind of familiar."

"Oh, does it?" Arsen asked lightly. "Must be a coincidence."

"Must be. Pay up."

"Sure," Arsen said, digging into his pockets and hoping there was a wad of cash in there or a wallet. No luck. "It seems I've left my wallet at home. Can I get it and come back?"

"I'll be waiting here. Your fee is twenty dollars."

"Right. Of course. Thank you." 

Arsen ran up the steps and onto the porch, knocking on the door. "I'll be there in a second!" yelled a familiar voice. He almost stumbled back a few steps at the flood of memories and the strong concoction of emotions associated with them.

Arsen waited but with a glance back he knew the driver was getting impatient, so he knocked again.

"I'm coming," Reyna's disembodied voice bellowed in an exasperated voice. The door swung open. "Arsen?" She whispered in shock. Her golden hair was tied back in a low ponytail, forest green eyes wide in disbelief. There was something smeared across her left cheek, light brown. Arsen sniffed the air. Was that... peanut butter? He suppressed the urge to wipe it away with his hand.

"Reyna, right?" Arsen confirmed. Reyna gave a slight nod, her mouth still slightly agape. "Look, I know this is really sudden and everything, but do you have twenty dollars?"

This seemed to snap her out of her daze. "Twenty dollars? Why?"

"I, uh, gotta pay the taxi man," Arsen confessed sheepishly, pointing over his shoulder at the taxi that was beginning to honk at them. 

The window rolled down and the driver yelled, "I don't have all day!"

"So, the money?"

Reyna ran inside and ran back out, giving a twenty-dollar bill to the driver who sped away almost immediately after. She turned to Arsen, eyes still round and wide. "Are you real?" 

"I--I think," was his response. Reyna reached out to touch him, to confirm it, but her fingers curled into a fist and she punched him. Arsen yelped in pain. 

"How the hell--how could you do that?" Reyna yelled. "Do you know how long it's been? Why didn't you come back? Why aren't you dead?"

"I'm not sure on any of those," Arsen gave her a weak smile. 

"Reyna?" a small voice called. "Is everything okay?"

"Holls," her voice was strangled. It looked like she was debating whether to tell Holly or not. "Nothing's wrong, princess, stay upstairs and finish your homework," she decided. 

"Okay."

Now Reyna turned to Arsen with an almost lethal glare. "Now it's time, Arsen. Explain."

Arsen wiped away the blood from his bottom lip and sat down on the pale yellow couch, patting it and motioning for Reyna to sit as well. She did, grabbing one of the white-and-gold striped pillows and hugging it tightly. 

"It's a really long story, Reyna, and even I'm not clear on the details myself." Arsen started, his voice hesitant, but then stopped after the first sentence. "Actually, I'll tell you some other time," he lied. He had no intention of telling Reyna anything anytime. The President was the most powerful man and saying something might put her in danger--he never knew. "Do you know where my father is?"

"I think it's best we keep your being alive a secret from them," Reyna explained. "But we have to tell Team Three, it's been chaos since you, uh, left."

Right. The team. Now if only he could remember who they were... or even what 'Team Three' was. Reyna clearly didn't know that he didn't remember much, and he was okay with it like that. 

"You coming?" Reyna asked. She grabbed something off a coat rack and tossed it to him. "Wear this, too, I don't know if anyone will recognize you without it."

Arsen examined it. It was a plain black windbreaker except for a small logo near his shoulder. There was a puncture wound on the right side and tears throughout, tattering it effectively.

"Yeah," Reyna said awkwardly. "It took a little tumble. Your father always kept it here, you know, in case you ever needed it." 

Arsen stared at her blankly. "Why would I need it? You thought I was dead." 

He vaguely remembered the driver mentioning getting shot. This bad? "I don't know, he always kept hope," Reyna said. "I always thought it was stupid--better to just accept it." 

Her mouth opened and closed as if she was trying to say something but it physically hurt her to. "You alright?" Arsen asked in a concerned tone. 

"Fine, it's just--" she swallowed. "It's just I thought I lost you." 

Arsen swooped in and embraced her tightly, it felt good and natural. 

Reyna kept on going, "I thought you were gone and I never got to tell you how much you mean to me." 

Arsen pulled away slightly, staring her right in the eyes. He didn't remember much, but he knew that she meant a lot to him too. 

Her eyes welled up with tears and she looked away, trying to keep them down. Arsen tilted his head. 

"It's okay," he soothed. "I'm not leaving anytime soon. I promise."

"Don't make promises like that." Reyna's voice was angry now. "Please, don't. You can't keep them." 

Arsen leaned his head towards hers until their faces were only inches apart. "I promise," he repeated, closing the distance between them. 

Reyna leaned into the kiss at first, then a half-second later, she pulled away jerkily, her breaths heavy and shallow. "What are you--"

"I'm sorry," Arsen apologized. "I just thought--" it felt right to do that, I remember I wanted to. 

"You're my friend, Arsen, not anything more."

"I know," Arsen sighed, tearing his hands through his hair and thoroughly messing it up. The dark locks fell in front of his face, only partially hiding his flaming red cheeks. 

"I just don't..." Reyna exhaled heavily, slowing her breathing. "I just don't think it's a good idea."

"I'm sorry," Arsen repeated. He turned and headed for the door. 

"Where are you going?" 

"Don't worry," he gave a small smile, "I'm not dying again. Promise." He held out his pinky towards her. Reyna moved towards him almost reluctantly and they locked fingers. A barely perceptible smile grew across her face.

"Promise. And I'm still mad at you. I want answers."

You and me both.