The Virgin Vagabond

Chapter 15

After searching ”Anna Karenina" and ”Berlin” Kesia found out that there was a musical based on the book that played in a theatre not too far from the hotel. She showed it to Luke.

”That is definitely worth checking out” he said and called the box office. ”Yes, we would like two tickets for Anna Karenina tonight” he said. ”What? Sold out? But we really need to go. Could you check if there’s tickets booked for Luke and Kesia? There is? Great! That’s us. Yes, thank you!”

”How did you know there would be tickets booked for us already?” Kesia asked as Luke hung up the phone. 

 ”Because the commission would never take any risks. They probably booked those tickets many nights ago” Luke replied. ”Shouldn’t you go call your dad?”

”Yes! Thanks for reminding me!” said Kesia and took out her phone.

She walked into the bedroom and closed the door so she could talk without being disturbed and without disturbing. When she came back, Conrad just left the room with a polite nod towards her and Luke looked upset. 

”What did he want?”

”To deliver bad news” answered Luke. He looked at Kesia and held out his arm towards her. ”Come here” he said and Kesia walked closer only to be wrapped in his warm arms. 

”Are you okay?” she asked.

Kesia could feel Lukes smile on her cheek and his breath in her ear.

”There you go again” he said. Kesia smiled back.

”I’m sorry but you seem really upset. What did Conrad tell you?”

”Let’s not think about that” said Luke and looked at her, slowly stroking his thumb over her lips. ”Let’s think about other things” and then he kissed her. As he did so, Kesia realized that it had been days since their last kiss. Their minds had been focusing on diamond smuggling and problem solving. 

Kesia texted with Cornelia to make sure it was okay for them to still be in touch with John and Keren. She said it was but to not let them know ”too much”. Kesia rolled her eyes when she read Cornelias response, what did she think of them? That they would say ”by the way, the whole game is just a cover up for a world wide diamond smuggling business”? Kesia answered that of course they wouldn’t reveal unnecessary information. Cornlelia surprisingly answered with a emoji. Suddenly, a great idea popped into Kesias head and she turned to Luke.

”Hey! Wanna shake things up a bit today?”

After ditching the town car outside of the hotel, Luke and Kesia took a walk down the street to meet up with John and Keren. Kesia had suggested that she and Keren would wear similar outfits and Keren would wear a wig to look like Kesia. Sunglasses were also a must for all four of them. Luke and John both wore leather jackets and jeans, hood up and sunglasses on. That way, they could split up at any moment and confuse the seekers. They wouldn’t get a penalty for splitting up unless their seekers could prove that they split up. Kesia was excited to say the least. Not because she didn’t want to be with Luke but because she was missing social exchange from more than one person. Plus, John was a real hottie. 

”So, this is really risky, you know that, right?” said Luke as they walked down the street.

”Yes, yes, but it’s a risk worth taking, Luke, we’ll be much more efficient this way. I will be with John, checking out the musical, and you’ll be with Cornelia, talking through some stuff.”

”And Keren?”

”Keren will be with Conrad I guess. She is no use in this scenario” said Kesia as they turned a corner and saw John and Keren waiting for them by the square. Kesia was immediately surprised by how much like her Keren managed to look, it was really amazing. 

”Hey, guys!” said Luke and shook Johns hand. 

”Hey” he answered, ”so, are you guys sure this is a good idea?”

”No, but apparently we’re willing to risk it” said Luke and Kesia rolled her eyes on him. 

”Have Cori been informed?” asked Keren. 

”Sort of” answered Kesia.

”And she’s here? How come?”

Luke and Kesia looked at each other for a second. They hadn’t prepared for questions like that. Kesia let Luke come up with something clever.

”She’s in town on business. It just happened to collide with our trip here. Weird right?”

John nodded suspiciously and turned his eyes to Kesia.

”So, we’re gonna hang, huh? Looking forward to it!”

Luke held out a hand to stop John who was on his way to put his arm around Kesia. 

”Don’t try anything ok? Just keep her safe until I’m done.”

”You got it. Don’t worry, man.”

They nodded in mutual understanding and John offered Kesia his arm before they started walking together towards the theatre. As soon as they were out of hearing distance from Luke and Keren, John turned to Kesia. 

”So, how come you wanted to do this?” he asked.

”What makes you think it was my idea?”

”The way Luke said ’apparently we’re willing to risk it’ in combination with the way you rolled your eyes at him. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you are the brains behind this little plan.”

Kesia smiled a little. 

”Ok, you got me. This was entirely my idea. Don’t flatter yourself though, it has nothing to do with you.”

”No? And here I thought you had a crush on me!” said John, acting hurt. 

”How could I? I don’t really know you.” 

”After tonight you might know me a little better. Just let me know when you start crushing on me so that I can make a move.”

”Funny! Sure, I’ll keep you updated. No, jokes aside, I just wanted a break from Luke. Not that I don’t like him, I do, I really do, but it gets intense, you know. We’ve spent every waking minute together for weeks now.”

”Are you guys fighting or something? Trouble in paradise?”

”What? No! Everything is fine…”

”I feel so convinced by that statement” said John with obvious sarcasm. 

”It’s none of your business!”

”True, but if you wanna talk about it with anyone except Luke himself I’m really your only option, Kessie. But maybe your one of those girls who doesn’t like to talk. No, wait! That kind of girl doesn’t exist! My bad.”

Kesia raised her eyebrows, looked at John and then started laughing. 

”Ok, fine, but remember, you asked for it” she said.

”Shoot.”

”Luke has a lot of issues and I feel like I can’t keep up. I feel like a child around him. He is so experienced and clever. He always knows what to do. It doesn’t really help that I’m a virgin.”

”Hold on! You’re a virgin? All these weeks traveling together and you guys never did it? Even just to blow off steam?”

”No. And he has completely taken control of that situation too. He says he wants it to be special and just assumes that it is really important to me that it’s romantic and perfect and what not.”

”But it’s not?”

”Maybe it was in the beginning but now I just wanna get it done. I’m so tired of being an innocent little virgin.”

John stopped her and pulled her closer. He suddenly looked really serious.

”You know all you have to do is to say one word and I will help you out.”

Kesia felt a warmth and a tingle rushing through her body. She swallowed.

”O-Ok” she stuttered. 

John ran his hand down her back before he let her go and they continued walking towards the theatre. They turned another corner and spotted the theatre down the road. There was already a steady stream of people on their way in through the doors. Kesia and John joined the crowd and walked into an impressive entrance hall with red and gold details. They picked up their tickets at the counter and moved on to their seats that were surprisingly close to the stage. Kesia looked around and marveled at the grandeur of everything. She must have had childishly fascinated look on her face because John suddenly started smiling at her.

”What?” she asked.

”Is this your first time in a theatre?”

She felt herself blushing. Yes, it was her first time in a theatre of this size.

”No” she said.

The lights started flickering and more and more people filled up the seats around them. In a few minutes, the show was starting and Kesia forgot everything around her, completely rapt by the drama in front of her. She didn’t notice the time passing at all. Suddenly the curtains closed and the light came on.

”What’s happening?” she asked as people started to get up from their seats. 

”A fifteen minute break” said John. ”Come on, let’s get some champagne.”

He held ot his hand and Kesia grabbed it. As soon as she was on her feet, John moved his hand to her lower back as to guide her in the right direction. Kesia felt a slight tingle and realized she liked it. It made her feel taken care of. John seemed to know exactly where to pick up the champagne and quickly got them a glass each. He put the glass in Kesias hand and then grabbed her other hand in his.

”Come on, this is our chance” he said.

They walked pass the bathrooms and the bar to get to the safety deposit boxes. 

”You think the key is in a safety deposit box?” asked Kesia. ”Seems a little too obvious.”

”Ok, you have any other ideas?”

”Not really… It’s just that the commission doesn’t seem to be repeating itself and they already used the safety deposit box in Assisi.”

Kesia thought about it a few seconds while she took a few sips of her champagne. 

”You wanna do something else then?” asked John, pulling her a little closer.

”Shh, I’m thinking” said Kesia and pushed him away.

Suddenly the lights started flickering again and they had to return to their seats. As they were about to sit down, an envelope fell down from Kesias chair. She picked it up.

”Someone was in here when we were out there, placing the key on my chair!”

Both of them looked around, somewhat nervously. No one seemed suspicious. 

”Check inside, make sure we got what we need” said John and Kesia opened the envelope to see what was inside. There was a key to the quote and another note with a message on it. Kesia felt weird reading it without Luke and closed the envelope again.

”We have everything we need. You wanna go?”

”No, I wanna see the rest of the play” said John and took her hand. 

Kesia caught herself smiling a little at the whole situation. She would not have guessed John to be an Anna Karenina-kind of guy. 

Time flew by during the second half of the play and before she knew it, Kesia was walking down the street next to John, heading back to Luke and Keren. Her head was still in the theatre though, processing all the impressions from the play. 

”When were we supposed to meet Luke and Keren?” John asked, pulling her back to reality. 

”Eh, like 10.30 I think. What time is it?”

”It’s soon ten o’clock. Wanna get a drink or something?”

Kesia thought about that for a few seconds. They had some time and she was seriously considering Johns offer from before. Maybe she would ask him to help her with her whole ”situation”. 

”Maybe” she said and bit her lip a little. ”How far away is your hotel?”

John turned and looked at her. 

”A few blocks that way” he answered and pointed in the opposite direction. ”Why?”

”No reason, I just thought we would get privacy there. And probably drinks as well.”

John smiled.

”They do have excellent drinks in the bar by the lobby.”

”Perfect. And the privacy of your room is perfect for solving the problem I have. The one you offered to help me with.”

The smile flew from Johns lips and he looked at Kesia.

”Really? Are you sure? Cause if we can get a cab we would be at the hotel in like five minutes.”

”Let’s do it!”

John immediately started looking for a cab and waved one in.

Kesia din’t see Luke until they met back at the hotel. She walked into the room as he was packing their stuff to move to the new hotel. 

”Oh, hey” he said when he saw her, ”you guys took longer than I expected, that’s why I told Conrad to take you back here instead of the meeting point. Did you have a good time?”

”Oh, yes, the play was amazing! And I got us the key” she answered and took the envelope out of her bag. She gave it to Luke. 

”How was the conversation with Cornelia? Did it go as you had hoped?” she asked as Luke sat down on the couch with the quote and the key. 

”Sort of. I mean, we just talked a bit more about the same stuff as yesterday. I guess I kind of understand why she did what she did and I’m not mad at her or anything but I’m gonna need some time to process everything.”

”Of course. Just let me know if there’s anything I can do” said Kesia and sat down next to him. 

Luke laid out the quote and placed the key over it. The wholes circled the letters H, P, E, R and T. 

”Oh, no!” Kesia exclaimed and sighed. 

”What?”

”We’re going to Australia, Luke. Perth.”

”Oh… yeah. Isn’t there a Perth in Britain though? Maybe it’s that one?”

”We won’t know until we get the travel information.”

”What does the little note say?”

Kesia took out the small piece of paper and unfolded it. There was just an adress on it and the phrase ”ring the doorbell and say ’diamonds’”. Kesia felt a chill along her spine and she looked at Luke. 

”Do you think this means they know we know?”

”We have to assume they do” he answered. ”Which reminds me that we should get going to the new hotel. Are you ready to go?”

”Let me just check the bedroom and bathroom” said Kesia and got up.

She walked into the bedroom and closed the door. For a few seconds, she closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths and thought about the last few hours of her life. She could still taste John in her mouth and feel the slight soreness between her legs. How would she ever tell Luke about this? ”You don’t have to tell him at all” had John said. ”He doesn’t need to know. Let him believe that whenever you have s*x the first time it’s your very first time. Let him think he’s the one taking your virginity. This, what we have done right now, that was just for you. Now, you can relax and you don’t have to stress about it anymore. What we just did is none of his business.” Then he had kissed her, for a log time. Kesia could almost feel his hands on her skin just thinking about it. His tongue dominating her mouth while his hand gently slided down her body and in between her legs where he seemed to know exactly what to do to make her completely powerless.