TO KILL IS TO SERVE

Chapter 13: The Green and Pink

 Meh. I was not given an opportunity to sleep well yesterday night, so I slept in the whole class. Miss Cherrie just let me, as long as I pass a piece or assignment at the said time and answer a random easy question. And it is much safer to sleep here.

I am f****d up yesterday night when I was summoned to Dad’s office and forced to talk about everything that has happened last weekend. He was so tending that I almost forgot that everything is under his schemes. It is his fault for spoiling me like this. I’m losing my respect to him as I grow older. And to hell with family dinners.

“Hey, what are you doing after class?” Alora whispered to me, asking. I groggily turned to her and yawned. “Grei.” She called me again although I’m already looking at her.

I shook my head, “None. Why?” I yawned again. “Probably sleeping.” I added before she could talk. I had my Monday night talking to her after the tribute and Tuesday night talking to my old man about the almost failed mission. I shouldn’t really have gone to school today. I am still a f*****g human who needs a real rest once in a while. I wish I can sleep without having to put my guard up. I sighed in hope to sigh out of misery as well.

“Why? You didn’t get any sleep?” She asked, tilting her head towards me. I nodded and yawned, placing my forehead on my empty desk. I know she’s quite comfortable with me now, but I cannot appreciate the setting right now. “Why? Why?” Indeed, persistent. I sighed secretly. If I tell you, you might run to your dad and get me behind bars, so no, thank you. I thought, not answering her. “Grei—”

“Family matter, Alora.” I replied in a bored manner. Family, huh? “Kindly don’t ask any more questions.” I added and I heard her apologizing, but later on lifted my head to look at her. “What’s up, though? That was too persistent, girl. You’re probably into something.” I patted her head and she groaned. Almost everyone turned to us. She glared at me and I chuckled. She doesn’t like attention of our classmates but she likes my attention. That, I am sure.

“I was about to ask you to go out for a walk with me. You know, drawing purposes.” She whispered as she replies. “But since you’re so into your sleep, never mind I asked.” She got back to sketching on her notebook and I nodded. My target’s hair is up today, which is rare. She’s been wearing jeans lately but now, she’s on cotton pants. I bet she’s seriously up to something.

“Okay.” I replied and placed my forehead on my desk, again. I heard her groans and protests about me being a sleepyhead and not her friend, so I chuckled—10 percent was because it’s quite funny but 90 percent was because I need to. “I hear you.”

“You’re unfair.” She grumbled. “When a lady says no, you should not take it seriously. I even dressed up a bit for this.” Girls like reverse psychology, huh? She poked my back using the other end of her pencil and whispered the last line. I can even hear your brushstrokes through phone call; whispering is not something you can stop me from hearing. But I did not mention it since it’s downright creepy. Not unless she understands that I am her assassinator. “That’s why you’re single.” She added, intending not to let me hear her completely but definitely speculation about me.

Single? I chuckled. “Fine, let’s go take a short walk before it gets dark.” I saw her lips curved upward and her cheeks fluffed. “And I am not single.” I mumbled while she’s busy getting excited. I am married to my job. But fine, I am f*****g single and will remain as one as long as I f*****g live.

“So you’re in a relationship?” Her eyes widened in curiosity and she gripped her pencil while waiting for my answer.

“No. I am a prodigy.” I languidly uttered and placed my head on the table again to take a nap. She roared a little but decided to not speak to me about her frustration—which is me, as well.

-

I crossed my arms and yawned for the eighth time today. “Wake me up when you’re done.” I uttered and closed my eyes when she replied yes. I want to sleep. I thought as I try to do so.

Alora said we’re going for a walk and she indeed brought me to a walk—in front of her subdivision, the park. She obviously liked it here and she told me that she cannot go out alone, because her father will scold her if he find out. He will, indeed. I yawned, again. Police officers, especially those who are in the higher ranks, pledged their lives to be on the boundary of life and death all the time, but unfortunately, their family’s lives are getting on the boundary with them, too. So, your father is just caring about you. What a lovely setting!

“I’m so sorry. Please forgive my clumsiness.”

“Hey girl, you act like I am the one at fault here. What the—”

I groaned and cracked my knuckles in vexation and exhaustion when I’ve heard the sorry voice of Alora and an unfamiliar voice replying to her. I just took a five seconds nap and you’re already getting into trouble. I rolled my eyes and stood up, heading to where I am hearing the artist silently screaming for help. I thought she can defend herself as her father said? Maybe she can but she doesn’t want to, based on her timid attitude.

“I’m sorry, I was just—”

“What’s wrong, Alora?” I stood behind two girls and three guys who are standing in front of the harmless artist who’s hugging her sketchpad. She looks like a lost puppy. I pursed my lips and hid my smile. “She did not dress up to be sandwiched by you.” I added sluggishly while rubbing my sleepy eyes. The five of them turned to me. If I weren’t in a bad state as I am now, I would act rationally at times like this. If I f*****g weren't.

Lack of sleep can lead to inescapable unprofessionalism. I must warn my frie—f*****g everyone about it.

“And who are you?” The tallest with fierceness asked while glaring at me. I bet he is looking at me like I am a little ant. “What—”

“Grei, why are you up? This is nothing, really. Go back to sleep.” Alora spoke behind them as the tallest took a step towards me. She acts pitiful at school in front of those useless classmates of ours but treats me like I am a nuisance. Now she still acts pitiful in front of these people and treats me like I can do nothing but to burden her. That attitude of hers is loathsome. “It was my fault. I was too focused on sketching and I kind of stepped on her white, carefully taken-care-of shoe.” Her voice cowered as she ends her sentence while pointing out the girl at the centre. I glimpsed at the woman she’s pertaining to. What an annoying face. I thought and looked back to Alora.

“Did you apologize?” I asked and she nodded. This is just too cliché, who the f**k is the author of my life?

“Did you just ignore me, you brat?”

I nodded back to Alora and looked up to the tallest after he demanded for my attention. You’re just three inches taller than me. I rolled my eyes without actually rolling them, for I did it just in my mind. “My girl here, said sorry already, didn’t she?” I uttered, raising my brows. “What are you, deaf? Unable to hear—”

“Shut up, man.” The guy beside the girl at the centre stepped towards me. He looked like a gym person with his fitted shirt, outlining his biceps and trained muscles. He displayed his Brobdingnagian chest that is bigger than Alora’s face. “Are you even a guy? Why are you so agitated? Let the girls deal with this and don’t stare at me like that.”

They are around 19-21, the tallest is the oldest, probably. They smell like mints and milk. They also have some unnecessary jerking and movements. And the most noticeable of all are their bloodshot eyes.

I sighed and held my temples since I just heard a very lame rebut. “Let the girls deal with it? Boy, you’re overcrowding my apologizing lady here,” I pointed Alora out, who’s been trying to stop me from talking. “So, accept the sorry now and get the hell out of our sigh—” Oh no, he tried punching me. I exhaled when I watched him tried. “Punching the air, seriously?” I scoffed, almost mocking. I saw his veins popping out now. His biceps are about to explode. “This is your last warning.” I twitched my tongue while scanning their faces. In fifteen seconds, their right arms would be broken already. I smirked as I saw the tallest guy’s hand approaching me. I see. So it’s a no? But I need take it easy for I might catch attention.

Ah, hell, where is my sleep?

-

I stretched my hands and popped my back bone while walking, heading to Alora’s house.

“Are you okay?”

“Alora, for the sixth time, yes I am.”

“But how could you—”

“They just can’t fight, that’s why they got taken down first.” I answered simply. It was too easy to make them kneel before me—the boys, I meant. I did not touch the ladies; instead, I taught them how to be frightened by breaking their bodyguards’ bones in front of them.

“The other one looked so packed! I was so scared. My heart went pitter-patter right after I saw him.”

“You’re that scared?” You can’t be. Your own father’s as packed as that guy, how could you lie to my face? I looked at her while asking her in my thoughts. She indeed is good at hiding things.

“And the tallest one! Grei, I almost collapsed when I saw him!” You father’s taller than him. Alora. What are you trying to do? I countered her statements inside my head for I cannot speak anything out that might cause suspicion.

“Yeah, you sound scared.” I pretended to be moved by her words and description and looked away from her.

“How could you take them down in five minutes? Are you a martial artist? Do you do taekwondo? There were—”

“Alora.”

“What?”

“We’re here.” I uttered and pointed their house. She got lost in her little scary descriptions that she didn’t notice we’re here.

Alora fixed her hair, removing her ponytail, and stood in front of their gate. “Dad should be here by now. I will tell him that you’re with me and that we just took a short walk, okay?” She instructed me with her hand gestures.

“But we really did. Why do you sound like a guilty kid?” I chuckled and she blushed. “Get inside now, Alora.” I patted her head and turned around.

“Wait, I have something to tell you.” She stopped me from taking another step and I rotated my head a bit to hear her. “I think mixing green and pink is not that bad at all. I am kind of glad I got to discover a new colour with you. Bye, thanks.” And I heard the gate shut right after her thanks.

I have been constantly idling on this mission until now, that I believe. I certainly need to make real progress for talking to Alora and walking her home won’t actually contribute anything. I need to f*****g step up now.

I stretched my arm while looking up. The Sun’s almost set and I haven’t slept any yet. “What does she mean by that, though? Is she glad to discover a new friend? Or is she implying that her mistake wasn’t so bad at all? What mistake, then?” I mumbled to myself, asking. “So f*****g annoying random things.”

I wonder what is going inside an artist’s head. But I still think pink and green mixture is ugly.