Rustles began to growl as the cold, blown night screamed in rage furiously. Rae started to quiver in agony; too cold. Never in her life was she used to such a dreaded circumstance, but she never complained either. In fact, she was already used to that.

Unfortunately for her, Rae forgot to bring souvenirs to welcome herself. Does she not realize that going past the night will be no different than back home? Maybe, just maybe — Rae felt ticklish, but bearable to the least. These desires, as what she called them, forsaken her long before the forthcoming demise. Being invul, the price was obvious yet she was prepared to reprimand.

“I can’t believe I just did that,” She mumbled audibly.

“I would do that too.”

Rae flustered at the click on it, right there and then. “Wha–” Oh boy! Nothing could simplify her state of being, screaming pure horror, mentally running static along the railgun.

Wasting no time to process, whilst also dashing towards her heightened balcony, Rae gripped against the wooded, cold piece of chunk. She observed as Ryan ruthlessly kept bidding her in the thin air, seemingly jamming a klutz.

Rae scoffed, “How did you even get in here?!”

Nevertheless following without any question, Ryan grabbed onto the sleeve of his own hoodie as he stepped away from the safety of fences and into the shadows that shrouded them in slight darkness.

“I suppose I could hear the whale of m’lady. Rushed here as quickly as I could.” He blandly grinned.

“Very funny,” Rae pulled herself out of the rather uncomfortable piece of clothing from her shoulders, more so awfully letting her cheeks go hidden in red, “I laughed.”

“Not very cash money of you, eh?” Ryan gripped his hoodie, expressing a verbal sense of blemish, “My heart just now did an ouchy.”

As much as Rae wanted to nibble on a chunk of ice, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. He’s prettier than I remembered but, she shared a thought, unknowingly striking an acknowledgement. His tinted hair being significantly long, reaching almost to his shoulders, while his eyes conveyed not that of amusement but of inertia – all of which she could only see because of her most trusted dollar-store torch light. “Come in,” She quickly turned her full attention to her unwanted guest, to which Ryan silently nodded back.

More than anything in the world, Rae hated sharing. Whether it be a materialistic possession or not. This was bound to happen sooner than later anyways. Even the thought of sharing a room baffled her, neither letting her parents nor her peers into her room. Over the course of the years, the accumulated pressure took the best of her state-being. So, for Rae, this was something she had never done before in the past.

She needed to let go of herself and let herself indulge with her now free routine. Out of everything, that is the only correct decision she can process to take amongst her multiple recollections.

“Make sure to not touch anything. Ask me beforehand. Or I will make sure today’s the last day you see your pretty face,” Rae assured.

Ryan insisted, “Boohoo, no.”

“Fine, doesn’t matter anyways.”

She shot up a petty stern gaze, steadily proceeding to lock her hands with the garment on her hands, the same thing that kept the meltdown of that guy sane in this atmosphere. Clearly, being provoked and provoking others seem to be the best respective interests in both of them.

“Y’know, you sure do speak a lot for someone who’s supposed to be reserved.” Ryan spurted, not knowing how to keep the flow going, desperately trying to jump on whatever was near — at least to Rae.

She clasped back, “And on what basis have you come to that conclusion, again?”

“Really? At least don’t lie to yourself. I could hear you, even outside.”

“…”

Rae remained silent, unknowingly not knowing what to respond back as that managed to strike an arrow right to her sore spot. One of the many other things that she did not like either – publicity. That’s right; it did not have to be anything fancy from the stock market. The counter on which she kept most of her belongings was relatively small-scaled scattered with minor insignificance, such as clusters of wrapped up paper or probably that broken keychain which she received on Easter, however bore no weight but it was where Ryan ultimately turned to.

Ryan swayed,
“I came across Betty at the nearby supermarket. Seems like she is still at her shenanigans with the counter-man.”

“Not a surprise there though.” Rae quietly agreed, both hands clenched in a disruptive manner. An unusual ladette never achieving anything before her peers yet disrupting her time sobering with any individual she came across – that is who Betty was, a nice friend.

There were no flickers of rays from outside hitting their foreign bodies, making it glow underwater except the artificial. Rae lowered her head, unsuspectingly decreasing her submerged ripples of doubt whilst her thin index went past through her lashes. The cheer of her inner-city breathed a new form, continuing to encourage and pull her head up. “So–” She muttered.

“So,” Ryan interrupted, “How much for the night?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, I’m staying here.” Ryan confirmed, “What? You scared?”

She did not have to, no, Rae felt obligated to not think much, but the sheer blow of revelation made her go rather befuddled. Though that went beyond what she had initially expected, She was not surprised in the least. As a matter of fact, given his quirky disposition, she should have more or less expected something unfamiliar.

Rae admitted, “I think freaked out would be a better word.”

Proceeding to turn to face the man standing nearby to her, Ryan mischievously leaned back and turned over to reveal, “Well,”

“I’m sorry for barging in so late at this hour.” He added.

“It’s fine.” Rae spoke flatly, whistling her hand above, dropped unworried. “Truthfully, I am glad that you are here.” She compiles.

Rae had previously vacated for the sake of her own selfish accords. A flash of lighting had bashed, clouted in an attempt to shuffle. She might have not liked going fifty-fifty in or maybe straight down irrelevant awareness, but who is to say she could not enjoy any of these every once in a while.

Ryan perked up his shoulders, colliding to his mood in affection, “I guess I’m home then?”

With a gulp, he had reached her. Not physically but as interruptive currents, finally causing Rae to sigh in defeat, wrapping her hands around herself out of modesty.

She firmly smiled back to the pearl, “Welcome back.”