Out of the World

7. Street Cat

Nina

The air around me felt warm, and looking behind my shoulder, I saw him. Placing my feet down and straightening my spine, the words left me before I could even think, “Zorion… were you released?” I didn’t understand how he could cause my well-behaved-by-repression instincts to override my impeccably trained rational side. With him, I didn’t think, I only acted guided by instinct, just like I did while painting. Being around him was like being absorbed by my art.

“Yes. They told me to go away since you didn’t press charges. Thank you, Nina. Were you waiting for me?” he asked softly, keeping some distance from me as if he didn’t want to startle a little animal. I wasn’t that fragile or delicate, maybe a little skittish, like a street cat who forever had to fend for herself.

Was I waiting for him? No, right? I didn’t even know it anymore.

“No, I wasn’t. I was just leaving,” I replied instead, not letting him see my hesitancy. With a jolt, I stood up, but his words made me look back at him. It could be described as a magnetic attraction, the kind that you try to avoid because you know it can get you lost in a matter of seconds. Yes, I should have run to the hills as fast as my fast legs could take me, yet I didn’t move.

“Nina, I am sorry. I didn’t intend to startle or scare you. Not at all. We started on the wrong foot. If only we could meet again, go for a date,” he told me.

My eyebrows knitted at his words, “A date?” I asked like a stupid echo.

“Yes. That’s what you call it, no?” he asked, rubbing his golden head in confusion and confusing me as well.

“What? Zorion… why do you want to go on a date with me?” I cut to the chase, looking intently at him. There was no point in going around it. I needed the ugly truth to cut the vines of hope that insisted on wrapping around my heart in a stranglehold. ‘Yes, Nina. You are the nutcase here. You like the stalkerish stranger and are feeding your head with illusions,’ I knew I shouldn’t have caught that many glimpses of the silly movies Laura watched. Now my subconscious was ruined and I was daydreaming about this crazy six-feet-and-lots-of-inches-tall dream-guy!

He was silent for a while and the only loud thing was my racing thoughts.

“Because you are a pretty and interesting lady,” he replied.

Taking an inadvertent step back, I had to contain my chuckle. Why did the ‘you are pretty and interesting’ line sound less realistic than the ‘I am a Wizard from Oz' one? I had bags under my eyes that were so big they were almost reaching my nose, my hair was always a mess, and I was a bag of bones. So, the last time I checked myself in the mirror, in the high of my old sneakers and overused denim, I wasn’t anyone’s typical pretty girl.

Well, he seemed serious, no chuckle, no mockery on his face or voice. He wasn’t kidding, right? So, he might have an exotic taste like people who don’t like chocolate.

“I am at Café Noisette, close to Plaza del Sol, every day at noon. You can pass by there,” I told him. Meeting in a place I knew was the safest option was a good idea, right? Because not meeting him just felt wrong; it made my stomach churn a little and my eyes tingle as if I were on the verge of tears, like when I have my seasonal allergies.

He nodded and smiled at me, making my stupid heart melt a little, “See you soon, Nina.”

Hell! Sane Nina would have yelled, ‘stay away from me, weirdo!’ Except sane Nina was gone every time he opened his mouth and revealed his pearly white smile. Colgate boy, you would be the loss of me.

Mr. Diaz scolded me as I walked into the cafe, “Nina! This can’t happen again. You have to make more effort, be more responsible, and follow your work schedule properly.”

Gabrielle might be difficult and very insistent, but she was certainly more understanding than the café’s manager.

“I am sorry, Mr. Diaz, it won’t happen again,” I murmured with an apologetic smile. I knew well that telling him about the mess I made today wouldn’t help me much. The only thing I could do was to follow my routine regularly and try to stay out of trouble.

Settling behind the counter, I started to prepare steamy drinks and serve some baked goods. Everything was uneventful until I stole a glance at my vibrating phone in my pocket. I saw Gabrielle’s message and exhaled deeply, that wasn’t a good sign. She never texted me in the middle of the day, and opening the message, I confirmed my suspicions.

Gabrielle: Mr. Cabrano told me what happened yesterday. He’s a very good client, spends lots of money in this place on an almost daily basis, yet you yelled and offended him! This kind of behaviour is not acceptable! You can’t talk like this to a client. You’ll say that you are sorry as soon as you see him. If it happens ever again, or if I hear any complaints about you, I’ll let you go! I won’t lose more time with you, Nina! There are many beautiful, polite, and professional girls who want this job! You are dismissed for today. Tomorrow, you better be on your best behaviour.

Pressing the phone in my closed fist, I sighed. That was a long message! She scolded me as if I was a child. But I had to swallow back all the colourful words I wanted to tell her and the ‘special client,’ that Cabrón*! What wouldn’t I give to be able to talk back? I longed to leave this place for good, but I couldn’t. Now I even lost the money for the day; I would have to find a way to get a new shift, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to pay the rent this month.

Tears formed in my eyes, but I swallowed hard, keeping them inside. That was so unfair! I should be used to it, repeating those words like a mantra, I tried to convince myself. That was my reality, my life and it wouldn’t change any time soon. I still needed a bit more than two years to graduate and then some time to get a job at some gallery.

Now I had to hold my breath a little longer, endure a little longer. One day, I would be able to build a better life for myself.

~ * ~

Zorion

After thinking about what to do to make things better with Nina, I decided to open a portal back home and ask my sister Lola for help. My twin, Lena, was great, but she was utterly lost and out of track now, so she wouldn’t be able to help much.

Just like we did when we were young, we headed to the roof. Lena closed her eyes and moved her hands frantically. In seconds, the wind around her got dense and wrapped some condensed water in its embrace, forming seats of clouds for all of us. We all got comfortable in our floating chairs.

“How I missed being up here with both of you, looking at the stars and floating,” Lola let out a dreaming sigh.

“I love these clouds, even though they always make my bvtt damp,” Lena chuckled, weaving air and water around her fingers to form a large blanket of clouds to wrap around the two of us. Lola didn’t need it, her father was the King of Hell, and her blood was made of fire. She would never be cold. Only in the heart, as she sometimes said.

Lena, on the other hand, was the daughter of the Elf King, and mastered the three Elfin Elements — water, earth and air — even before puberty. She could control all those elements exceptionally well, contrary to her empathic powers, which she had zero control over.

Taking a deep exhale, I told them about what happened between Nina and me.

“What?” Lena literally face-palmed herself. “You told her everything in your first talk? Are you dumb or super dumb? I expect more from you, only a bit more, but more,” she grumbled. I ignored her comment and took her hand in mine.

She seemed to be in an incredibly terrible mood today. I wondered if Vince — her ex-boyfriend who happened to be Auri’s mate — had come to visit Auri today. Every time she saw him around Auri, she had flashbacks of the fateful night her heart was broken, and her powers went completely out of control.

“I know that I shouldn’t have done it. I didn’t plan to do it like this, but I got overexcited. When you see your mate, your whole world shifts, I couldn’t think straight; my only desire was to be close to her, have her in my arms. Besides that, I won’t lie to her. My initial idea was to tell her everything gradually but never lie to her.”

“So, scout-boy, you got overexcited and jumped on her? What are you? A labrador? A werewolf pup?” Lena asked, shaking her head and looking under her leg; she started to play with her cloud half-absently.

“Don’t mind her. You know that she is this bitter since what happened with Vince,” Lola mind-linked, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

“It’s over one year ago.” I mind-linked her back. As we all had Elven blood, we were able to mind-link each other; it was one of the many perks of being a Hybrid.

“I guess there is not such a thing as the right time, nor enough time, to overcome a broken heart.” Lola beamed a sad smile. I wrapped her in a hug, pulling her cloud closer to mine.

“Sorry, Zo. I only want it to work! I want one of us to be happy,” Lena sighed, still looking at the distance. Soon, something seemed to shift in her, and she looked at me with eyes wide open and a funny smile on her face, “I have the perfect idea!”

“Famous last words,” Lola giggled under her breath, and Lena gave her a look of mock offence.

“Well, you said that you can’t control your labrador bvtt and you are under the bond spell, right? I know that people get like that when it involves mates, it should be worse for virgins. You know, all the pent-up need to get deep into… my point is, next time you meet her, take me and Lola with you. Every time you are about to do or say something dump, we can step on your toes or pinch you.” Her words came up fast— she didn’t even stop to catch a breath.

“It is actually a great idea!” Lola observed, squeezing a tad of her cloud between her hands to make it become water for her to drink.

“It is! No offence, Lena. But you know that sometimes you lack a filter between brain and mouth. I am afraid you will end up telling her that I am a labrador or something similar and make her even more skeptical,” I told my blonde sister. She and Lola were opposite, both in looks and personalities — blond and brunette, storm and dew.

“Offence is taken, Labrador! But you do have a point. Lola is much more tactful than me. Take her, but you will both tell me everything that happens and, more importantly, bring my sister-in-mate here soon!” Lena said with something between a pout and a smile on her face.

“We will!” I reassured Lena. There was nothing I wanted more than having Nina here with me, making my world, ours.

Fidgeting with my cloud, I tried to be patient, which was hard with my huge desire. My soul yearned for Nina, and my sister was right: my body too was almost out of control. I had a hard-on all the time now, it was hard to do anything besides… Only a few more hours and I would see her again. I had to control myself only a little longer, and avoid portaling to her house, taking her in my arms, and stealing her away.