ACT 10
The morning sun shined through the glass of the bedroom window, the warm rays shining on an empty bed. At the living room, Ashe is currently perched on a sofa, wearing nothing but boxers while she ate a bowl of cereal.
In front of her, the small bird cage is placed on her coffee table, the red lovebird perched on its swing as it ate the bird seeds Ashe had filled the food cup hooked at the side.
Students aren't really required to attend Pilty Fair, so she decided not to show up at the second day.
'I have no more points anyway.' She thought, gazing at the red bird. 'I spent it all on you.'
She had bought the bird to give to Katarina as a gift, but after the... incident yesterday, Ashe found herself more scared of her 'girlfriend'. The bird reminded her of Katarina. What, with its red feathers, a few black ones, the green eyes and the claw marks on one of its eyes, the bird is practically a 'bird version' of Katarina, which is the main reason why she bought it for the redhead.
"I should probably name you." She said to the bird. Ashe placed the now empty cereal bowl beside the cage as she leaned forward. "How about... Ruby?"
The bird ignored her.
"Hmm... Cherry?"
Still no response.
"Scarlet?"
Again, no reply.
"Strawberry?"
...
...
...
After dozens of names inspired by the color red was mentioned, Ashe finally gave up in naming the red-feathered bird.
"I should probably call you Katarina." She muttered sarcastically as she rested her back on the backrest of the couch.
Surprisingly, the bird looked away from its seeds and stared at her. She met the bird's stare with an equally focused one.
Stare.
Stare.
Stare.
Ashe shook her head.
"Just a coincidence." She murmured. 'The bird coincidentally turned at the same time I called her Katarina. Yes, completely coincidental.'
Not.
The bird turned back to its small cup of seeds, pecking each and every one of it one by one. For Ashe, it only took at least a full minute before she succumbed to her curiosity. She couldn't help herself.
"Katarina?"
The bird practically snapped its gaze back to her, looking as if it's waiting for her to speak and continue on. She retried calling the bird different names, but in the end, it settled on responding only when it's referred to as Katarina.
Ashe opened the cage and offered a finger of hers for the bird to perch on. "Katarina."
The bird, acting quite obedient, flew off of its swing and perched itself on her finger, balancing itself with ease. Ashe eased back into the sofa, gaze focused on the bird. Using one finger, she softly rubbed the back of the bird.
After petting the lovebird, she took a few seeds in her other palm and offered it to the animal. The bird instantly perched on her food-filled palm and started pecking away.
Ashe sighed.
"At least you're nicer than the human Katarina."
The red bird, now officially named Katarina, merely stared back at her.
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Katarina laid on her bed, doing nothing but stare at the ceiling of her bedroom. Her mind seems to have become a jumbled mess, since she can't really think of anything clearly.
The words her siblings had told her yesterday echoed in her thoughts over and over again. Their words haunted her.
Why?
Because it actually made sense.
She began contemplating what she had did yesterday. The way she handled the situation between her and her 'boyfriend'. Yes, she knew it was wrong. Being abusive isn't really the best choice, but it's the only choice Katarina knew ever since she started working for the Black Rose, which she had joined in a young age.
What's the Black Rose?
It's an organization led by a woman named Emilia Evaine LeBlanc. The group may have done a 'few' illegal tradings and such, but the government can't seem to find solid evidence to put the malevolent leader behind bars.
Back to Katarina...
Getting what she wants by threatening and intimidating has always been her forte and it never failed her.
Until now, that is.
Handling a fake relationship with Ashe isn't really her domain. Her area of expertise usually consists of exploiting people of their uses and harming them. Building foundations of friendships aren't her specialty as well.
She has one motto and one motto only.
Violence solves everything.
But now, she seems to have developed an incertitude towards those three words.
Every time she resorted to violence in this 'relationship' she's in, it somehow makes the situation much worse than before.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Katarina sat up and turned her head to the door of her room as soon as she heard the three sequential knocks come from the other side.
"Who is it?"
"It's us."
She didn't bother suppressing the sigh she released. "Come in."
The door knob was twisted and the door swung open, her two siblings entering her room after it. Talon closed the door before following Cassiopeia deeper into the room.
While Katarina is currently settled on the center of her king-size bed, Talon and Cassiopeia settled themselves at the foot of the bed.
"What do you two want?" She asked, surprisingly prevent herself from glaring at the two.
"What are you doing here?" Cassiopeia asked, disregarding her question.
"What do you mean? This is my room."
"Yet you shouldn't be here." Talon murmured.
She narrowed her eyes at her brother. "And what does that suppose to mean? Did you two come here to kick me out of my own bedroom?"
Cassiopeia sighed. "We're here because you aren't supposed to be here."
"And why would I leave the comfort of my room?"
"Do you mean the safety of your walls?" Her sister muttered.
A menacing glare was given to the green haired sibling. "Don't start with me."
"What Cassiopeia means to say," Katarina noticed Talon shoot their sister a look before continuing. "Is that, why aren't you with Ashe?"
Katarina scoffed and leaned back on the headboard of her bed, arms crossed and looking quite vexed. "Why would I be with him?"
"You know damn well why."
"After what he did to me, you expect me to go to him now?"
"Yes, and apologize to him while you're at it."
She silently wished Talon would go back to being like a mute. He infrequently speaks, but whenever he does, either Katarina doesn't care or she hates the words that come out of his mouth.
"Why should I? He's the one...-!"
"Who did nothing wrong." Cassiopeia finished for her.
"Nothing wrong!? You seriously believe that?"
Her sister rolled her eyes. "Let's face it, Katarina. It's no secret that Riven likes Ashe, but have you seen your little boyfriend cheat on you?"
"Yes!"
"When?" The two questioned back in unison.
Katarina opened her mouth, but no words left it. Ashe never cheated on her, despite the fact that their relationship is a faux one.
"Well...! Umm..." Katarina wracked her brains for a reason.
And when she found a perfect reason, perfect for her, she slammed a hand on her knee. "Like the time when you video-called me!"
"When Ashe gave Riven a teddy bear?" Cassiopeia asked with pure disbelief. "That's considered cheating to you?"
'Now that I think about it, my point sounded lame and pathetic.' She thought, mentally stabbing herself at the idiotic reasoning she gave.
She looked away from her siblings. She can't really tell them why she's truly crossed with what had happened yesterday. Hers and Ashe's relationship hoax was somehow put at risk, and they haven't even completed a month.
She was never angered by Ashe being friendly and all, but she was furious because their deal was almost exposed. In her eyes, that is. Oh, her reputation would be ruined if people were to find out about how 'desperate' she is, having someone pose as her fake boyfriend and all.
A scene appeared in her brain. A scene where students surrounded her, laughing and throwing insults about her being pathetic and pitiful.
It didn't last long in her head though. It was soon replaced with a different one.
An image of Ashe's crying self came into her mind, and the sound of her cries, sobs and whimpers filled her head.
...
...
...
...
...
For the first time in all these years, she has this feeling that has become foreign to her for a long time.
Guilt.
Inch by inch, her body was being filled with all the guilt she felt. The way Ashe had cried, she knew those tears were present because of her. Because of her harsh treatment.
Without realizing, she released a groan.
Her siblings, who have been waiting for a response from her, looked at her with expectant gleams in their own eyes.
"I hate you both." Katarina muttered, moving off of her bed.
The two followed her with their gazes. She left her bed and walked up to the door of her bedroom. Grabbing and twisting the knob, she tugged the door open before gesturing to it half-heartedly.
"Get out."
"Katari...-!"
She didn't let Cassiopeia finish.
"I still have somewhere to be, and I can't really change clothes with you idiots here in my room."
Instead of being offended, Cassiopeia smiled in triumph. She and Talon got up from their places on the bed and made their way out of the room.
While Cassiopeia kept her triumph, and somewhat smug, smile on her face as she left the room, Talon stopped at the doorway and turned to look at Katarina.
"Good choice."
After those to words were uttered to her, the two finally took their leave and Katarina received the privacy she indirectly requested.
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Ashe glanced at the wall clock in the living room. It just turned 12 o'clock, and she still haven't had lunch. She thought about cooking, but she still felt too... deflated to do so.
Since her dinner with Sierra and her father is still at six o'clock, she still has a lot more time to spend.
Looking to her right, she found Anivia, who is out of her cage, idly perched on top of the open cage. Beside the large bird's cage, is a smaller one. Kat, the red lovebird she had bought and named after her 'girlfriend', currently groomed her red feathers, not giving a care for any one or thing around her.
She was a bit thankful that the lovebird responds back to the nickname 'Kat', but whenever it ignored her, all she needed to do was call her faux girlfriend's name and the feathered-creature's attention is captured in a heartbeat.
Ashe rubbed her chin with a finger, while she perched her other hand on her hip.
'Maybe I should eat out. Either that, or I can call for food delivery.'
...
...
Ashe nearly jumped in surprise when a bunch of knocks came sounding throughout the silent apartment. Her head turned to the front door automatically.
"Just a second!" She called out.
Thankfully for her, she had already constricted her chest earlier when she had taken a bath. All that's left for her to do is wear some pants and a shirt, and all is good.
After doing just that, she rushed out of her bedroom and approached the front door. She unhooked the chain lock and twisted the doorknob, pulling the door open.
"Good afternoon." A middle-aged lady greeted her. She recognized the woman. In fact, the woman is her neighbor. She literally lives just across her own apartment. But she never did know the name of the woman.
Ashe smiled back in greeting. "Good afternoon to you as well, Miss."
"Are you Ashe Avarosa?"
"Yes, that's me." Ashe tilted her head. "Is there something you need, ma'am?"
"Oh, well," The woman raised a piece of folded paper and offered it to her. "A young lady asked me to give this to you."
With furrowed brows, Ashe accepted the paper. "Oh, umm, thank you."
"You're welcome, young man."
She stared at the piece of parchment in her hand before looking back to the woman, who was already more than halfway inside her own apartment. She had just opened her mouth to call out, but her neighbor was too fast. In just a second, she found herself looking at a closed door.
Sighing, Ashe closed her own apartment door, focusing her gaze back to the paper in her grasp. She took it out of its folded state and read the written message inside.
'"At the lobby right now. Wear something casual when you come down."
- Katarina
Ashe's eyes widened as soon as she finished reading the mini-letter given to her.
'It's from Katarina...' She stiffened. 'It's from Katarina!'
She held the written note with a trembling hand, worry and fear swirling inside of her as she walked back into the living room.
"Oh, what could she want? Could she still be mad at me?" As Ashe asked questions to no one in particular, Anivia and Kat merely stared at her curiously from the sidelines.
'If I keep her waiting too long, she might get angry.'
She gulped quietly, yet nervously.
'Or angrier.'
Ashe was like a human whirlwind around her apartment. She quickly slipped on a pair of basketball shoes, grabbed a jacket and snatched her keys and wallet before she left her apartment, making sure Anivia and Kat's seeds and water were filled and full on her way out.
She didn't bother grabbing her phone, due to the fact that the little gadget is low battery and she hadn't charged it last night. This made her realize the reason why Katarina just sent a note. She briefly wondered why Katarina didn't just visit her directly, but decided to brush it off and focus at the current situation.
Instead of waiting for the elevator, Ashe used the stairway. Quickly, she climbed down from her apartment floor, which is the fifth floor. She even skipped a few stair steps and stumbled quite a number of times in the process.
Finally, when she arrived at the lobby, she swung the door open and entered the lobby. Immediately, she started looking around for her 'girlfriend'.
"Hey."
Ashe spun around to face the sudden speaker, almost bumping into the said person. Her body went a tad bit rigid as she came face to face with the one responsible for the message she had read a few minutes ago.
"H-Hi..."
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
"H-Hi..."
Katarina stared at Ashe as the other greeted her back uneasily, also timidly waving as she did. She looked at Ashe from head to toe, mentally noting her choice of casual clothing, slightly disheveled hair and mildly sweaty face.
"Why the hell are you all messed up?"
Ashe wiped the sweat off of her forehead and scratched the back of her head, looking a little embarrassed. "I took the stairs."
"Why didn't you take the elevator?"
"It's, umm, too slow."
"I'm in no rush."
"You're not?" Ashe asked her with surprise lacing her words and shining in her blue eyes.
"No, I'm not." She deadpanned.
"Oh..."
"Why did you even think I'm in a hurry?"
"I'm... I'm not really sure." Ashe's eyes drifted downward.
Speaking of eyes, Katarina noticed that, ever since Ashe had arrived, she hasn't made eye contact with her. It's as if the Avarosa is avoiding her own gaze.
"I guess I don't want to make you angry again."
Once again, she could feel her guilt come back, full force.
"Hmph." She looked away, not wanting to let Ashe see the guilt that's probably showing in her eyes.
"Are... Are you still..."
"Still what?" She asked, sounding as if she snapped at her 'boyfriend'. Her pretend lover shrunk a step back, and for the second time of the day, she mentally stabbed herself with a non-existent dagger.
"Are you still angry at me?"
"No." Again, she sounded like she snapped. "Why would I be angry at you?"
Before Ashe could shrink back another step, Katarina grabbed one of her elbows before tugging her behind a pillar and away from curious eyes.
"K-Katarina?"
Her chest clenched in guilt as she heard the fear from Ashe's voice. The way Ashe said her name. She didn't like it. Her voice was filled with fear towards her. When they were finally hidden from the public's eye, she let Ashe's elbow go and spoke.
"Listen, I'm not really... a nice person."
Ashe looked at her as if she had lost her mind.
'Okay, maybe that wasn't really a good way to start.'
She cleared her throat.
"What I mean to say, is that, I'm not really good at being nice to other people, okay? And, I don't normally do this fake relationship kind of thing. In fact, I've never been in a real relationship, ever. I don't even have a single friend. My siblings don't count, if that's what you're thinking."
Ashe opened her mouth to speak, but she raised a hand to stop her.
"But that's besides the point. You're probably wondering why I'm even here saying all this crap."
Wordlessly, Ashe nodded.
"Well," She scratched the back of her head. Now it's her turn to look and sound sheepish.
"It was wrong of me to just abuse you just like how I did yesterday. Just because we're in this little deal of ours doesn't mean I have the right to abuse you like that. I don't know. I guess it's just how I know how to handle things. It's the only way I know, so, um..."
She gripped on her own red hair and tugged on it for a moment, internally trying to put her pride aside and just say the needed two words.
"I'm sorry... There! I said it."
Honestly, she didn't sound sorry at all.
...
...
...
Katarina looked away and rubbed her nape with unease.
"Say something." She muttered, head still turned away.
...
...
...
...
...
"I forgive you."
"You do?" She whipped her gaze back to Ashe, who shockingly looked at her with a sincere smile on her face.
"You apologized. That's enough for me. Even if you didn't really sound apologetic." Ashe said, trying her best to prevent herself from chuckling.
"Well, I'm sorry if my apology wasn't to your liking." Katarina found herself sarcastically replying, following it with a glare.
...
...
She turned away once again and gave herself a face-palm. "Fucking hell... I did it again."
Ashe let out a light laugh.
"Don't worry,"
Much to her surprise, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She took her hand way from her face and looked at Ashe, glancing at the hand half-settled on her left shoulder.
"You don't have to change yourself to make it convenient for me."
"I have to." She grumbled. "It's unfair to you if I don't."
Ashe shook her head.
"Katarina, I may not be an expert in being social and such, but I do know one thing."
"And what may that be?" She asked in a murmur.
"Never change yourself for someone who can't accept you for who you truly are."
"Sometimes we need to change." She muttered.
"Sometimes, we change ourselves just to please others and to fit in. But sometimes, we end up hurting ourselves for trying to be the person they want us to be."
"..."
"Katarina?"
"What?"
When she gazed back to Ashe, she found the Avarosa smiling at her.
"Let's start over. Okay?"
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
When Katarina started explaining herself and the way she acted, Ashe had let her guard fall bit by bit. And when Katarina finally apologized, she had let her cautious guard vanish.
She had seen a much softer side of Katarina. A side no one has probably ever seen, except for her. Ashe knew that she could trust Katarina again. Finally, everything was back to normal. Well, as normal as a fake relationship can be.
Ashe watched as Katarina stepped away, detaching her hand off of her shoulder.
"Start over, sure, whatever. Enough with the mushy stuff." Katarina muttered under her breath. The redhead reached forward and grabbed her wrist, lightly dragging her towards the exit. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" She asked.
"To Pilty Fair."
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Author's Note: Ooooh-kie! I have lots of plans for them in the next chapter, so hopefully, you readers enjoy it as much as I did when I was typing all of them. :)