Chapter 10 – Bond

"Hmmph"

While streching her hands she grabs the blancket that partially covered her. Disregarding the fact that she was not in her own bed she opened her inventory menu and navigated to the equipment menu. She probably noticed that she was still wearing her simple leather clothes. Her finger moved to touch a button on the top of the slots tab, but she suddently stoped at my voice.

"I don't know if you should do that."

Her eyes worked their way to meet mine. Now she certaintly noticed me as I sat on a chair next to the room's table. Her face slowly turned red, but even as it got so bringht her embarassment was clearly visible, she did not speak. She just… stared at me.

"Ahm…"

I coughed intentionally, managing to break visual contact with her.

"Did you… sleep well?"

Even though this wasn't the most inspired idea, I had nothing on my mind at the moment. It felt as blank as it sounded, but oddly enough, It managed to get her talking.

"Y-Yes… "

She removed her finger from the menu and slid it down, closing the open inventory window. With her face still having a slight red taint she got up and headed straight for the door and fast. So fast in fact that she tripped and felt just outside of my room.

"Are you okay?" My weak voice making her way to her as I slightly poked my head out of the room.

"I'm fine."

Rubbing her forehead with both of her arms she hurried to her room.

"I guess I'll check on those two."

I said absent mindedly as I continued to look at her door. Pushing my arms on the wall behind me, I get out into the hallway and with a force-full swing I shut my door with a loud sound. I bet I won't come back here today, to that room.

I knock at the other party member's doors but I get no response.

"Those jackasses…"

I open my message menu and select the most recent one.

From: «Karima»

To: «Shima»

Subject: We made up.

Message: Just saying… so you know.

"What's up with that?"

I mean, yesterday they were strangling each other and now they are buddies? Someone… Please explain this to me… Who wrote this sappy scenario, may I ask?

"What are you doing?"

The surprise attack makes me jump to the side of the couch. Yume was next to me, in the main lobby of the inn.

"N-Nothing… I was just thinking about what we should do today… hehe…"

Just don't get close to me.

"Oh… Have you seen the others?"

"No… I tried reaching them, but to no avail."

I slump my shoulders as I sink into the sofa some more.

"Are you ok?"

Her hand is centimeters away from me, probably trying to reach for my forehead, even if in this virtual reality it was obvious that there were no such things as viruses. A normal habbit in reality, and funny enough, one that is not so normal for me.

"No…"

I managed to say as her hand touched it. At that moment…

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

All of my fears escaped the shell that I reinforced over the years. I slapped her hand away. Her expression couldn't be more terrified. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that she was on the verge of tears.

"…I'm sorry…"

I manage to say to her, calming her down a little, but not just enough.

"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier." I bow my head to the ground. "It isn't because of you or anything, it's just that I…"

I stumble upon my words. I can't possibly tell her this here.

"Come with me."

I move to the upper floor and we both move into my room.

"I am afraid of women."

I state the obvious as she looks at me.

"But yesterday… and this morning…"

"I have my moments of courage, that's all."

I look outside the window as I continue.

"Three years ago, when I was 15, a woman sexually assaulted me. She was way older than me… perhaps she saw me as 'fresh meat', I don't know…"

I leave out the small details. I couldn't possibly tell her she was my teacher.

"My parents managed to take this to matter in court, but…"

Her influence as a teacher, and more so, her fake withnesses were too much for a mere $200 lawyer.

"She won the trial, and I was viewed as a rapist by everyone that I ever knew."

My family was a small exception. Besides from that, the whole town knew it. People started to pull away when they saw me. It was perhaps better this way… that way I wouldn't have to face another woman.

"That wasn't all. The trauma this caused couldn't be treated by a mere recepy liberated by a medic. It just couldn't be healed, my mind."

I smile.

"At first I would shake in fear at the sight of a woman, the only exception being my mother."

I feel sorry for my aunt who tried to make me feel better, but instead made me a whole lot worse.

"You could say that I improved a little."

Yume is facing the floor, not managing to make a sound. Her black hair is covering her face, so even I wanted to, I couldn't see her expression.

"…all this time… with me and everybody…"

"Yeah. That's about it."

I say out loud as I made my way to her.

"Let's go. To search for those two."

I stretch my hand to her, waiting for her to grab it.

"But…"

"Didn't I say it before? I changed."

Still looking shaken, she grabbed my hand and I pulled her up.

"Now, let's go."

"Yes."

Maybe it was because of the weight that was left from my shoulders, but I didn't even realize that we were continuing to hold hands.

With a muffled noise Karima woke up.

"Ugh… Is this the roof?"

He looked around and saw the half-naked girl next to him.

"Eck! How did it end up like this?"

It feels good to be back! Now that I have settled down, I can write at my lesure. If there are old readers here, I am terribly sorry for not managing to continue the story. Now, hopefully, I can finish this. Also, sorry for the short chapter.