PETRA-

"Levi, will you tell me about your mother?" I asked. This was it, I felt. This was what was separating myself and Levi. If I could learn about him now, about his past, I could overcome this gateway in our path. He didn't answer and I began to push him further, feeling him slipping away from me. "Levi, you know I'm here."

"Petra..." He sighed. "Now's not the time."

"You're wrong, Levi. There's never been a better time."

"I'm taking a shower. We'll talk later."

"Levi-!" I yelled but was cut off by the sound of the shower running. I yelled again, but I knew it was futile. As long as the sound of rushing water was echoing through the bathroom, he couldn't hear me.

Or, he could pretend so.

I paced the room, circling like a vulture in anticipation for him. With a huge sigh, I realised that he would take his time, and decided to get changed and start packing. I began to put on a dress from inside my suitcase on the floor (which Levi had subconsciously moved into a corner and closed so that he couldn't see my mess of unfolded items), always listening for the sound of the water stopping. I sometimes wondered if I was imagining the faint sound of water and rushed out to check.

He usually showered for three minutes. Today, he showered for fifteen.

The instant the water stopped I was tapping my foot outside the door. He could probably sense my presence- a dense mass of worrying and irritated space. The door opened and he glanced around the corner, wearily. He spotted me and diverted his eyes away quickly.

"Levi." I said, sternly. He ground his jaw and ran a towel over his face.

"I'm going to pick the dog up."

"Levi!" I said, louder. My face flushed and I felt a lump stick in my throat. Oh no, I was NOT going to cry. "Do NOT leave this hotel." I commanded, though there was little strength in my voice.

"I'm going to pick the dog up, I'll see you at home."

"And you're going to take another girl out for a drink?" I reminded him of his promise to the stranger last night. Oh boy had it made me bitter. I vaguely remembered her face- young, quite attractive and slim. Also, she was familiar, somehow. At the time, I hadn't stopped long enough to ponder about that.

"You left the dog in her house which is probably ripped to shreds." He said, malice lining his words. That startled me. He rarely rose his voice to me, never mind giving me attitude. "It's the least I can do as an apology. Or am I going to fuck her? Because apparently you think I'm after every woman going." He spoke the last part quietly, before turning his back on me and moving over to the wardrobe to fish out some clothes to wear, a towel tied around his waist. My mouth dropped open and the tears brimming behind my eyes finally spilled over.

"I only want to know about your mother!"

"I said I don't want to talk!" He glared across at me. His eyes softened slightly at my face when he made eye contact and he couldn't help but look away again. He swiftly got dressed and neither of us exchanged a word. I rubbed at my eyes with a tissue I had retrieved from my bag. "I'll see you at the apartment." He began to walk out.

"Levi!" My voice cracked and tears spilled from my eyes again. He thought of something and fiddled in his pocket for something. He drew out a few notes and placed them on the table before he left.

"Taxi money." He opened the door, bag slung over his shoulder. "I'll see you later, Petra."

And he left.

LEVI-

I knocked on the door gently, then paused, irritated at myself. I'd knocked too lightly. Would she have heard? If I knocked again now, would she think I was rude? I heard movement from the other side of the apartment door and my questions were answered. The door rattled as she clicked a key in at the other side, then the handle slid downwards. The door opened.

"Ah!" We both gaped at each other, realisation hitting us simultaneously.

"You're..." I began.

"That's why I recognised your voice!" She beamed broadly. "Thank you for that, by the way."

"I didn't really do anything."
"It's a small world, right?"

The waitress from the café gestured me to wait for a second whilst she retrieved the dog. I watched her go, eyes wandering across her fawn coloured hair that had been twisted up into a knot. I forced all the nightmares sitting in the corner of my mind out of my head- for once, Levi, relax.

I wasn't used to this 'socialising' thing.

She returned a second later with the dog scrambling within its cage, gnawing at the bars. "How long ago did you get him?" She asked, casually. Casual conversation. I hated casual conversation. Come on, Levi. You're supposed to answer. Act normally.

"Yesterday." I replied. Fuck, Levi. Are we really using one word replies? "Yeah, yesterday." Oh bloody hell.

"Yesterday?!" She looked horrified. "No wonder he was a little! -ah..." She stopped herself mid-sentence, but I could predict the rest of what she was going to say. I had realised in our short time knowing each other that this girl had a foul mouth and wasn't the politest stranger that I'd ever come into contact with. She wasn't rude either, though. "He's very cute." She corrected herself.

"Sorry, again. My, uh, friend bought him for me. I didn't realise that she'd sent him to a stranger either."
"Well at least one of you has some sense."

"Do you know of any cafés that let dogs in?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow at my question.
"Yeah, a few. Why?"

"I'm taking you out for a drink, right?"

"Now?!"

"If you're busy- "

"No, no, it's fine. A café? So you're taking me out for tea, not a Jaeger bomb." She laughed, handing over the cage to me and searching the floor for her shoes. She found the pair she was looking for and began to slip them on. I averted my eyes, suddenly feeling self-conscious. I felt like this was the first time I'd broken eye contact with her since she'd opened the door. Had I been staring at her? Did she think I was a freak?

Shit, why did I even care? She'd been making me uncharacteristically nervous for some time now.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and took it out for a second to look at it. The screen was black. I thought back to the last tine I had charged it and sighed. She looked up at me.

"What's up?"

"Phone's dead."

"Do you need to use it?"

"No, not really."

"I've got mine if you need to text someone."

"It's fine, I don't know anyone's number off by heart anyway."

"Not even your mum's?" She joked. I paused, wondering how I should respond, but my pause was more than enough to give her the hint. "Ah... Is your...?"

"My mother died years ago, seriously don't let it bother you." I said, turning away and beckoning her after me. She suddenly became pensively silent and I heard her locking the door. She followed me down the apartment stairs.

"Sorry about the lift being broken." She finally interrupted the silence.

"Hm?" I raised an eyebrow and looked over my shoulder. "Oh, I didn't realise anyway."

"I've got the knees of an eighty year old thanks to this stupid apartment."

"I don't like lifts; it doesn't bother me."

"Really?! How old are you?"

"Twenty eight. I've never liked them." She skipped a few steps until she was walking down them beside me.

"Twenty eight?! You're unexpectedly old!" She exclaimed, gaping at me. I laughed.

"And you're unexpectedly blunt!"

"Ah, sorry." She smiled apologetically. "People have said that before. I don't mean to be rude."

"Blunt honesty isn't always a bad thing." I shrugged.

"So what's your secret?" She asked, leaning towards me as we neared the bottom of the final flight of stairs. "Do you use lotions or something? Plastic surgery?" I curled my lip in disgust and she laughed aloud. I felt like the awkwardness from earlier dissipate into nothing. There was a certain familiarity she had that put me at ease. Even when I had met Petra, we'd been all airs and graces. White lies and masks, as they say.

"There's no secret." I replied. "Anyway, where are we going?"

"Have you got a car?"

"It's outside."

"Get in and head back towards town. I'll direct you from there."

"Are you all right with getting in a stranger's car?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"I may have the knees of an eighty year old, but I've got the moves of a praying mantis. Besides, I have your phone number and address, plus your face on our apartment's CCTV. You'd be a fool to try anything." I nodded, slightly impressed.

"Fair enough. Lead the way."

We sat down in a cosy, little café, the dog in his cage by my feet. He had calmed considerably and now slept in the corner.

"I just realised that I don't know your name." She smiled. "I'm Lena."

"Levi." I nodded in reply, scanning my eyes down the menu at the drinks. I drew my eyebrows together looking at the tea... I wanted tea... but there was a ninety nine percent chance that they wouldn't be able to brew it to my satisfaction. I'd have to stick with something else.

"Something catch your fancy?" She raised an eyebrow, noticing how captivated I had become, imagining each drink and weighing up how 'in the mood' I was for each particular item. I was very particular about this type of thing.

"I like tea..." I sighed, deeply. "But they never make it right." Lena giggled and I cocked my head curiously. "What?"

"You're sat here practically sweating, trying to chose from the menu... Never pictured you the type."

"What type am I then?" I asked, slightly teasingly. I tried to keep a straight face, but cracked into a grin at her expression.

"Lay off it." She chided. "Anyway, what's your job? You know two of mine."

"You say two as though there are more? I just work for a company at a desk. Nothing of interest."

"Hmm, so what's the dream job then?"

"I don't have one."

"Don't tell me you don't have ambitions." She scowled. "You're twenty eight, not ninety."

"I work for money; that's it."

"Do you get to do what you want on weekends then?"

"Well..." I genuinely thought about that. The answer was a straight no, since I always had extra work to do at the weekend, courses to go on or a girlfriend to placate. "Not really."

"So you earn money, but you don't enjoy yourself. What good is that?"

"I didn't realise I signed up for life coaching sessions." I sniffed.

"We'll change the subject if you want." She shrugged and I couldn't help but watch her hair tumble down over her exposed neck, slowly unravelling itself from her bun.

"Well, are you enjoying yourself?" I turned the tables on her and she visibly started, clearly not expecting this. Her face dropped.

"I guess I'm not the best person to get career advice from. I work as a dog sitter, a dog walker, I work in a café, I work in a pub when they need me and I sometimes baby sit."

"I'm surprised you have time to be sat here wasting time with me."

"I don't study or have a full time job, so those things fill up my free time."

"Don't you have a dream job?"

"Oi," She laughed, folding her arms. "You've got a sharper tongue than I do!... I'd love to study and get a full time job, but unfortunately my mum works and I have to manage my life around my younger sister."

"Hmm?" This new information started colouring the front cover of the mystery that was Lena. I started to understand her a little more, and began to notice some of the plot twists in her life. One thing I could not fathom though, was myself around her. If I wasn't feeling dizzy or sick from one of my episodes, I was nervous. She didn't seem to recognise me in the same way I knew her. Then again, I didn't know anything about her, so it was ridiculous to say I knew her.

Then why did I feel like I knew her better than anybody else?"

We each ordered our drinks, and I noticed that she chose the cheapest item on the menu, second only to water.

"What's wrong with water?" I mused and she stopped fiddling with her hair to glance at me.

"Eh?"

"You chose the cheapest thing on the menu except water. Do I look poor to you?"

"It's called manners. If you like, I could order the double chocolate sundae. I feel like clogging up my arteries a bit."

"It comes with strawberries." I noted. "One of your five a day."

"That'll make two, along with the chocolate orange I ate earlier. Half way there."

I just laughed, feeling the stress from this morning completely evaporate from my pores. Each breath I took ventilated my lungs and drove the toxins from my system. I would be disappointed when this day drew to a close. I'd also be sober, for once.

PETRA-

What was the word? I couldn't catch it on my tongue. Ahh, what was it? Well, it didn't matter now.

My stomach lurched and I staggered forwards, nearly slipping on the tiles. I rushed to the toilet and threw up my organs into the water, holding my hair back. I felt my consciousness slip and my head lolled forward. I slipped down the side of the toilet onto the floor.

This hurt more than I expected.

One more? Would that make it quicker?

I don't want to throw up again.

What was that word? Something like useless. Not incompetent, but similar.

I sat up quickly and scampered for the toilet again, hands flailing to weakly grab the seat. My head danced and I couldn't make out the shape of the bathroom any more. This was it. This was as far as I went. Next thing I knew, I was flat out on the floor again, shuddering breaths and trying to prevent my body from twitching. My spine convulsed and then I lay still again.

Had I text someone? I was sure I had. I wouldn't want Levi to find me in this state. Though, what did it matter anyway?

Ahh, that was it. I remembered the word.

Worthless.

LEVI-

Lena's phone began to ring and she paused to remove it from her pocket. She glanced at the screen, then answered with an apologetic glance towards me.

"What's up?" She said. "Hey, hey, calm down!" Immediately, her voice was tense and the atmosphere changed. I raised a curious eyebrow but her entire focus was on the person talking in her ear now. "Yeah I did look after their dog. Why?... Her boyfriend's phone number?" I was listening now. I sat up and she made eye contact firmly with me, eyes slightly widened. "He's sat here now... Alright alright, two seconds." She handed the device to me and I raised a questioning eyebrow at her. She shrugged.

"Hello?" I answered. A panicked voice sounded down the line.

"You're Levi, right? Petra just sent me a really weird message and now she's not answering her phone. I'm outside your apartment now and I need a key, please Levi-"

"Oi, oi," I interrupted. "Calm down, what's wrong?"

"She sent me a strange message. Levi, I think... I think-" My stomach dropped. "Please, just get over here. Do you have a spare key?"
"No, I'm on my way." I stood sharply and began to run for the door. Lena followed swiftly and picked up the dog cage. "What did she send you?"

"S-something like she had an argument with you, but I didn't answer I've only just read them! Then she sent something weird Levi hurry, please!" The person on the other end of the line was in tears now. "She sent a message apologising and telling me to tell you she's sorry!"

"And she's not answering?"

"I've been hammering on your door and she won't answer. Has she gone out?"

"I have no idea."

"Did she seem fine when you last saw her?" The person asked and I felt sick to the pit of my stomach. Red rimmed eyes from crying, utter despair on her features- fine? Was she heck fine. But I'd left her anyway. I'd left her alone. I suddenly wondered if she'd been ringing me. I wouldn't know, since my phone battery was dead.

"Break it open." I commanded.

"I'm trying! I don't want to damage the lock!" I could hear the woman frantically pounding the door. "Petra!" She called. "Petra, can you hear me?!"

As I got into the drivers seat and started the engine, Lena wordlessly sank into the passenger seat and took the phone from my hand. She placed the caller on loudspeaker and began speaking calmly down the phone.

"Have you called anyone else?"

"You are the last person I have tried. I've tried everyone I know, and no one knows where she is. I know she was in her apartment because she was texting me a while ago talking about the dog and mentioned she was unpacking at home."

"Have you called an ambulance?"

"I... What if I'm just overreacting I don't know..." The woman mumbled, clearly disorientated.

"Call an ambulance. Best case scenario, you're overreacting. Worst case..." She left a meaningful pause and the person on the other end of the phone hurriedly hung up.

We drove in silence and my mind was racing. Petra, Petra, Petra... I'm sorry. I am so sorry.

Sorry is a conscience that comes too late.

AN-

Things are getting hotter in here.