CHAPTER 8

At around 2 o'clock, the phone rang. Cecil jogged into the living area to pick it up, only to find his new ally reaching for it. "Hello? Who is this? Oh, one of his friends. Okay, hold on" H.H. said into the receiver. She looked at Cecil, who stood by the doorway, confused. "Oh, wait, I forgot to call Ashley! Oh man, she'll kill me" Cecil thought with terror in his eyes. "It's for you" H.H. said, outstretching the phone towards him.

"Ashley, I know you're probably mad but…" Cecil started.

"You didn't call me, asshole!" Ashley yelled at him.

"Sorry Ash. I'll try to make it up to you by letting you beat me at pool for once." Cecil said, laughing.

"You don't have to let me win, I'll just win anyways" Ashley said, also laughing now "And who was that on the phone just now?"

"Oh, just another friend of mine. She'll be staying at the manor for a while" he said in an almost regretful tone as he glared at H.H., who smiled sarcastically.

"Why?"

"Umm…"

H.H. then snatched the phone from Cecil's hand. His worried look turned to one of irritation as well as worry as the tall blonde put the phone up to her ear.

"Hey, your name is… Ashley right?" she asked "Hi. I'm a friend of Cecil's family. My parents decided to go off the radar for a bit in order to avoid being killed, you know, with all of the recent assassinations. I'll be staying with the Relias until things hopefully cool down" H.H. said blankly. She paused for a moment, likely allowing Ashley to speak. "Sounds like fun, I guess I'll just stay here then. Oh, are you sure? I don't want to impose or anything… alright, fine I guess we can ask him" H.H. said before passing the phone to Cecil.

"Isn't she charming?" Cecil said.

"Sounds like you don't like her" Ashley said lightly.

"She's okay, if not a nuisance"

"Actually, I was thinking that she should maybe come with us to play pool"

"Wha-Why?" a surprised Cecil blurted out.

"Well why not? She shouldn't be in that huge house alone"

"You won't let me live it down unless she comes with us, will you?"

"Of course not"

Cecil sighed. "Fine, she can come" he said.

"Awesome. Be at my place by four, okay?" Ashley said, pleased with herself.

"If I feel like it" Cecil joked.

"Don't make me hurt you"

They playfully growled at one another before hanging up.

"Your girlfriend seems nice" H.H. said apathetically. Cecil hung up the phone and turned to look at her. "She's not my girlfriend. She and I are just close" he said blankly.

"H.H.?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you answer a few of my questions?"

"Perhaps"

"What were you doing in my uncle's home?"

"He and I made a contract, just as you did with me"

"Did he fulfill it?" Cecil asked.

"Not a single person has yet. Hopefully, you'll change that" H.H. said with melancholy in her voice.

"What's my side of the covenant?" Cecil asked as he moved to sit next to her.

"You must kill… someone for me. It doesn't matter too much now, though"

"Can I ask you some more questions?"

"Whatever, so long as it passes the time" H.H. said, bored.

"It's about Geass. Those men I killed, who were they? What were those Geass sites they talked about, what are Codes, and why did my uncle have Geass?" Cecil asked greedily.

"Pick one"

"What, why?"
"I'm not going to answer all of your questions" she said with a wretched smirk.

"… Fine. Why were you in my uncle's basement, and why did he have Geass?"

"Aww, I was hoping you'd ask about the men you killed, oh well. I gave your uncle Geass, as you should be able to reason. As such, I was obligated to stay by his side and protect him, that is until he either died or fulfilled his end of the contract" H.H. said, her face turning blank once more.

"And you will do the same for me" Cecil said to the blonde.

"For better or worse, yes"

"She wants me to kill someone…" Cecil thought to himself as he turned to look out of a nearby window.

"One last question H.H."

"Shoot"

Others have Geass, correct?"

"Maybe"

"How many?"

That was more than one question"

"Last one, definitely"

"I can't say. Even if I could, I wouldn't; telling you would make this less fun" H.H. said, with a smile.

Cecil rose from his seat. "Aren't you the helpful one" he said, unable to stop himself from smiling at her ambiguity.

"Anyways, you're sure you wanna come with us?" he asked.

"Would you want me to be here alone when your parents come back?" H.H. said in a ridiculing tone.

Cecil stared at the crack in H.H's left eye. "Wonder what the story behind that is" he thought to himself. The emptiness which lurked in her eyes gave them a sort of grave quality about them, with the crack reinforcing such a notion. "Get dressed" H.H. commanded him. With sardonic scowl, Cecil turned on his heel and left the room. "It's only been a few hours, and I almost feel as if I've always known her…" Cecil thought to himself.