- So let's recap... -, Richard tightened the bathrobe around his body, before lying down comfortably on the sofa next to her, also in a bathrobe and slippers, who was calmly sipping a Virgin Mojito, - Your dear anthropomorphic turtle with the purple bandana isn't a hallucination and also he's defending New York along with his brothers from an alien invasion? -.

Lola nodded, taking another sip of the drink. - What about you? You renovated, I see...-, she commented, looking around her; Rich must have definitely had another fit of anger given the presence of all that new furniture...

- Yes, I suddenly felt like changing. You know how I am -, he replied with a smile, but they both knew that it wasn't like that; Rich had a darker side, something that he had never yet revealed to anyone, not even to Lola, who he considered like a sister, and Lola feared that by asking the wrong questions she would awaken that side of the boy that she was so afraid of seeing.

A nervous silence fell between them, broken only by their breathing and the clinking of ice in their respective glasses.

- There is another thing I should talk to you about... -, as always, it was Richard who broke that stasis, with a tone that presaged bad news.

- Would be? -.

- Our sisters are about to meet -.

After just a second, Lola's glass crashed to the floor, shattering in a storm of glass.

- What the fuck are you saying? -.

- What I just said. My sister is definitely in New York and yours is out and about at the moment with her boyfriend -, Richard didn't get upset at all, nor did he get up to remedy the disaster; the cleaning lady would take care of it the next day.

- That's not what I mean. I want to know how you came into contact with my stepsister, Richard -, Lola grabbed his arm, shaking him as if so she could make the words fall out of his mouth.

The boy didn't move away, nor did the neutral expression on his face change, as if he didn't notice the presence of that contact. -I met her by chance, after meeting her boyfriend, a certain Casey Jones... I must say, however, that you are not alike at all. If she hadn't introduced herself I would never have been able to connect her to you -.

That last comment seemed to calm the young woman, who stopped shaking his forearm and went back to lying on the sofa cushions, muttering curses under her breath.

- And I thought I had gotten rid of her...-, she finally added, then getting up to go get a rag and broom and clean up the mess on the floor.

- Is she really such a terrible girl? She seems rather normal to me... - commented the boy, getting up in turn to give her a hand.

- She's not the one who's terrible, but... Ah, I don't know how to explain it to you... - the raven girl slowly shook her head, as if to chase away some bad thought.

- Then don't force yourself -, Rich shrugged, then went to throw the glass shards in the kitchen and go back to the mini-bar to prepare another drink for her on the fly.

Lola observed him for a few seconds, biting her lower lip, thoughtfully, before deciding to tell him: - You didn't tell me you had a sister... -.

- Because I never considered it necessary -. That response of hers seemed to hurt her, because she replied coldly: - Yet you know everything about me...-.

Richard sighed, running a hand through his neon green hair, aware that he had said something stupid. - You're right, forgive me. Fuck, when I give these answers I seem to hear that crazy, psychotic, megalomaniac and conspiracy theorist of my father -, he muttered the last part to himself, but Lola could hear him very well given the short distance that separated them and the the absolute silence that reigned in the city that evening. It looked like someone had pressed a button on a remote control and turned off the sound in New York, which was more than a rarity.

Despite this, she didn't comment on Richard's outburst about his father, limiting herself to nodding and accepting the new non-alcoholic drink that was offered to her, eyeing with disapproval the third Margarita that the boy had prepared.

- Are you going to get drunk again? - she asked him in an almost maternal tone.

- Nah, I just need to cloud my mind a little, especially considering that we are both naked under these bathrobes, so I have to stop my brain from thinking strange things -, he grinned, spitefully tugging at the edge of the fabric of her bathrobe.

- Oh come on! -, she laughed, knowing how empty his "threats" were, - As if I would allow you to do something to me. You would find yourself catapulted out of the window in 3 seconds -.

- Oh really? -, he urged her, taking her by surprise by tickling her, - And how? Will you call upon your new ninja friend to help you? -.

Lola couldn't answer him, prey as she was to her laughter, but she didn't try to escape him either; they trusted each other blindly , although some things between them had not yet been said.

The "attack" fortunately lasted only a few seconds, after which Richard helped her sit up again, lovingly placing the bathrobe around her shoulders, tying it at her waist. - Sorry baby, I let myself go -.

- Don't worry...-, she replied as she caught her breath, - I'm used to your impetuosity by now...-. She settled herself closer to him, shoulder to shoulder, the tension between them now completely gone.

- Anyway, you're right... I know everything about you... Maybe it would be appropriate for me to return the gesture given the immense trust you give me -, he commented with a sigh, not entirely sure of his own words.

- Don't worry. Everything in his time Rich. When you feel ready, you will tell me what you can, as I did with you -, she reassured him, passing a fraternal arm around his shoulders, pulling him close to her and pressing a chaste kiss on his right cheek, just above the tattooed mole.

He let out another sigh. - I can start by telling you that... my father Oroku Saki known as Shredder wants me dead, my sister Karai, although she is only 17 years old, is an expert ninja warrior, and that I can totally believe that those turtles and aliens are real because I have a half-woman, half-snake friend who lives in the sewers, her name is Shitsu and she comes from Dimension X -.

The five seconds of silence that followed seemed longer than an hour.

- C-Come again? -, Lola stared at him with wide eyes, as if he had just told her that he himself was actually a Kraang.

Richard sighed, before getting up and heading towards the mini-bar again.

That explanation would have required the presence of a fourth Margarita... .