Damian's arm shot out across Seth's chest. Seth sighed and looked up at the bigger man. Damian grinned and removed his sunglasses.
"Two weeks. I'm officially out of the bet. You made me lose, kid," Damian said.
"It can't be your first time not winning at life," Seth said.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Damian asked.
"Oh, nothing," Seth answered. "Anything else?"
"Yeah, you'll be out by next week. You won't have the stomach to handle it once things get really rough around here," Damian said.
"We'll see about that," Seth said.
Seth walked inside and found Petrina outside shooting some cans.
"Is everything alright?" He asked.
She turned to look at him and gave him a tired smile.
"Do you ever get the feeling that someone is plotting your downfall?" She asked.
"Not really but I can see why you would get that feeling often," he said.
"I had a nightmare last night. You were there," she said.
"What did I do?" He asked.
"I'm not sure. I was lying on the ground looking up at you. You were climbing a small mountain and I was reaching for you. The further away you got, the more I felt like I was dying. You reached the top and turned around to look at me. You reached your hand down and I tried so hard to grab it but you were too far away. You were on the top of a fucking mountain but I tried so hard to reach that far. And then I woke up," she said.
"I'm sorry that I hurt you in your dream," he said.
"Never apologize for things out of your control" she smiled. "I stayed up all night wondering what it meant. Some dreams are warnings or signs of things to come. This one felt important."
"I have no answer to give. I don't enjoy mountain climbing," he said.
She laughed and placed her hand on his shoulder. She gave it a squeeze and walked past him.
"Let's get some coffee. I need it right about now," she said.
They walked inside and out in the kitchen for a cup of coffee each. They walked into the common room and sat down on their usual chairs. She looked around and let out a sigh.
"I'm gonna miss this place," she said.
"Going somewhere?" He asked.
"One day," she shrugged. "People like me don't grow old. We get removed and forgotten about."
"I'll never forget you," he said.
"You're being cute again," she said.
He leaned closer and kept eye contact. She didn't move away but a smile slowly spread on her face.
"I made a mistake," he said.
"Then fix it," she said.
"I'm not sure you want me to. I made a mistake pulling away last week when you kissed me," he said.
"Only one way to find out," she said.
He leaned in and kissed her. Her fingers roamed through his hair and he started smiling into the kiss. They broke apart and he enjoyed the sight of her eyes remaining closed for a second longer before she finally opened them and looked at him again.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi yourself," he said.
They both giggled and then she stood up. She walked over to a cabinet, opened it, and took out a backpack. She walked back to him and handed it to him.
"Last week's pay," she said.
"You're paying me way too much," he said.
"You earned every penny. Make sure you arrange a way out if it's ever needed. People like us will never be safe. You need an escape route," she said.
"The money you gave me last week was more than enough for that," he said.
"I know," she said. "When the time comes, make sure you get out alive. You're too cute to be sliced open by some maniac."
He laughed and patted the backpack while nodding. She was giving him the opportunity of a life he could never have dreamed of before.
"What about you?" He asked.
"I'm smart enough to have money in bank accounts that can't be traced. Wherever I go, I'll be able to pay," she said. "But I'm never getting out of here. People like me fall in the field. We don't get a happy ending."
"You do in my story," he said.
"There you go being all cute again," she said.
She smiled and leaned in for a quick kiss.
"Did you ever find out who paid off my debt?" He asked.
"I asked but no one has confessed to it yet," she said.
"Do I owe someone a favor that they're waiting to cash in on?" He asked.
"No, it's not like that. I know good-hearted people too. Some of them like doing random things for others without ever mentioning they're behind it. I know a lot of people with a lot of money, Seth. Just enjoy that it's all been taken care of," she said.
He nodded and patted the backpack again.
"Thank you for the paycheck," he said.
"Don't spend it all in one day," she said.
He let out a laugh and shook his head. It would be impossible to spend that much in one day no matter how hard he tried.
"Can I ask you something?" He asked.
"Go ahead," she said.
"Damian said they were all betting on how long I'll last. Kevin is the longest with one month," he said.
"Damian is an ass. The bet it probably real. I don't know. No one has mentioned it. The only thing that matters is what you want to do. If you want out at any time, I'll let you leave. No questions asked," she said.
He moved in for another kiss.
"I don't want out," he said. "In fact, I want further in."
"Was that a joke about getting inside me?" She asked.
"Only one way to find out," he said. "Take me upstairs, Petrina."
