Of course Rin had teamed up with Steven. It was no big surprise; and I didn’t care anymore. Steven wasn’t about to take my advice – or even listen to it. So why should I give a damn? He could get tangled up with Rin, George, Julian, anybody and it wasn’t my place to say or think anything about it. He could break any number of hearts and it would be him left alone, and I still would have no right to say a single word. It was time that we grew apart, I figured. We had always been too close, too reliant. So now he was pulling away, and I was fine with that.
“This is gunna be so cool!” I shrieked at Rikku, who laughed and clapped, nodding her head so eagerly that her braids poked her in one eye. Brother rushed over protectively as she kneaded her streaming eye, and I glanced over at Steven and Rin. They were involved in a serious looking talk, and didn’t even notice my quick glimpse. Rikku flicked her hair back, snapping her attention back to the mission, and coughed loudly to draw everybody else’s attention. “So Rin, like…where are we menna be going, or whatever?” We all turned to Rin to wait for his answer. A sudden thought crossed my mind and I quickly interjected with, “Don’t forget, I have to be free by 12.30 at the latest.” I got a few funny looks, but waved them away.
I turned to Rin, who swallowed nervously. Our previous discussion had unsettled him slightly, and I felt he was beginning to regret pairing with me. “You three will need to head for 241 Croxford Street. It’s to the west, ask the driver. Once you’re there, you’re looking for Mr Jackson. Is that okay?” Rikku nodded, and Brother turned for the door. They left without a word, and I cringed slightly as the door shut behind them. Charlotte was becoming distant lately… And that didn’t exactly make me happy.
I turned back to Rin. “So you understand, right? I’m sorry… But I could never, ever cheat on him. I just can’t. It breaks me to think of what I did… I can’t do it again.” For the first time I’d ever seen, Rin frowned and looked down. “I understand. I wouldn’t ask you to do that. I just hoped…” I shook my head. “No, Rin. I’m dating Julian; I can’t just go on dates with other guys. And… Julian’s coming over Christmas day. Here. I don’t want to hurt you… So should I make it so we don’t stay here? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable…” Rin shook his head, smiling again. “I’ll stay, and so can you. I like seeing you happy.” I blushed slightly, and leaned forward to quickly kiss his cheek, before standing up and walking over to the kitchen area. “Thank you.”
I got out a cloth and started to wipe down the work-surfaces. “So what’s the plan?” Rin stood up and walked over, opening a cupboard and pulling out a bar of chocolate. “The plan? There isn’t a plan. We can’t do a thing until we receive information from Team A.” I stopped wiping the surfaces, looking confusedly at Rin. “I was just trying to get you alone. I apologize.” I blushed slightly, and grabbed a dust-cloth and some wood polish. “Then I’ll start cleaning this place. When we get word from Team A, we can get to work.”
I walked downstairs with Rikku and Brother in silence, worrying about Steven and Rin, and whether they’d be okay alone. But I remembered how Steven had been acting, and shook my head, clearing it of thoughts of him. He clearly didn’t want me or my opinions, so he couldn’t need my concern. “So is every mission this simple?” I asked, trying to focus on something. Brother barked a laugh before Rikku answered me. “Never this simple. Lots have seemed this simple, but there are usually…complications…” She tailed off suggestively and I looked at Brother incredulously. He was laughing silently, and I couldn’t hold back a smile.
The usual Aston slid into view just in time for Rikku to slip in gracefully. Brother followed her comfortably, and I stumbled in behind them. Rikku gave the driver the address and settled in to sit comfortably. The journey wasn’t supposed to be long, but she closed her eyes anyway, massaging her temples and sitting perfectly still. “We don’t sleep much on the job, so we learn to rest whenever and wherever we can,” Brother whispered confidentially, and followed her example. As the car slowed, they opened their eyes and stretched, as wide awake as before they had ‘rested’. “Let’s go,” Rikku chirped, and we hopped out of the car.
241 Croxford Street was an intimidating building, splitting the gloomy sky formidably. It loomed ahead of us, suggesting that – as the other two had said – maybe today wasn’t going to be as simple as it seemed. Or maybe I was just getting freaked out for no reason. I looked hesitantly at Rikku, then Brother, and then back at the building. Rikku strode forward confidently, so I nodded, steeling myself. Brother smiled encouragingly at me and followed Rikku, so I hastened to follow them both.
As I continued cleaning, I checked my phone. Concerned at the lack of usual texts, I sent Julian a quick message. Humming to myself, I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and began to clean the room further. A few minutes later, I felt a vibration against my leg and paused to check my phone. My smile froze on my face… my eyes losing their sparkle and, according to Rin at least, became dull and listless. The words confused me, but as I scrolled down, they shocked me to my very core. I fell back into the sofa, Rin walking over in concern. Grabbed my knees. Shook my head. This couldn’t be true.
“Not coming for Christmas. We’re not working out. Goodbye.”
I felt Rin’s strong arms around me, but they held no comfort. I could feel his heart beating fast, could sense the affection, but it mattered not. I was cold and broken within seconds. Rin was cradling me and running a hand through my hair, but all I could feel was a thousand stabbing pains in my chest… caused by the shattering of my heart. My phone vibrated once more, and Rin answered it. “Hello? No, this is his phone, he’s… Sister? Elisa? Hold on.” He passed the phone to me, and I placed it to my ear, shuddering. “Sister? Yeah… Sister, he did it. He left me. I don’t even know exactly why. I was so happy, and now look. Yeah… Yeah, just a text message. No phone call. He’s been so distant lately. Uh-huh? I’ll try. And yeah, I will. I love you, so much. Goodnight.” I hung up the phone and dropped it to the floor, my eyes stinging and my head throbbing. I wouldn’t cry. Not anymore. Not for anyone. I wiped at my eyes harshly as I heard a knocking at the door, and felt Rin leave the sofa to answer it. I heard the smooth voice at the door and my eyes widened in shock. “Hey, is Steven here? I’m a friend of his.” I looked up, and saw the pale figure at the doorway. His head turned to face me and his eyes widened in horror as he burst past Rin and leapt to my side, holding me close.
“What’s wrong? Please, Steven, tell me you’re okay…” I shook my head, the tears pooling at the edge of my eyesight. I wasn’t going to cry. “I could just tell something bad had happened…” Not going to. “I was walking past and I felt a pain in my chest…” No. Not gonna. “My heart was aching and I knew you were in pain…”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. I began sobbing and pressed myself into George’s chest, hearing his heart beating and his breath soft against my cheek, his arms wrapping slowly around my back. I cried, and I felt so weak for doing so. He ran a hand through my hair, just like Rin did, but with more compassion. And then he held me tight, whispering softly as he embraced me. “You’ll be okay. You’ll be okay, because I won’t let you be hurt. Because I love you.”
