Chapter 2

I have no choice but to adapt. Strange that mysterious broker of a woman going so far for this. I don't understand her intention at all, yet seeing the familiar faces around determine what soon to happen. And what? Punishment?

However I didn't realize why I'm even doing this. Grab the man I thought lost in the crowd. He pick my interest, that's all. His presence familiar, unlike the other, and he seem acquinted with those people. Wth my own eyes, I saw him struggle to exit the crowd, ran away as if for his life. Is he choose it, to be alone, or he have no choice?

Just like me.

The town so close to what I know before, except the building magnificiently stood and the weird taste of the crowd. He's shock to everything he saw around, that's only adds for my question as the crowd thinner and thinner and I find the exit. I suppose to be the one struggling, yet he's weird that I focus my attention only for him.

How does it even started?

I thought because I want an escape, my curiousity activate for the sake of it. This time I don't think that still because of a mere curiousity. He shaken and I don't know why my heart felt the intense presence of danger.

“Hey!” I grab his shaken hands, his eyes goes down to my chest and goes wide in shock. I almost couldn't believe my mind. The way his eyes widened, it as if saw something that is embarassing!

I hide the feeling that disgusted me, and the idea of it that shaken me.

Disgusted... as it only bring disaster to everyone important to me. There's no way he take aliking of me, right?

Strangely, the memory...starts to fades away that my heart tremble. I thought, “Not good... How can I stop myself if everything is going to wipe out?!”

My mind goes back to that mysterious woman. She might have expected this, and fool my heart once again!

“You... you...” He struggle to take off his eyes in my chest, and I try hard to think he isn't fancy it or something. 

I really disgust to the thought that I almost vommit for it. This is really a punishment!

I staggered backward and his expression change. “Is something wrong?” I brave to ask, weirded out by the way his gaze brought to me.

He slide away, his face shock as if something is wrong with me!

“There-” he cough slightly, but his expression is strange, as if something happened that my eyes couldn't even make out of it. He shook his head, look away. “Nothing,” he added.

My brows furrows. “Seriously?” 

I couldn't believe him. Is he fooling around? I supress the glare, realize he may not intended something this nonsense. Like putting idea in my mind that he is may liking my body or something! 

I even goes so far to felt disgusted. Realize I really is... a sinner.

“Are you that afraid of the crowd?” I change the topic with delight in my voice. 

His eyes shifted to the far distant; sigh, then a relief flash in his eyes. “A bit,” he said, shrugged with a slight embarass in his face. Then he ask slowly, “Can't you believe it's my first time here?” 

“Really?” I nearly said that's the less of my worry. I don't even have a place to stay! Yet he's serious, as if fail something to adapt the same way I do, like the crowd is something he challeng himself to immerse with. I gasp, nearly pop my eyes. “You're serious!”

“Of course...” his voice low, his face down. 

I shaken to the way his face turn gloomy, yet he try to hide it with an embarass face. The thought came to mind: Is it really important to improve yourself in the crowd? 

Suddenly it came to mind, on why I even think about it and on what reason I want to share it with him. I said with excitement, “I have an idea!”

His suspicious gaze fall on me. “Are you on drugs?”

“Drugs?” I almost jump in my sit when his hand reach my forehead. 

“Sure you have an idea? You can't even...realize your wound!” 

What the hell?!

“If you don't want to, then don't!” I realize it's his way of saying no. Is he not interested to my idea?

I storm my way out of his sight. Only to regret it. I sigh when he realize he didn't even bother to follow me. Such a weird case! 

“I don't even know what's on drug is,” I hardly face him as I explain, embarrass to even comeback after walking out. “Ugh. I really want to go out for good. But I really tired. If you don't mind?” He's shock, I can tell. And I don't bother waiting for his response, sitting comfortably.

I curse in my mind. What's wrong wIth me?! 

“Don't assume I am going something out of ordinary,” I said when he don't even bother to blink. His mouth halfly open.

“I didn't assume though,” he murmur.

“So what's with your remark then?” 

“An expression?” He realize it's really weird. His expression actually say it so. Good thing he realize it. Tsk!

“Expression of what?” I calmly said, continued observing him. I have the thought that I might dissect why he thought that expression if I will to say more. And what's with touching my forehead anyway?

“Can we assume it did not occur?” He suggest, and I realize he don't understand the phrase. 

“Yeah. Let's do that, then.” I nod, hide the shock in my face, then as if not really invested, shrugged away. Though I gotten my guess, and it's kind of a weird that he haven't. Or he realize it's wrong just now?

The sulking cry fades away for good, or atleast the crowd position in the far distant. The dim sky fill with boom and bang, and a light spread and screech paint above. I realize I still don't know his name, unlike those people around him. He groan beside me, slide closely, and I hear his soft voice near my ears, “My brother said that's once for a year, or atleast if holidays celebrate in the Town. Do you think it's nice?”

He sounds not having fun at all, yet he's amaze how it silence everyone. “Agree,” 

He slowly face me, and like for the first time seeing someone who share the same likes as him, he blinks numerously. “What...your say then?”

“It's nice.”

His face conflicted, yet he exclaim. “Nice! That's the term!” 

He explain further. He's excited as he so, as if only says some legend, though is he? I shock to realize his hidden motive. 

He didn't realize though, he's like me, sinned...all over.

“I don't think it's true. It's nice that I know, though,” he clear his throat, deeply conflicted, “that whatever I see...it's bound to be unreal. Are you...one of it, Pryor?”

He even know...my name!