Chapter 4: 04
Katora stares out the window with nothing particular in mind.
She's going to her friend's apartment. That's it. Done deal. What's more to say?
Her head stays steady on the back of her seat despite the bumps and swift turns that came. She sees the line of houses that all look the same. Beige walls, brown doors, orange ceramic roofs, and only two windows. One on each side just below the roof. He pulls up onto the long cobblestone driveway. Black sticks stick up from the ground forming a gate, its edges spiraled into sharp, black shells. The plaque in the middle reads "Garden Heights". A man wearing a police uniform with a vest carrier stands in front of the gate with folded hands in front of him. Invidia pulls up beside him and rolls down his window. He pulls something out of his back pocket and hangs it out the window. The man walks over and leans further in to examine the card. Katora could now see his face. Wrinkles form around his eyes as he squints forming a deeper complexion. But the one thing she can't keep her eyes off is his black mustache. It covers the whole space between his nose and upper lip. He nods his head and smiles before leaning back up to go open the gate. The gate creaks open. Invidia drives on through.
"Like his mustache?"
"Oh, I love it. So thick and bushy," she jokes despite the stinging feeling in her gut.
She could feel the car slow and her stomach starts to warm up. She could tell that his house was in sight. He turns and drives onto the driveway of a surprisingly huge house.
"Ready?"
"Yeah," she says in a bland tone.
He stops the car. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she forces a grin with more enthusiasm.
He pulls his keys out of its socket and puts them in his back pocket. She goes ahead and unbuckles her seatbelt so she can get out. They head to the front door and he pulls the same keys out of his back pocket to unlock the door for them to get inside. Katora steps in first. It's warm and rather roomy. The room is cut in half between the kitchen and living room. The carpet is light brown and the floorboards are a polished brown. A slam causes her to swiftly turn around. Only be greeted by Invidia again.
"Your apartment is nice."
"Oh, thanks."
He takes his shoes off and walks around her and into the kitchen. She does the same and follows him into the kitchen. He drops his keys into a bowl along with other miscellaneous stuff inside.
"Oh...man, I forgot my chips," he groans, "hey, I'll be right back. Uh...just stay right there." He hurries out the front door and leaves it creaked open so he can go back inside.
Katora walks around the island, her eyes scanning the kitchen. Everything is polished and kept in its place. The living room the same. A burgundy couch sits across from a flat-screen TV. A brown table sits between them. It's cleared off and seems polished too. It's like nothing has been touched.
"Hey, sorry about that," Invidia slams the door.
"Oh, it's fine," she assures him.
He walks past the island and to a door right next to the refrigerator. He opens it and when he cuts the light on, she could see food stacked tightly and lined up on each shelf. He places the chips in a corner at the very top.
"Tired?"
"Um, no, not really."
Invidia closes the door. He looks at the oven clock and it reads 6:47 p.m.
"Really, we've been out that long?"
Katora shrugs her shoulders.
"Hmm, okay, let me show you to the guest room," he practically runs out of the kitchen.
"Wait, I'm actually staying?"
He turns around and sees her standing there with a look of bewilderment.
"Well yeah."
Her face remains unhinged.
"It's going to be okay, no one will know you're here."
"What if I'm found out at school?"
"Then don't go."
"And what if I miss too many days?" She folds her arms expecting a good answer.
He swings his arms out. "Look, I don't know what you want me to do."
Katora sighs and her head hangs as her thoughts spin around her.
No family.
No home.
"Just someone, I barely know"
"A lot of people wind up running away. Some have no one to go to and some do. You are lucky to be those who do."
Katora looks up to see Invidia standing there with his arms by his side and with a sympathetic look. "We'll be fine. I'm sure of it and if your parents call for a search party then we can run somewhere else."
"Like...out of state?"
"Yeah, that is if you're up for it."
She tugs on her sleeves and wraps her arms around her body, "I don't know, this seems too-
"We may not know each other, but you now know I won't hurt you, right?"
Katora looks him up and down, "I guess."
"Good, now let me show you to the guest room. Then come morning, we'll figure out what to do."
Katora hesitates but knows it's too late to back out now. She'll just have to explain to her parents that she got into the wrong car and eventually escaped. That is if they actually listen and won't get upset.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone