Alice in Borderland ~ Chishiya

22

I look up suspiciously from my book when the door opens, but I can relax again when I see Raiden. He seems to have been gone forever. Somehow it worked out well, because that gave me time to think about how we should go forward from here. I want to tell him the information I got from Kuina about Aguni and the others. I also want to warn him about Niragi and the gossip that's being spread about us. It feels like I have quite a lot to tell him, but luckily, we don't have to play a game tonight and we have plenty of time to talk.

'It's good that you're here,' I begin as I close the book, 'I need to discuss something important with you.'

'I'm not going to stay long,' Raiden says. He walks towards the bed and takes his vest, which he holds up to me. 'I just came to get this.' I put my legs over the edge of my bed. 'Raiden, wait a minute. We have a few things to discuss.' He looks at me for a moment. 'Could we do that tomorrow?'

'Well, I don't know if-' I begin, but he interrupts me by saying: 'Sorry, but I'm already late. Tomorrow, okay?' I look at him questioningly. 'Late for what?' I ask. He shrugs. 'We're having a party.'

'Another party?' I fold my arms around each other. 'Is that wise?' He rolls his eyes. 'You're not my mother.' No, but I'm a friend. Or at least, I thought I was. I don't say anything, which makes him sigh. 'Sorry. But you said yourself it was useful to get to know some people.'

I can't tell him what he should and shouldn't do. He may know that for himself, but I can warn him. 'Just be careful, okay?' I say. 'We don't know what kind of people we're dealing with.' He wraps the vest around his shoulders and pulls his arms through the sleeves. 'Yes, yes,' he waves it away. 'I don't know what time I'll be back exactly. Don't wait up.'

I don't have to wait for him, but apparently he doesn't have to wait for me, either. Without hearing my response, he turns and disappears through the door.

With a sigh, I lower myself back onto my bed again. What's the point? Am I not really stupid to have an alliance with someone who'd rather be popular and party, than think about the games to come? What's the use of someone who drops me so quickly in exchange for a bunch of random people? I think of the times he was unsure about our alliance. Those times were valid, but I convinced him it didn't matter. Now, I think about it again.

I have indeed helped him so many times in the games, more than he's helped me. What if it has become natural to him? What if he just uses me to clear the games properly and nothing more? I participated in two games for him, when I didn't even have to do them. I allied and befriended him to not be alone, but now I feel more alone than ever. I'm starting to believe it was a mistake coming here.

I'm going completely crazy in this room. I put on my cardigan and walk into the hall. The resort appears to be quite deserted, except for a few people. It's probably because everyone had either started playing a game or is partying at the bar. For a moment it occurs to me to look there, but I also know that it'll not help me. Alcohol doesn't have to enter my system.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I feel the open air and see that there's hardly anyone else outside. This afternoon it was full of people here, but now they're probably all partying inside. I pass a few people who aren't paying attention to me and take a sit on a beach chair by the pool. For a while I stare at the water, which now seems to lie calmly. Maybe I'd like to go for a swim, but that would mean that I would've take off my cardigan and that people can look at my body. What if that Niragi creep comes around the corner again?

I move the chair back a little and lie down on it. Then, I rest my head against the headrest and close my eyes for a moment. I try to imagine that I'm on a vacation and experience peace in a resort, but of course, I can't tell myself that. I know very well how it really works.