Despite Rin's wishes, Rudy followed the girl with a stinging cheek and a heavy heart as she walked through the city, the rain falling from the sky soaking the pair. She wanted to be left alone, yet, Rudy had one image stuck in her mind that she couldn't shake. She was worried that her actions would have dire consequences and part of her followed her because she cared about Rin and enjoyed their fake relationship despite her heart not containing any love for her. However, another part of her did it to cover her conscience. From what? Well, that she didn't exactly understand. But she kept her eyes glued to the girl, her soaked hair glued to the back of her neck, every so often, Rin would scoop up the little hair she had on the back of her neck and push it to her left shoulder, yet it always found it's way back to the centre. Rudy's feet ached with desperation as her long strides turned into pained hobbles, wincing every time she took a step.
Rin knew the other was behind her. Both their hearts were intertwined to her and she could feel the rhythmic beat of her own perplexion at the thought of the girl behind her. An emotion like none other she had felt since her mother's death coursed through her veins. Whatever it was withheld her from turning around and speaking to the other. When she was distracted from her thoughts, the scenery of the enriched area of Ambersage- the fancy cars, businessmen in their suits- quickly deteriorated into roads filled with scraps, smog floating into the sky from buildings and missing posters on every corner. Her heart ached in her chest growing more bruised with each step Rudy took forward.
Eventually, the girl stopped, letting out a trembling sigh, her tense posture relaxing. "Scared I'm gonna kill myself?" she merely croaked, catching the attention of the woman standing behind her, "Is that what they told you? Or is it because you saw the scars on my thighs?"
"I don't want you to do something silly," Rudy responded, her tone shunned by regret.
"I showed you every single part of me," Rin whispered, "my weaknesses- my vulnerability did nothing but make me feel like a burden to you. I didn't need a babysitter and I don't now."
"You're acting like I never learned anything about you when we were seeing each other," Rudy told, this time her voice growing louder, "like it or not Rin, I know you and I know you very fucking well. I know you're going to hurt yourself if I leave you alone and-"
"No blade could ever cut as deep as you, Rudy."
Her tone shattered as she spoke, the shrillness of her brittle voice merely able to proceed as she sniffled. Rudy couldn't do anything but stare at the broken girl before her. "You've hurt me more than I could ever hurt myself," Rin confirmed.
"I can make it better if you give me a chance," Rudy told, Rin shaking her head, slowly beginning to approach the girl.
"Every single time I wanted to add another scar, I'd think about you and about what you had meant to me. I created... I created this picture in my head and I told myself that if I were to die, at least I'd have someone who would miss me," she whispered, "you're mourning me right now because of the mistakes that you made." Using her hands she wiped away the tears,
"You're making it out like you have no other people to turn to- you do. Why are you putting all this shit on me?" Rudy snapped, staring at the girl, "I'm trying to make it better,"
"Well, you're making it worse!" Rin yelled, "you can assume that I have people and I have friends, but if you knew me as well as you said you do, then you'd realise that I don't. Celina hates my fucking guts and she's only there because she feels bad for me! I'm nothing but her charity case and as it turns out, I'm a charity case to you as well,"
"So what are you going to do about it then, huh? We're on the verge of becoming rich and you're going to throw the contract with the Adams away?" Rudy asked, "you can hate me all you want, I get it, I'm a bad person but I tried to make it right and I couldn't! You need the money from this contract, Rin. You can get a better home- somewhere safer that Richmond and-"
"Stop acting like you care!"
"But I do," Rudy spoke, her tone cracking with desperation, "I'm sorry- I should've told you sooner but I don't love you and I couldn't bring myself to say it to you when I know it's not true,"
"But you've said it plenty of times before," Rin whispered, "you're full of shit. Now go home, Rudy," she demanded, turning away from the girl before stopping, "and tell Briar she can shove the contract up her ass. I'm not doing this anymore- I'm sick of being treated as some sort of puppet, I'm a human fucking being." added the woman. Rudy exhaled as she watched the figure of the girl grow further and further away until she was completely hidden in the darkness of the night.
