Misunderstandings

CHAPTER 2

I still couldn’t believe, the person whom I considered my best friend had betrayed me. Maybe there isn’t anything like true friendship in this world. I had put my trust on her just for her to break it so easily.
We were here, standing in front of the torture room…
I have never been so nervous at such instances, on the other hand usually I was always really excited for this, the begs and cries for mercy were always fascinating to me, made me feel the power I possessed, the power which controlled how much more breaths a god’s creation would take;  but now, a strange nervousness was engulfing me. A side of me still trusts her. I don’t even know why. All the proofs are clearly against her and she is not even defending herself.
‘What if she was planning against me all this time.’ ‘What if she is not involved but just got stuck here.’, my heart and brain battled making it even harder for me. Breathing became tough as the dispute between  ‘You know that is not possible, no one just gets stuck between this with swords and arrows.’ ‘But why would she use swords and those wooden things.’ ‘That doesn’t justify anything.’ ‘I know but-’.
“Aera? Where are you lost? where are the keys?” my life stared at me confused. I hadn’t realized that I had zoned out.
“You won’t betray me? Right?” before I knew what I was saying my thoughts spilled out.
“I am sorry obviously you won’t, I was just thinking out loud I am sorry” she pulled me into a warm hug. So comforting and promising. It felt as if all the problems just faded away, it felt as if everything was right even though nothing was. My best friend is locked behind the door, chained up and most probably hurt, she betrayed me…but did she? Can I even trust her?
“I understand what you must be going through love, its fine. And no, I won’t leave you”. She said parting and smoothing down my hair.
“She said the same… anyways let’s get this done first.” I shrugged, getting myself together. I need some answers and I am going to get them.
                                                                         Crimson’s P.O.V.
She was sickeningly nervous…I had never seen her like this on such a case. There was excitement and pride bubbling within her not nervousness and indecisiveness, but again it was their best friend who betrayed them. It obviously hurt. Seeing her in pain hurt me but I couldn’t do anything and knew she needed time so why not let time run its course.
She handed over the keys slowly as she regained her composure. I took the keys and sighed at the click of the lock in the deafening silence and heavy air.
“I will ask the questions”, stating firmly and again put the cold façade on, we entered the room.
It smelled of blood and rotting bodies, but that’s no surprise given so many people have been killed here. Some by my very own hands.
She sat there; head thrown back hanging at an angle which showed her perfect jawline, the artery’s throb; being the only thing signifying her life; tempted me to cut it through because of the pain the person has hurt my love. Her jaw had streaks of dried blood, with tracks staining paths till her chest as it got absorbed by her shirt.
“So, how are you? Hope they didn’t hurt you too bad.” I said making sure that I avoided my love’s name so as to not remind them more.
She lifted her head up, moving it from side to side releasing some audible cracks from her neck, and then made direct contact with me. Coldness, something I have never seen in her eyes flowed freely out this time. ‘Wow, that bubbly, careless and warm-hearted personality was just an act, damn she is skilled at it’.
“Oh yeah sure nothing happened, escorted me with loads of love and care here, it’s just they show their love a bit too harshly. You see these punches ain’t really something I appreciate and not being able to wipe this sticky shit named blood from my face is also irritating. By the way why don’t ya’ll use some air fresheners here like I understand ya’ll torture people here but still a bit of…you know care and cleaning won’t hurt much now would it?” She was thinking and talking so casually as if she was invited for tea instead of being captured, I can’t believe how she was doing this. Did she really not care at all?!
“Cut this crap! Tell me since when were you working with them and why.” Aera reckoned irritated. She was losing her patience….it wasn’t a positive sign.
“Good question. You know I made a good choice choosing you as a friend. Straight to the point. Nice, so yeah about your question. I am working with them since forever, obviously, after all why won’t I support my brothers? So that answers your questions. Any more?” she said casually playing with her fingers.
“You- what did you want to do? Were you spying on us?”, Crimson asked confused.
“Hah! I don’t need to spy on you both to get information. And neither am I interested. So, rest assured, all our conversations remained and will remain within us. And I won’t use them in any way.” Valda answered now sitting up straight, looking towards aera, noticing their frustration growing.
Crimson followed her gaze and realized the pain her soulmate was in. Rushing them out she gave one last glare towards the tied-up girl.

Aera’s P.O.V
Crimson took me away from the room, stopping me from losing my cool and thereby doing something which could prove to be extremely silly in the near future.
She took me to our shared bedroom, instantly engulfing me in a warm hug and just rocking me back and forth comforting me for I don’t know how long.
When I felt better, we parted, she kissed me softly as she urged me to change and head to bed.
“Thank you so much babe…”, I sighed as we cuddled under the warm duvet.
“Go to sleep darling, today was tough for you. You need rest.” She said kissing me softly again.
A few hours had passed, but I couldn’t sleep. This brain just won’t stop. And great now I need to go visit the washroom. I slid from under my lovely angel as she moved in her sleep turning over to get back to a comfortable position.
Sighing I went to the washroom the light-yellow lights specially made for nights reflected from the black tiles of the large washroom.
My ‘just a quick visit’ turned to a brain storming  session under the shower. The hot water felt like needles hitting my skin as it took away the aches and tension away with it. No, don’t get me wrong, I did wash up, of course I can’t sleep with blood stains and that terrible stench still hanging onto my hair.
Maybe there is something else, and even if there is not, I still owe Valda the favour of not killing me or crimson when we were cluelessly chilling around in her small house. I can afford to have some danger, it will be fun, let’s get this.
I came out of the hot tub, wrapping myself in a towel and dressing up quickly. I stood in front of the full-length mirror, dressed in my usual way; all black; as I dried my short hair roughly. Some beads of water trailing down my hair to my jawline. Moving slowly till my chin and dropping down. I punched the concrete beside the mirror hard enough to have my knuckles turning blue, using the pain to distract myself from the constant conflicting thoughts in my mind.
I slipped off the bathroom, giving a kiss on the forehead to my lovely girlfriend who was sleeping peacefully as I stealthily excited the large room.
Leaving the room, the last ounces of doubt faded as the fake façade of a cold and ruthless mafia boss was put on. I grabbed my mask with that specific gold sign attached, portraying my power and authority.
Yes. This was me. The person who is going to break stereotypes and evolve my gang as the best mafia in existence.
I took my hand gun and tucked it in my pocket as I headed towards the basement where in the torture room my best friend was strapped.
Taking some deep breaths, I calmed myself down as I unlocked the door.
I took some time to adjust my eyes to the darkness of the room and myself to stench of the blood around from the decaying corpses.
‘I will get this cleaned up’ I made a mental note to myself as my focus set on the girl tied up to the chair.
She was observing me quietly and as soon as our eyes met, she closed hers and laid back.
Neck and back visibly sore from the uncomfortable position she was locked in.
“You are still up? I thought you preferred sleeping on time.” I remarked bringing my chair and sitting down in front of her.
She sighed, still in the same position with her head thrown back as she whispered quietly; not wanting to break the silence of the room; “I was trying to sleep….you woke me up, and you know my back issues.”, saying she cracked open one of her eyes slightly.
It felt so nostalgic, this was exactly the way we used to talk when we were unaware of each other’s truths…...or maybe it was just me who was unaware, because the reality did not shock her at all and even if it did she was doing an excellent work in hiding it. The sad part of this situation was that here we were in a room where I have killed people and she was strapped covered in bruises and cuts bleeding, rather than chilling in her small room after a long day.
She was my best friend, we were so different that it felt like she is my own sister, seeing her like this hurt my heart.
“So….since when did you know about us? Like that I was a part of the mafia and all?” I raised my eyebrow watching her get relaxed and again get into a position where she seemed to be sleeping.
I was so jealous of her; she was able to sleep and relax even with all of these going on with her and I was disturbed out of my mind. Pulling a chair, I sat with my front resting on the backrest of it as I faced her.
“You know you suck at hiding right?” she whispered again, her voice barely audible.
I laughed slightly as I relaxed too, resting my head on my crossed arms lying on the top of the back of the chair. “I did not suck at hiding you just know me way too well” I said with a small smile recalling how she always guessed what exactly went through my mind.
She hummed softly and continued, “well that answers your question, I knew about you since forever”.
“Why didn’t you attack me or Crimson earlier then?” I asked now sitting up straight as my curiosity peaked. To my surprise even she sat up straight, her face showing the emotions of pure betrayal and hurt, eyebrows furrowed as she looked at me straight in my eyes. She looked like a hurt cat but intimidated me at the same time. She hurt me and now she played the victim?
“How could you even think of me like that?!” she spoke up, hurt clearly lining her voice. No sooner had she said that she started coughing profusely.
Out of instinct I took out the bottle of water kept on my table and offered it to her.
“Oh, fuck it! Answer me. Do you think that lowly of me?! Bruh my own brothers don’t know that I know you. Now do you realize that I wasn’t spying on you and all that I saw and figured out stayed in between us?! I can’t believe I need to explain this to you. I thought you knew me at least this much. I am highly disappointed in you Aera.” She stopped coughing as her tied arm struggled with their restraints rope cut through her skin as blood surfaced.
“what happened to your neck?!”, I asked noticing the hand prints for the first time on her throat. It was red and prominent. No wonder she has been having trouble talking. I reached out to observe it. She flinched as soon as my fingers brushed through the dark hand prints ever so lightly.
“don’t worry, I will take my revenge off those idiotic workers of yours. They thought it was cool for them to treat me like this. I am going to make sure they die and that too by my very own hands.” She spoke, again softly as her voice wavered. I sat back deep in thought, thinking of what to do now that all the misunderstandings have been cleared.
“I know what’s going on in your mind. Don’t let it bother you, go back and sleep, your girlfriend must be lonely. And now let me sleep too.” She said as she moved in her chair and rested her head back again, closing her eyes and sighing deeply.“don’t. You. Dare”.