Akina's Reflection

VII

I finished my breakfast, unlike Aubrey, then walked out of the restaurant. Aubrey sat in the car, staring at his pony plushy. I opened the door to his car, sat down at the passenger seat, then slammed the door shut as hard as I could.

"Don't damage my car now, okay?" Aubrey said coldly, after starting up the engine. Then, once again, we were on the road. I stared out the window, watching the various buildings pass by. Soon most of them were houses.

Aubrey stopped in front of one such house. One that looked abandoned, a little worse condition than the others.

"Why did we stop in front of this stinky place?" I asked.

"I'm looking for a hobo, remember? Hobos live in stinky places. Quit pouting, Sayoki, you're reminding me of a seven year old."

I pouted some more, and held Stybba as my hostage. Aubrey sighed, stared at the house, then began to walk some ways down the road, away from the car.

I remembered where we were. We were in a pretty bad neighborhood. There are bad people in places like this. Suddenly, I didn't want to be alone, I got out of the car and ran in the direction Aubrey walked off to.

"Aubrey! Wait up!"

Aubrey turned back.

"I thought you were just going to stay in the car, and continue your tantrum."

"But I don't want to be alone in the car."

Aubrey sighed, rolled his eyes, then continued walking down the narrow street. He looked down every alley way, then he stopped.

"Heh, I didn't know you were still in business."

I peeked into the alleyway. Aubrey was inside now, in front of him sat a dirty young woman, about twenty. Her hair was put up in a messy bun, her clothes were equally dirty. She had a cup in front of her, one hand suspiciously behind her back. I couldn't see her eyes clearly, she wore thick glasses that looked too dirty to see through.

"Oh, you." She said. "Now, I never met you, and yet I know you. I would think you understand me, if you stumbled here, huh?" She chuckled evilly. I shivered.

"I remember you. Olivia, the worst of beggars, advice for money, you offer, am I right?"

"Now that's a little harsh, Merry. The last time I saw you, you were the tiniest kid I've ever seen, besides that little friend of yours. What became of her? Long time, no see."

Aubrey glared at her.

"None of those guys are with me. Actually, I was going to ask about one of their whereabouts."

Olivia glared back.

"Well, you're not alone. Who's your friend back there?" She pointed at me. I pulled my head back.

"Sayoki, come on. It's just a hobo." Aubrey said. I came over. Olivia looked like she was going to kill Aubrey. The hand behind her back twitched.

"Hobo, you say? I'm charging extra for that." She grinned, as if Aubrey wouldn't actually do it.

Aubrey took out his wallet, and both Olivia and I stared as he took out a couple twenties.

"Aubrey, you wouldn't..."

"Come on, Aubrey, give a little charity to the poor..."

Aubrey stared hard at her.

"Question first, then cash."

He then asked his question:

"Olivia... Olivia, how is that dear brother of yours? I don't quite know where he lives, and I'd like to pay a visit. Your his sister, so... I'd imagine you have an address?"

Olivia stared at him, she then sputtered,

"That's your question!? Do I look like an address book to you? Ask someone else that stupid question!"

She turned her back to us, and huffed.

"No reply?" Aubrey asked, with a smug voice.

"Well, you were pretty stingy at first, but I think you learned. Money isn't tempting you anymore, is it? I guess I just saved forty bucks..."

Aubrey began to put the two twenties back in his wallet. Olivia stayed still for a second, then exploded.

"Wait a second? What about our deal? Where are you putting that!? Give it over, Merry!"

Her hand twitched again, then it sprung from behind her back, holding a pistol. The end of the gun was less than an inch away from my forehead.

I froze, Aubrey did too for a second.

Then, I almost cried in fear. Aubrey started with a chuckle, but was soon laughing at the top of his lungs. Olivia scowled at him.

"You...You are trying... That, again?" He giggled a little. I did not understand what's going on. Olivia scowled, as if whatever Aubrey is laughing about isn't funny.

"Aubrey..." I said, carefully eyeing the pistol at my head. "Aubrey, I don't get it..."

"Don't worry, Sayoki." Aubrey said, kind of lightheartedly. "They're blanks. She can't afford bullets."

He looked back at Olivia.

"That joke is old. Tell me the address know, and you can walk away with forty, simple as that."

The pistol moved a second, then Olivia retracted her hand, leaving the gun at her side.

"He lives in an apartment about ten blocks..." She thought for a second.

"That way," She said carefully, pointing to the left.

Aubrey pulled out his wallet again, and counted out forty dollars. He gave it to the grinning hobo.

"I hope I never have to see you again." Aubrey said, then grabbed my arm. We both walked out of the alleyway.

Before we turned down the street again, Aubrey stopped.

"Duck."

Almost as soon as he muttered those words, a single gunshot fired. I was quick to duck, but I was able to feel the bullet fly past me. It also left a hole in my hood. I turned my head slowly back down the alley.

Olivia sat at her spot, the pistol in front of her.

"Hope I never see any of you too, ever again." She said, sneering.

I hurried after Aubrey, who did not even stop to hear Olivia's final word to us.

"So, we are going to that apartment place, yea?" I asked Aubrey, after we got into the car.

He nodded, starting up the engine of his car. He pulled out, and drove off, opposite of Olivia's directions.

"Aubrey... She said that way, where are you going?"

"To the apartment complex." Aubrey said.

"But it's that way!"

"Why do you trust her? She shot at you."

"Why did you even ask for her advice if you're just not going to listen to her?" I asked, bothered. Aubrey stopped the car, and looked at me.

"I know this from experience. Olivia gives good advice, but she is not a nice person. Normally, she'd tell you the opposite of the answer you want."

I thought about it for a second, staring out the window.

"No, it still doesn't make much sense."

Aubrey sighed. The traffic light turned green, and he drove off again.

I can't believe after all this, Aubrey is still hiding key points of his past from me.