The Near-Dimensions Traveller

CHAPTER II: It's an earthquake, Kirly!

MAISSA GASPS IN SHOCK, before hurrying out of the wrecked car and falling beside the man she hit.

"I probably deserve that," he says in a strained voice, keeping a hand over his stomach.

"I'm so sorry, Zaeden!" Maissa tells him, crouching over the man's body and analysing for other injuries.

"It's fine, you didn't hit that strong. Coach did say you've been sloppier with your training lately," he jokes but Maissa doesn't reply. So he didn't learn that coach asked her to leave the team the first practice after her dad's bombing attempt. "I'm sorry for your ride, though. I've put my car on hurry mode and it must've malfunctioned."

"You hit me?" Maissa asks, blaming the skies for this misfortune. Of all the people that Zaeden could've bumped into, it had to be her! Her!

"Well, I assume you don't want to be seen in my company too long so, if you're okay, I'll just leave."

Maissa gets up and takes a few steps away from her ex-boyfriend. The one who made her swear to forget they know each other, as he can't risk having his future political career destroyed by his unfortunate connection to a terrorist's daughter. The first day at school after her world turned upside down, he came to her during a common free period and asked her to delete all their photos from her social profiles. And the check-ins. And anything that someone could use in the future to mark him as a terrorists' supporter. They were broken up for a couple of months, but Maissa hasn't been ready to part with everything he meant to her: from her first friend at the football practice, to her first boyfriend and first heartbreak. But she knew it was about time to rip the band-aid and throw it away. And Zaeden's request was just the perfect excuse to get herself the motivation to move on.

"Wait," he says and hurries to grab her hand. But Maissa jumps out of reach, as if his touch was as deadly as the disease the car's assistant told her about. And to her, it kind of is. Because she still can remember what his sinful, recomfortating touch and cunning, pleading eyes can make her do. So she'll stay out of his reach, and will her eyes to look at anything, but into his turquoise stare.

"I guees I did earn this cold treatment."

"You guess?" Maissa snaps and starts walking away, just as a team of robots start cleaning up the mess and carry out the cars.

"May I check for injuries, miss?" A robot stops in front of her and Maissa nearly jumps in surprise. She nods and as it approaches, she spots a red cross on its arm. She didn't know that medibots passed all the trials and are now permitted to operate. But she guessed it has been months since she heard about the first tests, and she doesn't bother to watch the news too often apart from the times when there's an execution livestreamed. The robot made a quick evaluation then redeemed her 'okay' enough and gave her a medical mask. She watched Zaeden put the mask he was also given on and she remembered about all the people that were wearing similar ones on her way to the train hop. Her mother may have even mentioned it, but she was still a bit dizzy from the shock of the accident and she couldn't remember clearly.

"Do you want to share a ride? So we don't have to wait for two cars to be brought," asks Zaeden as he once again came too close to her.

"I'd rather ride solo," Maissa asks neutrally and pretends to be very interested by her news feed.

"Maissa, please. Let's talk." His begging tone sparked a nerve in her and she barely contained her careless appearance.

"Talk about what, Zaeden?" She turned to be fully facing him and looked him with a pitiful look, her words laced with mockery and anger. "Are you having second thoughts now? Well, it is a tad too late. I've taken your advice and forgotten about us ever meeting."