IXUS

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“So it’s settled then,” Tal mutters as he finishes packing the last of his clothes. “We leave tonight.”

I nod and the side of my neck hurts. I touch the bandage. The scar is new. Tal said that if we are to get anywhere near D.C., we need to blend in. And what better way than to pretend you’re one of them!

Tal had no extra contact lenses. So I had to settle with the good old scaring. I’m a little bit nervous as to what the other humans would think of me when they see this scar.

Sonja is sound asleep in Tal’s room. Lately, she’d been watching more and more of his movies and she’d been acting really strange. She can’t even look me straight in the eye without turning away quickly and flushing.

What was that all about?

I look down at the map on the table. I finger all the countries. Russia, Germany, France, England… I wonder what I would be doing right now if the Ixus hadn’t come here. I’ve always liked traveling. Maybe I would be in one of these countries right now, doing god knows what.

“I’ll be right back,” Tal says, then runs off to go outside. I look down at the map again. Maybe after all of this, if I’m still alive, I could go to one of these countries. I preferEuropethough.

Vera had been the reason for my interest in traveling. She always told stories about these countries and how she wished she could see the world. I wanted to promise her that I would take her there someday but she always scolded me about promises.

“Never make promises you can’t fulfill,” she says in a domineering tone. I stare down at her and roll my eyes. But of course, she’s right. I shouldn’t. I promised those people back then that I’d keep them safe. Oh how I broke that promise.

I clench my fists tight and bite my lower lip until I tasted blood. I saw something move in front of me and I glance up. Hoping to see Tal. But instead I see Sonja.

“Hey,” I say, unclenching my fists and try to relax. I shift in my seat. Sonja walks towards me and takes a seat across from me. She gazes at me for a few moments and it’s making me rather uncomfortable. I clear my throat and she looks away quickly.

“I, uh, Tal got me this,” she says and fishes something out of her sweatpants and puts it on the table. I reach for it and saw that it’s a case for contact lenses. Brown colored contacts specifically. I look up at Sonja again. “Maybe I could wear them.”

Sonja wearing brown contact lenses? That would make her look like… her. I swallow and hand her back the case.

“Maybe you shouldn’t,” I mumble and I hear her sigh. I glance at her. “I don’t want a bigger reminder that I’m a failure.” Her face softened and I know she understood. She stood up, and to my surprise, walked towards my direction. She reached out and wrapped her arms around me.

“I’m sorry,” she says. Her breath was so nice and warm against my skin. She was careful not to get close to my newly scarred neck. She holds on for a few more moments before letting go. I gaze up at her. Confused of what just happened.

Sonja is so confusing sometimes. Just when I thought I had her figured out, she does something that completely throws me off balance and I have to start all over again.

“Um, before we leave, can you look, I don’t know, a little bit more sophisticated,” Tal says as I start the engine of his car. I look at him sideways and arch an eyebrow. I look down at my clothing.

I’m wearing a blue shirt, faded blue jeans and a brown leather jacket. Why do I need to look sophisticated? I just need to be comfortable and what I’m wearing happens to be my favored type of clothing.