The Siren (18+)

Chapter 20

April woke up on the black couch feeling uneasy. She had been texting Randy for updates regarding their robbery and he had informed her that they had finished by eleven in the evening. She checked the time. It was five in the morning and Ramee had yet to make an appearance. Throughout the night she would wake up and check his room to see if she missed him walking in and heading to bed. He had been ignoring her calls and the blue wall of texts she sent his way.

She wasn't sure what exactly had happened the day before. They had started their day happy sharing stories and a bottle of champagne then he had lashed out at her for something that wasn't completely her fault. She remembered staring into his eyes while she sang her soul out for him. He hadn't even acknowledged it. Instead he chose to be angry about the heist that K made her keep a secret. No one besides her crew and the dragon knew or were allowed to know. He hadn't even given her the opportunity to explain. She wanted to tell him badly but she needed to keep her feelings aside in order to complete her task without any issues.

She thought back to his words from before he left. Randy must have told him about her qualifications before moving to Los Santos. In truth she had never told him, or anyone else, because it didn't feel appropriate to bring up. April had been so hurt by her ex-husband and her biological family that she wanted to erase the eight years she had spent as a normal working citizen. She was left alone to fund her education and feed herself and her ex in the name of love. She did not want to think much about her time she spent as a fool. She did not want to spend anymore time talking about how she gave a large part of her life away for a man who did not care to even visit her after her accident. She was thankful for the skills she had learnt in medical school but the thought of practicing and going to work was a bitter pill to swallow. The job was tainted by bad memories and she did not want to go back there. April inhaled deeply. Even now she wasn't sure if she was willing to share her story with him or anyone else. She couldn't shake the thought that if they heard what had happened to her they would run away from her too. Logically she knew that was unlikely to happen but she still felt that way.

She knew that Ramee was the only one in the gang, besides those who weren't in town, who hadn't seen her tattoos. Taco, Randy, Curtis and Ray had made an event of seeing her get the work done. They made sure to go to all her appointments laughing and distracting her from the pain of the buzzing needle. She hadn't intentionally kept them from him, she was just never around and the time that she had seen him she was wearing something with longer sleeves. April ignored the fact that she had been avoiding him for a month before this trip so that she could get rid of her childish feelings towards the man. He was in a committed relationship and was her mentor. She had confused his kindness for attraction and she needed to give herself time away from him to clear her thoughts.

The only tattoo she had hid from everyone was the latest addition on her sleeve. The black clock was a reminder for her to spend her days like they were her last and to value every moment she spent. At least that's what she had told the few that had seen it. Secretly, she also got the tattoo as a way to acknowledge her mentor. She knew that she would be made fun of for the real reason she got the art but it had felt right. She hovered her hand over the clock slowly. Even if he had not felt anything romantic for her she still was thankful for his steadfast support.

April thought back to her time in Rust Vegas. She had only been there for two months when the incident happened. That was the first time she had to shoot someone. She didn't even know his name. The man's eyes bulged wide in shock when she shot him in the heart. His blood splattered all over her bruised and dust covered face. For weeks his eyes haunted her. Wherever she went, whatever she did, whenever she had her coffee with cream or sat on the warm brown beach sand or had anything toasted golden brown. Anything that reminded her of his eyes she could not enjoy. She struggled to sleep for many days, unable to tell someone of her struggles. Miguel, K and all the other boys killed without blinking an eye. She felt that they couldn't relate to her inability to move on.

On the night of his death she had called Chang for comfort. April loved and appreciated her adoptive father but he could not help soothe her or mellow her guilt. She had struggled with getting over the blood that soaked her hands and was ready to take up K's offer of coming back to Los Santos a quitter. The only thing that had stopped her was her mentor.

She was staring at her laptop looking for flights back home when he called. It was the first time he had contacted her on his own since she left. He listened to her wailing for what felt like hours without judgement or interruption. Only when she had finished crying and the sounds of her sniffling could be heard through the speakers did he speak. He had shared his experience of when he had first taken someone else's life. He told her that there wouldn't be much to take away the memory beyond accepting it and remembering who she had to save in exchange for his death.

The tattoo on her arm wasn't just a picture of unrequited love. She had gotten it as a reminder of the man's words. That time would always keep moving and that her family would always stand behind her. Even if time kept moving the one on her arm stayed the same.

April was shaken from her thoughts by the abrupt sound of knocking. Ramee wouldn't knock on the door, unless he had lost his access card. She walked to the door and tentatively opened it. The sliver of hope in her stomach died when she saw Randy's face.

"Randy... what are you doing here so early?"
She watched the normally goofy man walk in the room. It seemed that Randy was her assigned harbinger of doom. Whenever someone had bad news to share with her they had Randy come to deliver it. He started by congratulating her for the successful heist. He informed her that it had been all over the news and that there were no suspects. The angry people who were robbed of their art refused to pay which left Bradshaw with no money to pocket. He also told her that the news of the two robberies had flushed out any pictures of her and Ramee from the trending page. She listened as the man started rambling about inconsequential events and funny videos he had seen and interrupted him during a tangent on gorillas.

"Where is he?"

Randy sighed.
"He left. He asked me to collect his bags and drive you home."

April laughed. She was in disbelief. The warlord couldn't even face her to let her know that he would be ditching her. He was so much of a coward that he couldn't pack his bags himself.

Randy looked at the laughing woman in concern. He didn't know what was so funny about Ramee's departure that could warrant such a reaction. Before he could ask her if she was okay she stormed over to the couch and grabbed her phone. He watched as she furiously typed in something and held the phone to her ear.
"Ramee I swear to god the next time I see you you're dead. I'm on my way to beat your ass. Pick up the phone."

Randy stared in silence. April's breaths were short and erratic. Her huffing clashed with the singing birds that were ready to begin the day. The rays of sunlight peeking through the curtains were like a spotlight on the woman in front of him. She was a mess. Her face was clean of all makeup but she wasn't as presentable as usual. He wasn't accustomed to seeing her without her signature hearts and bright smile. He could tell she hadn't slept well, if at all, because of the bags underneath her eyes. She was wearing an oversized black cotton t-shirt that was wrinkled from her tossing and turning. Her normally styled red hair was a tangled mess from her running her hands through it repeatedly. He watched her as she went from laughing to silence and now to crying. He rushed to give the woman a hug in comfort.

What the hell happened now?

After her embarrassing meltdown in front of Randy the two silently moved to pack all the baggage in the suite. She ignored the frantic hotel guests who were crowded at the hotel reception angry that their belongings had been taken away from them. She couldn't even take a moment to bask in her family's praises for how well she ordered her small team. On her way back home she couldn't help but think this was truly the end. Even if it didn't mean much to him she savored the moments they had. In Los Santos he had a fiancée. He had his responsibilities and commitments. She couldn't help but mourn whatever it was they had.

Randy gave her a final hug after helping her carry all her bags to her small apartment. She declined his offer to stay behind and sat on her bed. Now that they were back home they were strictly mentor and mentee. She would have to accept it sooner rather than later. April was thankful that they had decided to leave the hotel earlier than planned because she couldn't have sat in the hotel hoping that he would make an appearance. She looked up at the new painting that graced her wall. It was still a gorgeous work of art but it was slightly devalued because of the memories attached. She shifted her eyes to the clock below it. Seventeen minutes to eleven. She smiled sadly and brushed her hand over the matching tattoo.