Blank Slates

Chapter 26

As soon as the gentle evening air kissed her skin, any fatigue she was feeling from the late night dispersed in an instant, rushing out of her and floating away in the breeze. Feeling more comfortable and trusting of both of her companions, she freely moved about the cottage, the old wooden floorboards creaking under her feet. It looked about the same since she last saw it, albeit with some furniture moved around or missing altogether. For a brief moment, she couldn't help but wonder if all the trinkets Kairo had brought for her cell were just repurposed from the cottage. She didn't dwell on it too long, however, as her mind drifted back to the present. The first thing she did was make a beeline for the front door, nudging the rickety boards aside so that she could get outside. It was a clear and breezy night, and she settled down on the porch in content, staring up at the stars twinkling in the sky. Resting her chin in her hands, she sat in silence by herself, ignoring the hushed murmurs of Kairo and Yves behind her. Even though she was undoubtedly feeling the best she had in a long time, an acute pain settled in her heart just thinking that freedom was so close and yet so far. But what "freedom" was she thinking about anyway? She certainly didn't belong here, but she couldn't even imagine living out on her own. But did that mean she belonged back at the school? Yes, she had security, but at what cost? She hardly even spoke at all to the point that her own voice was unfamiliar to her. It was a wonder how she managed to live like that for so long. Then again, things were much simpler there. All she had to do was follow the rules and carry out the routines day after day. Nothing really unexpected happened, and that never really bothered her. She sighed, shutting her eyes and savoring the moment while it lasted.

Casting occasional glances at the quiet girl on the porch, Yves set her gaze on Kairo. He offered her a sheepish smile as his eyes met hers which matched with her own shy expression. "I still can't believe you convinced me to do this."

"What, are you regretting it already?"

"No, not yet at least. It's just not something I'd normally do, as you probably know."

Kairo chuckled, nudging her with his elbow in a playful manner. "Are you worried?"

"About her?" Yves asked, cocking her head toward the other girl who still hadn't moved from where she was sitting. "Not at all. She hasn't caused much trouble for you, has she?"

"Hardly any at all. She's pretty cooperative in general, but still better keep an eye on her because this gives me deja vu," he remarked, remembering how she vanished from her place on the porch the second he took his eyes off of her the last time they were outside.

Yves laughed slightly, taking a seat on top of one of the tables with her feet swinging just above the floor. "She's really sweet, you know. I don't know what it is exactly, but there's something really genuine about her, if you know what I mean."

Kairo hummed, absentmindedly kicking dirt around with his boot. "Yeah, I guess so."

Yves tilted her head, noticing the strange, almost strained tone to his voice. "Is it weird to say that I'm a little worried about what's going to happen to her? Like, what Clovis plans to do with her since we're keeping her around for so long."

Kairo raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're already getting attached. You've only really been with her twice now."

"Yeah, but I just feel so bad. What did she ever do wrong?" Seeing Kairo's blank expression, she ran a hand through her hair with a sigh. "You don't feel anything at all?"

Kairo was silent for a moment, his eyes away from his friend who was looking at him expectantly. "I...I find it better not to care so much. As I said before, I can't get attached when doing this kind of job."