Felix didn't wake up until he heard the lock in Aelia's door click. The door was slowly opened, and Aelia's cautious eyes were looking at him. Felix stretched his aching back and sat up with a quiet groan. When he finally started to feel more awake, he realized why he was sitting there. He looked back up at Aelia.
«You okay?» he whispered.
She shrugged and disappeared back inside the room. She left the door open, so he got up and peeked in. She was putting on a hoodie.
«You going out?» he whispered.
«Mhm,» she nodded. «Please don't say anything to anyone before I leave.»
«You're leaving?» He sounded worried.
«No, not leaving. Just going out for a few hours. I need to be away from... here.»
«Can I come? Or would you rather go alone?»
Aelia hesitated. She needed to be alone, but she was scared.
«I'll go alone,» she eventually said.
«Okay. Call if you need me.»
Aelia nodded. She didn't tell him that her phone obviously would stay there. She wasn't stupid.
«Thank you for keeping me company last night,» she said.
«You're welcome. You can trust me. I know you feel you can't trust that yet, but I will never betray you. Just, please... be safe.»
Aelia nodded and smiled. Then she walked past him, out of her room, and down the hall to the stairs.
Woo was woken by the ping on his phone. He sat up immediately. For some reason, he just knew.
«San-ah,» he whispered.
«Yeah?»
«I think Aelia left.»
«Then we'll have to let her.»
The ping could have been the security system telling them any one of them was leaving the house, but Woo just knew. He couldn't just stay in bed, even if his phone told him it was only six in the morning. He grabbed a robe and tried to walk quietly up the stairs. He slowly opened the door.
Her room was empty.
On her nightstand lay the phone they had given her. Next to it the credit card they provided all former slaves with.
Aelia ran. She wasn't sure why, but as soon as she felt the fresh air on her face, she started to run. She didn't have much stamina, and she felt weak, but she pushed herself for as long as she could. The neighborhood was completely unfamiliar to her, but that was to be expected. She had seen what looked like a city center in the distance, and she kept going in that direction.
When she couldn't run any longer, she walked. She was hungry, thirsty, tired, and scared, but she kept going. She knew what she needed to find. She passed the first one, the second, and the third electronics shop before even considering going in. Not until she saw a store with a butterfly sticker on the door did she enter.
They had barely opened before a young lady wearing jeans and a hoodie entered the store. Kai had worked there long enough to know what to ask and when.
«Good morning, miss.»
«Morning,» she said, not looking at anything, just coming straight up to him.
«What might I do for you this beautiful morning?»
«Do you sell butterfly phones here?»
Had the store not been empty he would have been furious with her. But it was empty, and she seemed aware of that.
«Indeed we do. Is this your first, second, or third stop on the butterfly trail?»
«First stop,» she said, not letting go of his gaze.
«Ah, well, then I will get you the extended version. It has very good coverage, you will be pleased to know. Let me get you set up.»
«Thank you.»
«Have a seat over here, and I'll get it activated for you.»
«Thank you, sir.»
«And if other customers enter, you will not say a word.»
«Obviously.»
The attitude in her last word made him scowl at her, but it was also the reason he thought she might actually make it.
«Here.»
Aelia jumped when the owner of the small shop smacked a phone on the counter in front of her.
«What you need to get started can be found in there,» he said. «Register your fingerprint.»
Aelia picked up the phone, which was a state-of-the-art, expensive kind of thing that no newly released slave would ever be able to buy. The phone asked for her finger, and soon everything was in order.
«Funds are in the wallet on the phone. You will spread significant purchases or the card will be canceled.»
«Significant?»
«Suspicious, traceable, whatever you wanna call them. I'm not talking about food or clothes, okay?»
«Got it.»
«Next stop will be to ask for a butterfly latte at a suitable place. Pick carefully.»
«That's all you're gonna give me to go on?»
«I've given you plenty. Now, get going.»
«How do I pay you?»
«You don't.»
YOU ARE READING
Take Me Home // Ateez // Stray Kids
FanfictionAfter an unexpected escape from the Mansion, Aelia finds herself in a Safe House. Who is a friend and who has alternate motives? And what do the butterflies have to do with it? As a former slave, life looks empty. Aelia has to find her way in life...
