Arina

Chapter Six

This is a very short chapter but trust me, it's worth it :-)

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The cool breeze swept in through the window creating a calm atmosphere. The next couple of days after meeting Haden had been hell for Arina, however it was a stepping stone for her- she had finally learnt what the men want.

 It was still dark outside; far too early for Natalie to be leaving the brothel. Arina peeked out from under her duvet to watch her. Natalie had placed her coat over her body in attempt to insulate herself from the cold air.

"Where are you going?" Arina asked. Her hair had grown far too long. 

 "Please, mind your own business, young 'un." It was an amazement in itself that Natalie had used the word "please"- it was obvious that she was in desperate need of Arina's agreement.

"Where are you going, Nats?" Arina repeated her question in a more assertive tone.

"You've got to promise not to tell anybody, Arina, you've got to!"

A new kind of fear was present in Natalie's eyes.

"I promise," Arina said indifferent though she was curious what Natalie was up to.

"Remember the time I told yous that I'm going to go far away from this place?" 

 "That you were going to run away?" Arina said, proud with herself for remembering.

 "Ssh!" Natalie whispered, placing a finger on her lips. "Don't say it so loud." 

 "I want to go too," Arina said. It sounded more like a demand than a request.

 "No way!" There was no way Natalie was going to have this young child trailing after her.

 "I want to go and if you don't take me, I'm telling Mustafa," Arina threatened with a new kind of seriousness on her face. 

Natalie walked over to Arina and bent down to her level when she realised Arina wasn't joking.

 "Arina, please. We're going to get caught if it's both of us." 

 "Well you're going to get caught if you go alone 'cause I'm going to tell." Even Arina wasn't sure whether she, herself, was bluffing. 

 After a moment of thought, Natalie spoke up.

"Ugh, fine. But yous can't make a sound." 

 "You can't go now anyway, Kos will be waking up." Arina now sounded arrogant. Natalie let out a sigh when she realised Arina was right. She took off her coat and sat back down on her bed.

"When should we go?" Natalie asked, surprised with herself for asking advice off Arina.

 "It's our round today, we should go then." 

"But D always watches everyone," Natalie objected.

"It doesn't matter. We'll find a way. I've got to get out of here and go to my Baba and tell him what's happening to me." 

"Arina," Natalie started. "Have yous ever considered that it was your 'Baba' that sent you here in the first place?" 

Arina was mortified at the suggestion.

"No! My Baba would never let me come to such a horrid place. He must have thought it was a hotel or something," Arina had convinced herself.

"Listen, young 'un...” Natalie began but couldn't finish what she was saying.