Imperfect Love

Part 20

Kaaya POV

"Ruben." 

"What?" I ask confused I look at the rough girl dragging me off to god knows where. She has short, black hair and muscular build. It is a bit intimidating. 

She gives me a nasty look and says, "Are you stupid or something? I said my name was Ruben." Oh. Well, how am I supposed to know that you are randomly going to say your name while dragging me off. 

"Well, my name is Kaaya if you care enough to remember." I was still feeling a little salty toward her after she unnecessarily decided to call me out and question my speech. But, a small part of me does respect her for not following the sheep and going along with just anything and constantly questioning what's happening around her. 

She does not say anything after our little introduction. I finally see that she has brought us in front of a little cottage in the woods, a bit far from the rest of the village. 

"Where are we?" I question a bit hesitantly. I still don't know of this girl's intentions so I decide to proceed with caution. 

She rolls her eyes and gives me an annoyed look. "Do you ever stop talking?" She snidely responds. Well, she was one who decided to play the introduction game in the first place. I didn't even do anything except question where my potential kidnapper is taking me. 

"We are in a cottage a bit away from the village. No one would be able to find you here since it's covered by the trees and branches and no one is brave enough to come this far out. She continues after her rude (and unnecessary) statement.

"Oh." I say dumbly. "But, why are you helping me?" I ask suspiciously. 

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe to save your ass from getting stoned to death." She answered obviously. Well, yeah Sherlock. But she didn't have to. Why me specifically? Why did I matter enough to for her to take action? I decide to save the questioning for later as I walk toward the cottage with Ruben closely at my tail. 

As we walk inside the cottage, I notice that it has the bare minimum. A small cot in the corner, a dusty rug on the floor, and back door which I presume leads to an area intended for relieving oneself. Ruben pushes past me as she lazily flops down on the cot, leaving me to settle down on the rug. I actually don't mind since my family didn't have enough material to build cots or beds anyway so we were just on the floor constantly. Speaking of, I decide to question her about my family. 

"Hey, could you at least tell me about my family's whereabouts? I am really worried for them especially since the whole village seems to be against me now..." thanks to you. I mentally add.

She sighs annoyed, but at least she doesn't seem to be refusing to answer me. "During your little proud speech there, your family knew that the village wouldn't like being told what to do after your initial relocation speech back in your old home." She gives me a pointed look like somehow this is my fault and continues. "So, they decided to retreat some ways down otherwise they would be at fault for instilling these 'nonsense' beliefs in your mind. I was the one who advised them to leave before things got worse." 

So they left me? My family left me here? Alone? I feel my eyes tear up, but I cannot really fault them since I knew they would be brought down with me if they continued stay. This new village really doesn't like listening to women and their beliefs. My old village respected enough to relocate last time, but new village has new minds and beliefs. They won't just listen to anyone. As thoughts swarm my mind, Ruben's rough voice breaks them. 

"Hey. Are you actually crying?" I look at her with tear-filled eyes of anger. How dare she? How cruel-hearted can one be? It's not like her family left her and she has mission to save everyone from a certain monster. She sighs and speaks again. "Look, I am sorry this happened to you. But, I won't apologize for for speaking out the village assembly. I do not who you or what you planned for my people. This village, as ill-minded as they may be, are still my home. I do know of your intentions. For all that I know, you could have been leading us to our doom in order to save yourself." She explained herself and I understood her situation somewhat. But, I still couldn't totally forgive her since she basically made me an outcast to the whole village who may want to get rid of me now. 

I continue to sniffle and she looks away. What do I now? I must have voiced my thoughts out loud since she looks at me once more. 

"I can help you escape. I suppose it can make up for me shunning you from the village." Yeah, no thanks to her once again. But, I suppose Ruben is trying to make up for her mistake.

"Okay sure. But before that, I must tell you why I needed to relocate everyone from the village anyway." She looks at me questioningly and I take that as my queue to continue. Somehow, I felt that I could trust her with this information. Well, if she was going to escape with anyway, she might as well know. Plus, personally, I needed someone to rant to. 

"In my old village, I discovered something from the myths that most realistic people wouldn't even dream of existing. I found a kraken boy living in the ocean near my village. She somehow became obsessed and took me to his home- a cave in the middle of the ocean. I don't know how I got there or the way since I was unconscious the whole time. I made a deal with him, or a race should I say, that if I beat him in this race to reach a mountain, he cannot kill anyone in the village. But, if he wins, he will kill everyone here. Yes, I know its a stupid deal, but I figured it would give me the opportunity to evacuate everyone from this new village so he wouldn't know the location of where everyone was." After I finished my somewhat comprehensible story, I looked at Ruben to see her reaction. 

She looked at me with an unreadable look. "Look, your story sounds completely stupid so I must be stupid as well since I kind of believe what you are saying." Oh praise the heavens, the mighty Ruben approves of my story. 

"Great, thanks." I say sarcastically. She rolls her eyes and continues. "So if what you are saying is true, we have to leave immediately along with the village." Yep, that was my intention before she doubted my speech at the assembly. And yeah, I am still salty. "Hmm..what if we could reach the mountain first and we could set a trap for that monster kraken thing? We could capture it and kill it before it could do anything..." 

I shake my head. "No, Adler is too strong and fast. He will definitely reach the mountain before we do." I realize my blunder too late.

"Adler huh? You must be very close to creature to be on first name basis already? What, did you f*ck the monster or something to save yourself? Women like you disgust me." Ruben says snidely. I feel anger coursing through my veins. This stupid girl has no idea what the hell I went through to save my people, my village, and my home. How dare she imply that? Adler is f*cking obsessed with me. I didn't even do anything do him. Yes, I admit he attractive, but he still a f*cking bloodthirsty monster. I would never give myself to him in that way. Does she really think I am that low?? 

"Are you f*cking kidding me?" I don't usually curse, but when I do, it usually means that I am beyond pissed. Congrats to her for bringing this side out of me. I so angry I can't even speak. My family just left from me while I was trying to save this damn village which this Ruben girl ruined the chance of doing anyway. And now she dares reprimand me for something I have no control over? How dare she!? 

I try not to yell back since I value myself for not saying hurtful things during heated exchanges, but boy does it take all my energy not say anything back. I simply take a deep breath and walk out the door of the tiny cottage to collect myself. I hear Ruben mutter something behind me as I pay no mind as breath in the fresh air and watch the sun set below the trees. 

Well, there goes day 1 of the race.