Beyond Our Control

Chapter 28

 Sometimes one can be too shocked to say anything, or rather not knowing what was the supposed thing to exactly say for this kind of moment.

Kenna stared at her friend, too stunned to realize what was happening.

"What's wrong, Kenna? You look like you're about to barf all over me." Lina's grin is teasingly big, just like how she always is, finding the joy and fun in everything.

She still hasn't found her words or her voice back. She could only stare, it all felt too...none of it made sense was what's happening.

Lina smiled at her again despite her silence, tugging at her sleeve, she led Kenna to sit down in front of the metal table.

She did the same, sitting from across her. She picked up Kenna's hands and held them together, it felt warm like it always had. Reminding her of all those times where Lina broke that rule of no physical touching just to hold her hands like this to keep the rest of the small world they were trapped in from frightening her. It was times like this where she felt safe, with her best friend holding her hands and letting her know that everything will be fine.

But this is not fine. And the small world that had once trapped them long ago isn't exactly there's anymore, the world is too big for Lina to protect her from now.

Her eyes crinkled softly, her pink cheeks smiling. "I've always loved it when you are too shocked to say anything, did you know that?" She giggled. "Like your face, it's always frozen altogether as if time had stopped, you don't know how funny it is."

She blinked once and stared.

Lina squeezed her hands lightly, like she always did before for comfort. "I'm just glad to see you again, Kenna. You really don't know how much I have missed you, really. There's so much that has happened, I don't know how to exactly explain them to you." She looks down at her lap for a bit and looks back into Kenna's eyes. "But don't worry, I'm your best friend and I'll do anything to keep you safe, to keep us safe."

No, this is not happening. What is she talking about? Why is she here? This isn't the plan!

"And," her tone less serious, "there will be no more Dixie or the other girls bothering you, and there won't be a Ms. Casta to control us. Kenna, this is really it. We're getting the life we've always wanted. We're finally, finally, going to be normal. We're going to have a real home."

Kenna stared at her best friend, she looked so happy. She's never seen her this excited for something even if she was the joy of everyone back in the dorms.

"I have parents, Kenna! Parents! And I even have a little brother! Can you believe that? Oh, sorry, it's a lot to explain, but a brother is like, umm, a male and he's also born from my parents." She looked guilty for a second then she was eagerly squeezing Kenna's hands again. "There's so much that we've ever wanted, Kenna. So much. And you don't have to write with scrapped pieces of paper you have to steal or save or rip out from the work we did. You will have real and good paper that is clean and full, it's all there. I saw it, you know, Ordinaire. It's so big, there's so many names of towns in between, so many people, so so many things, Kenna. I can't wait for you to see it all. I can't wait to go through it all with my best friend. I just know you'll love it."

I don't care about what kinds of paper! I just want you to be safe and happy. Goddammit, open your mouth and say something to her!

Lina was still smiling when the metal door next to them clinked open.

Lina stood up immediately and somewhat bowed.

"Hi, Dr. Novak."

The pearl blonde hair of the middle aged woman was tied into a tight and professional bun. Her lips twerked up into a smile but her grey eyes remained cool and cold. She was tall, and the white heels she wore made her seem even taller, the height reminding her patients that they're no one but her patient and that she's the one in control. Her white coat, too long but looked perfect on her, and despite the ages she had no wrinkles. Frighteningly beautiful and stunning in some way, the room seemed to drop several degrees.