How To Disappear - KiVi [Engl.]

Chapter 18

Chiara pulls her chair out and takes a seat across from Ruslana at a table that's far too small for two people and covered in white, lace fabric. Ruslana had recommended the place with enthusiasm, calling it 'the best damn French café you'll ever set foot in.' And while it might live up to its high praise, Chiara's firmly against falling in love with the restaurant in the way that Ruslana has. As soon as she pulled into its parking lot, all she could remember was the hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint with phenomenal tacos and fried ice cream that once stood in its place. But, like much else in Chiara's life, the restaurant has drastically changed. Though it's a bit nicer now and more refined, it's almost unrecognizable.

Chiara feels out of place, but the feeling isn't new. She's felt out of place for a while now.

"I spoke to Violeta."

Ruslana looks up from the packet of sweetener she's pouring into her coffee and nods, "I know."

"You know?"

"She told me."

"Oh," Chiara nods and, well, she supposes it makes sense. Ruslana and Violeta are nearly inseparable - why wouldn't Violeta share this with the younger woman? "What did she tell you?"

"I'm a little bit more interested in what she told you," Ruslana says, her voice sounding a bit agitated, "Because she didn't tell me much other than 'Chiara dropped by my place today.'"

"That's really all she said?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Ruslana sighs, "We were out for breakfast and she waited until the check came to tell me. I asked her how she felt and she didn't say anything - kind of just shook her head at the idea that she's supposed to feel anything at all. It was weird, Chiara."

Chiara nods, "That's similar to the reaction that I had, too. Well, at first she thought she was dreaming but then I kissed her and -"

"Wait, you kissed her?" Ruslana raises her eyebrows, "And you didn't think to mention that earlier?"

"It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't even... well, I don't know if I can even call it a kiss, it was more of a way to get Violeta to realize that she wasn't dreaming everything that was happening."

"Okay, so you kissed her and she realized she was awake?"

"Yeah," Chiara nods and furrows her brow, "She cried for a while after that and I held her and then her boyfriend..."

Ruslana senses that Chiara's struggling with his name, so she intervenes, "Lucas."

"His name is Lucas? Wow, alright. That's... unexpected. Anyway, Lucas knocked on the door and Violeta kind of just snapped out of it. She stopped crying and pulled herself together and told me that I should leave."

"And that was it?" Ruslana questions, her tone suggesting that she wants to hear more of the story.

"Yeah, that was it. I left and Lucas took my place and that was that. Violeta said we'd talk about it later but I haven't heard from her in..." Chiara looks down at her phone, squinting to read the date, "almost a week now."