Truth

Part Ten

We ordered our respective drinks from a café downstairs, the barista looking rather awestruck as she handed us our drinks, and then began meandering the streets, not going anywhere in particular. I sighed, deciding to break the silence.

“I never got to make you your promise.” I stated. It had been playing on my mind for much too long. I could guess what it probably had been, but I wanted confirmation. Two chuckled.

“A bit late for that.”

“What was it exactly?”

“Can’t you guess?”

“I said exactly.” I reminded her. Yvetzse sighed in defeat.

“It was something like I wanted you to promise that no matter what you would remember me. That you wouldn’t look at me differently than you always had. That you would remember that kiss, and everything about it.” Yvetzse admitted, and then added to herself in a whisper which was barely audible: “That you wouldn’t hate me.” She had turned away for that part, blushing and finding her left shoe extremely interesting. I took in a breath.

“I don’t hate you Two. I understand why you had to Pose. I get it. I really do. I just….” I sighed. “I wish things had of turned out differently. Unlike you, I regret a lot of things about my life. You’re one of them.” Yvetzse shook her head.

“Your reasoning was perfectly logical, Tristan. I know Atom talked to you. He shouldn’t have, but he did. Contrary to what I can guess he told you, I don’t deserve anything. You made your choice, don’t be guilt tripped into regretting it.” I didn’t have a response that seemed acceptable, and so silence engulfed us. I had so many questions, about everything. Yvetzse sighed. “I know you probably have a lot of questions. Do you..?” I cut her off before she could ask her question.

“Are you happy, Two?” Yvetzse was shocked. I wasn’t sure whether it was from the use of her nickname or the repetition of the question she had asked me those months ago. I was quoting her a lot today, I thought to myself. Eventually, Yvetzse nodded and made a noise of agreement.

“I guess I am. Things are looking up, I achieved my goal and….. yeah.” Yvetzse concluded her list there, but I noticed she seemed to be thinking on something else she didn’t voice. I decided not to push her for it. It was making her happy, and that was all that mattered. I saw her open her mouth to ask me a question, which I could only guess would probably the same as my own, and hurriedly interjected my own.

“What about that day? You had hope in your eyes. And the whole thumb thing which proved you two weren’t Posers, what was that?”

“There was hope in my eyes because that was it. That was going to change everything for the better, and begin what my brother and I had hoped for for so long.” Yvetzse then sighed. “The thumb thing is a genetic defect only present in the Governor’s bloodline. We suspect it was forced, but can’t find anything to prove it. Our left thumbs don’t have a finger print.” As if to prove it to me, she licked her thumb and held it up for my inspection. Sure enough, there was no distinguishable finger print. It was skin like anywhere else on the body. I nodded and she wiped her thumb on her top. We both took another sip of our drinks as we walked nowhere in silence among the bustling crowds.

“You said you couldn’t perform today because your skates were confiscated?” I left my statement hanging as a question, hoping she would elaborate. She nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Why?” She thought a moment.

“My brother and Chris agree that having them will do me no good, and so my brother did everything in his power to get me to hand them over. It was enough.” I didn’t push the question. It wasn’t important, nor was it my business. Silence reinstated itself between us. Suddenly, I knew what I wanted to ask.

“How did you grow your own heart?” Yvetzse physically recoiled from my question, but tried to act as though it hadn’t happened.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She laughed, walking past my stationary, waiting figure. If I didn’t know her better, and hadn’t seen her earlier reaction, I would have believed her. I fell into step beside her.

“It was in one of the publically released files.” I half-lied. She stopped again, almost getting knocked over by a member of the crowd unprepared for her sudden halt.

“Did it disappear after you read it?”

“Kind of, it was recalled from the public….”

“Same difference.” Yvetzse snapped. “And was it authored by Chris?” I nodded. She shook her head in disbelief, her jaw twitching with anger. “That son of a b*tch.” She shook her head a few times, before looking me dead in the eyes. “He enlisted you, knew you’d probably be able to get the truth.” She chuckled darkly.

“Listen. I’m sorry. We can move on if….”

“I did.” She whispered. I wasn’t even certain if I’d heard it. Two took a deep breath and continued walking. I jogged to catch up with her hurried pace, which she slowed when I reached her. We chatted a little while longer, looping back past the coffee shop twice, before Yvetzse stopped me from starting a new topic, enquiring what life in the Government was like. “I’d love to talk to you about it all, really I would, but I just don’t have time sorry.”

“Is it that intricate? Or is it really boring?”

“Neither.” She sighed, a small smile on her face. “It’s been great seeing you Tristan. Good talk.” Yvetzse chuckled, before full on laughing. How I missed her laugh, the irregular pattern something I’d never heard before her. I laughed along with her, thinking of everything we’d talked on and the absurdity of my actions.  “I have to go though. I trust that none of this will go to print. It was just a chat between two old friends.” I laughed and reassured her that I wasn’t talking to her as a journalist, but as a friend. We said our goodbyes, in the back of my mind I wondered how she knew she had to go. She hadn’t pulled out her Personal Device since she tucked it away, and there weren’t any clocks anywhere. Eventually, she left my company walking away through the crowds.

“Wait!” I called out and Two turned around, a lazy smile on her face. I had suddenly remembered the most pressing question I needed answering. “I have one last question.” She visibly sighed and made her way back to me, her soft smile never falling.

“Shoot.”

“I’ve been reading some of the files, and one word keeps repeating itself. NComm. What is it? I can’t find any details on it. All I can tell is that there’s a communication feature involved.” Two sighed, the smile finally falling. Sad, brutal honesty was in her eyes and her words.

“There will never be no secrecy, Tristan.”

“I thought that was meant to be part of your promise to the people?” I half joked. Two smiled as she walked backwards away from me.

“I’m a politician, Tristan! If you ever meet a politician who keeps all their promises, introduce me!” She called out as she walked away. I couldn’t help but smile along with her and chuckle to myself as she disappeared into the crowds, despite the lack of an answer to my question.