Born Bad

Chapter 5

I Know Places - Taylor Swift

Chapter 5

Sleeping was something that most teenagers spend their time doing. Unfortunately for Albedo, he fell under that category, so when he woke up, he wasn't in such a good mood. He groaned and rubbed his eyes with his fists as he sat up. His neck and back were aching from the position he was in for hours.

Next to him was Koronah, lying on her arms. She would surely receive the same aching pain that Albedo got when she would wake up.

His vision cleared properly and he focused more on Koronah's sleeping figure. Some of her hair was covering her face and she had a few bruises on her arms. The sight of her was enough to snap Albedo out of his sleep induced grumpy morning mood. She looked so innocent, so young. So unlike the girl who he came to like. Somehow she didn't seem like the wanted girl that the Plumbers were itching to get their hands on.

Yes, he had done research on Koronah, the same way she had on him. The moment he found out she was wanted, he thought about dropping everything and notifying them on her location, but that would make him an accessory, right? And it wasn't as if he was in the Plumbers' good books anyhow. Staying off the radar was the wisest choice.

Albedo actually felt somewhat sorry for Koronah. He read that she was orphaned at a very tender age, having no one but herself to fend for her. He didn't dare bring up the topic though. That would suggest to her that he had looked her up on the Extra Net, and Albedo wanted to maintain that anonymity.

Even though they had been in each other's company for a while, there was still so much they didn't know about each other. But there were things they knew about each other which the other didn't know they knew.

Secrets were beside the point. Albedo started realizing that he actually cared for Koronah. He cared for a person besides himself.

He brushed the soft hair from her eyes behind her ears. He grinned at her sleeping form and then grabbed his red jacket and put it over her shoulders. He would retrieve it from her later when they met again.

The truck only struck his attention when he was halfway to the door. He narrowed his eyes and walked toward it with caution. The ignition was off. He checked to see if there was a driver or any passengers. The two seats were empty. He then decided to check if there was any cargo in the back.

The hatch was unlocked so he just pushed up the back. There were crates stacked, untidily. He unloaded one and retrieved a crowbar to check the contents. Amazingly, there was one of the items on the list he had give Koronah the night before.

"Is there anything this girl can't do," Albedo asked, "in such a short amount of time?" He scoffed. "Incredible." He closed the crate and unloaded the rest as silently as possible with the little energy he had. He cast one last glance at her before slowly exiting through the creaky door.

The sun was bright and he put a hand up to his face to protect his eyes from the skin cancer giving rays. The only thing that was on Albedo's mind right now was more sleep, especially after the physical exertion he had just put himself through. So to his flat he went.

He walked down the sidewalk with his hands in his jeans pockets. He let out the occasional yawn after probably every fifteen steps. Finally he gave up and hailed a taxi, the grumpiness returning. The fact that he stepped in a piece of carelessly discarded gum didn't help at all. He groaned angrily and agitatedly.

He gave the middle aged balding man who wore a khaki shirt with rolled up sleeves his address in a ill-tempered mumble. His eyes threatened on closing halfway through his speech. "Hey you look familiar." The cab driver said. "Say, aren't you that Ben 10 fellow?" He asked.