Remedy (an ImmortalAnex story)

Chapter 3: Little Talks

Claude was talking animatedly to Viktoria as I entered the apartment after school. Papers were spread out across the floor, and Viktoria was laughing at whatever Claude was saying.

“Mrs. Brown is so awesome!” she squealed, jumping in front of Viktoria.

I closed the door behind me, cautious upon stepping in. I didn’t know what I was walking into.

I slipped my messenger bag off of my shoulder, holding it tightly in one hand. I slipped off my boat shoes, and I accidentally banged the wall with it. Viktoria looked up, alarmed, and then saw me. A smile instantly broke out onto her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but Claude beat her to it.

Before I could even think, Claude had hurled herself at me, hugging me tightly around the waist. I gasped, surprised, but slowly adjusted and put my arms around her in return.

“You missed what I was telling Mommy!” she yelled at me, her voice scolding.

“I’m sorry,” I said, smiling. “I had to walk home.”

She released me, rolling her eyes, and gave me a pointed stare. “You should walk faster!”

I chuckled at her, not bothering to reply. She’d experience walking home with me tomorrow, and she’d see that walking faster wasn’t as easy as it looked.

“So what about your teacher, then? How is she so awesome?”

I strolled over to the couch, plopping down. The cushions engulfed me, and I instantly felt any previous stress exit my body. Claude instantly started back up again, the same animated tone echoing around the room. She used gestures with her hands when she talked, and I laughed when I knew I should. Pressure on my thigh surprised me, and I saw Viktoria on the ground below me smiling up at me. It was an appreciative smile, and I smiled genuinely back. Claude was family, and even though we had spent the whole summer together, I still didn’t know her like I wanted to. Had I been told a year or two ago that Viktoria had born a daughter, I probably would have been pretty intolerable and squeamish. Children hadn’t been my thing until I met Claude. The sudden presence of her in my life had probably helped in that sense, but Claude was naturally a fun kid to be around. It was hard not to like her.

                                    ~                                  ~                                  ~

The sun was shining on a Thursday morning. I wore my uniform, my messenger bag slung over my shoulder as a cross-body, and Claude was unnaturally silent beside me. She held my hand, subconsciously squeezing my hand every now and then. She looked around as I walked her to school, staring at seagulls that circled overhead. Her mouth was slightly open as she stared around in awe. I didn’t understand why she was looking around as if she had never been here before. She had lived here all her life, yet she acted like a tourist who had just arrived here this morning.

“Are you excited for your second day of school?” I asked, staring forward.

We were just turning a corner, and a small subway exit stood before us, people coming up the steps and out of the tunnel. Adults were starting there day early by stopping by a coffee joint outside of the subway, sitting in wrought iron chairs and tables, small red and orange umbrellas above them. Up the street was a small, local family restaurant called Szechwan Garden. They served Chinese food, and on their blackboard outside, the special today was the Chef’s Special. I didn’t know what it entailed, but I figured it must be good.
A short, black-haired girl with a braid and an obvious Chinese origin was rushing out of the store to the bike rack outside. She quickly grabbed it and cycled off.