Red Room

15

Kataleya put her longboard in the back of the car and then sat down in the passenger's seat. Both girls buckled up and the driver started the engine. A random song began to play from the car's radio.

"So, uhm... mind telling me why were you two fighting?", the young lady asked.

"Over a guy."

The other one rose an eyebrow and grinned, amused. That bully was the last person she'd ever suspect of being gay.

"For real?", she giggled.

The dreadhead's first instinct was to ask what was so funny about that. A guy was the reason of the quarrel indeed.

Then, she realised that the driver understood something else from her answer.

Giggling nervously, she explained, "It's not what you think."

"Then?"

"I was trying to defend that guy."

The other one nodded, "Uh-uh. And... do you happen to know what was going on betwen this motherfucker and the guy you're talking about?"

Kataleya shook her head for 'no', "Was coming outta school when I saw him pushing my commerade to the ground. And this commerade of mine is a helpless piece of shit, so I had to do something."

The counterpart laughed briefly as she heard poor boy's description. It was pretty strange to hear a girl talking like that about a male, not the other way round. This little lass surely came from an interesting world.

"Why?", she wanted to know.

The ginger explained: "Mentally instable. Been isolated for a pretty long time. Doesn't really know how to react in situations like this."

In that case, she meant the 'helpless piece of shit' part. That kid had to have some pretty serious issues.

"Sorry."

Kataleya shrugged, "No worries. You couldn't have known."

Neither of them knowing how to continue the conversation, the rest of the ride was silent. It didn't necessary last long because of the distance, but the traffic was infernal at such hours- the kind that was specific for huge cities. One would arrive to his destination faster by foot than by car.

And the traffic lights went red for the third time since they'd been in the queue. Luckily, none of them were in a hurry.

"I'm Ireen, by the way.", the driver introduced herself randomly, "And you?"

Kataleya was slightly startled. Her mind started to wander in different directions after they stopped talking.

"What's your name?", Ireen repeated.

"Kata."

"Short for...?"

"Kataleya."

Ireen nodded, "Cool name. Never heard it before."

"Neither have I."

Both chuckled at the remark.

A few minutes later, Ireen parked her car in front of the ginger's house.