The Masked Emotions Redux: Linger

A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS

NADIA & AKIRA

As she exited the abandoned building, Nadia couldn't help but stare at the horizon above the city limits, catching the rising sun illuminating the shimmering haze of smog, officially marking the forty-first hour of her rape and since she slept or ate. Very slowly the light chased away the shadowy silhouette of nightfall from the skyline causing millions of lights to glimmer against the dense mass of skyscrapers around her. Something at one time, she would've seen as a beautiful moment, but now it was tainted... everything was tainted.

Seconds later, Akira walked past her and in seconds a black SUV with tinted out windows appeared almost out of nowhere and stopped in front of them. He looked at her with a soft expression and she couldn't help but turn her head. Feeling as if he could see her bruised face underneath her caked-on make-up. He exhaled loudly and opened the door for her and she simply stood still, staring into the leather interior seats before looking at the man like a caged animal. He gave her a soft, sympathetic smile. "Ms. Salazar, if you like, I could take a separate car or call you a taxi." She didn't answer him, instead, she turned around and stared at the rusty entrance to the building.

"Why didn't he get punished as well?" her voice cracked. Akira moved beside her and she didn't budge when he softly placed his hand on her shoulder.

"In all honesty, I believe he is being punished." He sighed, "Just not in the way you wished. His father paid for an eight-hour session and those men are only halfway through of their punishment." Nadia sharply turned her head.

"And what about him?!" she screamed, "I thought he liked me, I thought he..." her face trembled momentarily before hardening "he stole my virginity and the worst part is, that is all I could remember! Him taking my virginity... everything else... everything else is hazy." Akira tried his best to appear strong for her, but his eyes began to water as Nadia continued to stand there, heaving heavily, demanding to know why her? What was Samuel walking away unscathed? Which caused him to remember his own sexual assault when he was just a teenager. Subconsciously, he reacted, trying to hug her as if she was one of his own daughters and let her know that everything was going to be alright, but when she flinched, he quickly backed off.

Nadia looked at the man's sad eyes. She wanted to curse him out, she wanted to hit him repeatedly, she wanted to tell him that he would never understand what she was feeling, but then she remembered that he too was raped and her face softened. She eventually forced out a smile and without another word, she entered the SUV. During the drive she remained quiet, listening to the tires monotonous hum over the pavement, periodically checking on her phone whenever it vibrated, before ignoring it. "A boyfriend?" Akira asked as he looked at the handsome man's picture on the small screen, but Nadia curled her lips.

"My brother Enzio." She rudely answered, "I don't want to talk to him right now."

"So where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?" again, she gave him a hateful glance, but she answered him honestly.

"If you ask my parents, they would say I'm from Puerto Rico," she sighed as the car pulled in front of the hotel, "but I never been there... Seattle is my home." Akira thought where she was from was an unfortunate coincidence and the two of them didn't speak as they walked through the grand foyer, trying to avoid the army of hotel staff barraging Akira with a series of questions.

"Is there anything you need Mr. Sahana? How was your evening Mr. Sahana? Would you like a complimentary bottle of wine or mimosa's Mr. Sahana? Do you want us to wake the chef up to make your favorite dish Mr. Sahana?" Nadia looked at the growing number of people surrounding them and it felt like the walls were closing in as she forced herself to take another step. It felt like she couldn't breathe as more and more people began to now pester her with questions. She glances over towards Akira who appeared to be very annoyed by all of this and for some strange reason, she yelled at the hotel staff members. Telling them that the next person who asked either her or Akira another stupid question, she would personally destroy their lives. A comment that immediately caused the crowd to disperse and greatly impressed Akira as rushed them into the elevator.