GOLDEN REBEL HEART

Chapter 12

Surprise! Another update! I really hope you all like this!

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Karlie misses her. The feeling blooms in her chest exactly three days after Taylor's departure. It is bittersweet, and it makes her heart ache with a longing she's never felt. She knows that the American will come back, whether it be in one week or in one month. However, the leader can't help but feel empty without the blonde by her side. She misses seeing her face almost every day, she's grown so used to it that it is strange and unusual now, not coming back to Banapur and meet the older woman at the bottom of the stairs. She misses the sound of her laugh, whether it be high pitched and a little bit shrilling, or low and as soft as a flower's petal. The one thing she misses the most is her voice; quiet when she's shy, loud when she's a little bit too excited about something, and deep when she's mad or upset. And then, there were her eyes; sparkling like diamonds under an ocean of golden locks. Taylor was so different from Lakshmana; while her past lover was small and always showed her determination, the American was almost as tall as her and timid. Lakshmana had brown hair, while Taylor was blonde. Lakshmana had dark eyes, while Taylor's were blue. Lakshmana reminded her of a gloomy winter night, while Taylor reminded her of a spring, sunny day. They were opposites. But Karlie was still attracted to everything about the American. Despite all the fears of making the same mistake twice, the anxiety, time only made her feelings for Taylor grow, instead of disappear into the wind. She wasn't sure if there was a possibility that these said feelings were mutual, but she didn't want to think about that, now. Not when her friendship with Taylor was enough to make her day a little bit better.

"Karlie? Are you there?"

"Huh? What?"

Sanjay sighs, perhaps a little bit annoyed at the leader's lack of attention. "I said that there are three snipers. We need to take them down and then attack the outpost. Is that clear?"

Karlie nods, a little bit fazed by how her mind is intoxicated with thoughts surrounding the American. It's been a week and a half, and Taylor had yet to come back from the USA. "Yeah, it's clear. Where are our snipers?"

The other rebel blinks rapidly. "Karlie," he says calmly, his forehead slightly furrowed. "You are our sniper today. It's the last outpost of the South. You said you wanted this part of the plan."

The woman's jade eyes widen a little. "Oh, yeah. Right,"

They stay there, lying on the grass on top of a cliff, where they have a great view of the outpost they need to conquer. When Karlie looks back at their goal, she perfectly spots the three guards she needs to silently kill, but Taylor's chirpy laugh still echoes at the back of her mind.

"Are you alright?"

The leader knits her eyebrows while she prepares the weapon beneath her right arm. "Yeah. Why?"

Her eye looks into the telescopic sight, and tries to ignore the rapid pulse beating against her ribcage. She feels Sanjay's eyes on her, and it makes her nervous. He can't possibly interrogate her about what's on her mind, now, in front of dozens of other rebels, while they are on one of the most important missions, right?

"Nothing."

As Karlie suspected, and hoped, the rebel doesn't utter a word regarding the American.

"Whenever you want, chief,"

His voice is professional, almost distant, and Karlie tells herself that they would have a long talk as soon as they get back to Banapur. Her index finger shakes slightly, as it hovers over the trigger. She makes sure that the silencer is perfectly aligned with the grey barrel, and when the enemy's head coincides with the tiny red dot inside the gunsight, she fires. The bullet falls beside her forearm, and Karlie releases a shaky breath as a dead body falls to the ground, without anyone noticing. The rebels kneeling behind her are tensed, as well as the one lying beside her, but she takes a deep breath as she focuses on her second target.