Crimson Lights

A Chance Encounter

A change of scene for Anna all of a sudden as Samar took her out of the brothel house for the first time since she got there.

"I can't believe you just dragged me all over that place looking for clothes for more than three hours! Who does that?"

"Anna, you're an embarrassment to most of the women out there. Women love shopping – I mean, why wouldn't you?"

"Geez, I don't know, maybe because it is so tiring! Lugging all these bags with clothes – I don't even know why I had to buy new clothes."

"We've already talked about this, Anna. You need clothes of your own; you can't keep using my hand-me-downs." Then, as if as an afterthought, she added, "No matter how much you loved wearing my clothes."

Samar and Anna were making their way back from the bus station. Having taken Anna out shopping at the complex nearby, they had opted to take the bus instead of using the car provided by Madam Ahjunta. Samar thought this was a good way of getting Anna exposed to the outside world as a person, rather than as the vagabond that she was previously. Looking over at Anna, watching her struggle with the multiple shopping bags that were laden with new clothes, Samar felt a surge of happiness all of a sudden. For a moment, they were both ordinary people, sharing an ordinary experience.

"You didn't have to stress that 'loved' word you know," Anna said wryly. "It's just," she huffed out a breath, a little exasperation mixed with her troubled mind. "I don't want you spending any money on me," she said as Samar reached over to take some of the bags off from her hands.

Looking over at Samar, she continued, "You've done so much for me; I can't add on to that – it'd take me my whole life to repay you."

"I'm not looking for any repay–" Samar began as she arranged the bags neatly in her hands but Anna cut her off.

"I know you aren't. That's the problem; I can't keep accepting when I don't have and can't give anything in return. Amnesia or not, I'm still a human; I have my pride too."

Gripping the bags tightly in one hand, Samar cupped Anna's cheek with the other.

"I know you have your pride but you shouldn't, not in this matter. What is mine is yours; you're mine after all." Watching Anna's eyes widen in surprise, in pleasure, Samar quickly amended, "I mean, I told Madam I'd be responsible for you, so it's only fair I take care of all of this pesky details, isn't it?" she said as she released her hold on Anna.

Anna tried her best to swallow the chuckle that was threatening to escape, her cheeks pink still. She knew very well that Samar didn't mean to say those words earlier on, just as she knew that those words were the closest to a confession that she would get out of Samar. Ever since Samar took care of her the other day when she was sick, the distance between them was lesser now. While Samar still didn't like it when she spent time with the other women at the house, Anna could see that Samar's hostility to the rest was piping down when she was concerned. Samar might not have noticed it, but Anna was certain everyone else had – and everyone knew who was behind these changes.

It might not be the kind of declaration or the kind of relationship she wanted with Samar, yet at the moment, she'd take any kind of relationship that does not involve them being at odds.

"I suppose, but surely there's something I could do for you?" Anna asked.

Indeed, there was definitely something that Anna could do for her that Samar was sure she wouldn't mind doing, yet she couldn't ask for that. It wasn't right – it wasn't her place. She shouldn't be taking advantage of an innocent girl who was obviously confused with her thoughts and feelings.