KasperXIII
Sworn To A Great Divide
No matter how either ex-detective wanted to think of it or interpret their actions, vengeance was on the agenda. Sure, putting two criminals down would do the city a favor in the longrun: hire-ups of two of LA's high-rise gangs, facing death in the eye? Many would find that just. But what about the will in each of the hearts of the assailants themselves? Tony losing his long-term girlfriend, Frank the man who trained him. Frank was sure Murphy had a hand in the Redgrave massacre. Tony was only sure that Sam raped Melissa, not if he was the one that ended her life, a fact he intended to straighten out when interrogating him. It was truly killing two birds with one stone... but was murder really going to settle the score? Tony was hesitant from the get-go when he heard Sam was a part of Al-Asheera. Then he admitted to raping his fiance... now he came close to swinging at Frank, and was carrying a stolen bomb into his workplace. Now, he could never associate his cousin to being innocent ever again. But would he kill his own? Or was Sam too valuable to just off, much like how Roland was valuable to Ra's and was a key step in facilitating a meet? Or was it still Tony's sense of hope that Sam still had a conscience... who knows. Unlike Frank to Murphy, Tony wanted to keep Sam alive for now. That's all he could gather. For purposes of conscience and humanity, or some greater good of the case, Sam wasn't going to take the easy way out.
The bomb: what hire-up in the LAPD did they still have? To get materials from the bomb squad, it'd have to be someone of rank, like what Frank mentioned. But hell do they know? They've narrowed the spectrum, but it's still a case of 'it could be anyone'. The last one on Tony's mind being Reeves, especially. But one thing would be able to tell: security footage. It might be able to catch who got that bomb out of the station, but, if Al-Asheera have changed MO this drastically, then odds are, they've stepped up their game and changed tactics, perhaps tampered with CCTV. It left Tony rather... hopeless in the moment. It didn't matter if James could catch the perpetrator, because Sam should know. And that was a shell Tony intended to crack.
Upon arrival, it seemed like Frank could handle this on his own. Tony? Somewhat doubtful. Frank was new. Skilled? Sure, but to let him in on a mission this dangerous and critical without backup? No way. But sneaking out back? It might be possible. If Murphy tries to run, odds are he won't be darting for the front door. The back. It'd give Tony an opportunity to intercept. So he nodded in acceptance and crawled to drive when Frank departed. Didn't seem like Murphy saw anything suspicious from the get-go. So.... casual. For a man who takes lives, he can sure put on an act of being the innocent shop owner. Completely blends in. Unlike Al-Asheera. For the most part, they stuck out with their tattoos. The Clover Boys weren't like that. They kept under for the most part as to not draw attention. Tactful, and good for them. Al-Asheera were bold, fearless, shameless, unapologetic, and even WANT their identity to be known to the masses as they integrate themselves into society. And into different parts. Pigman in the LAPD, Sam in a bank, Roland as a personal trainer... With the exception of Ra's who dresses like a king or sultan, any of them could easily blend in and become functional members of society while hiding their dirty laundry. It sure took balls for Thalia to put herself out there and put that life behind her. Truly trying to fit in. Maybe someday...
Out back. That's where Tony pulled up, right by the back door, but kept the car in drive. Who knows if a chase would be in order, after all? Or an emergency getaway. So for now, the car stayed on, and Tony keeping an eye on the door. As he did, he knew he had to sneak a phone call in. James. He needed to hear this updates. He would oftentimes peek back at the bomb in Sam's briefcase, just watching that frozen timer at 15 minutes. That sucker could arm any second, which would spell bad news for many. James had to know.
The beeping settled, and Tony spoke:
"James, Frank and I got our hands on my cousin, now we're taking the next step for Murphy. But there's been a few developments you should know of..." he sighed, glancing at the explosive briefcase once more. "Al-Asheera are stepping up their game. When we grabbed Sam, we noticed he was carrying around a goddamn bomb in his work briefcase. No worries; it's not armed or anything. But if it auto-arms... god, we could have a serious problem on our hands. What's worse is we don't know how many of these things are out there. This is a change in method from these brutes, and after studying them for so long? I'd never see this coming... I did pick up that this thing was stolen from the LAPD bomb squad. Some piece of equipment they had on the side from a previous raid or something, hell do I know. But I've seen it before, and I can guarantee you it's stolen. Maybe that'll hint to more of their men, perhaps a new inner circle? Maybe The Hidden himself? At least we know that he's another LAPD insider, one higher up in the ranks, for sure."
"...Oh yeah, I have no clue if you've been watching the news... but Ra's is confirmed dead. The department picked up his body off of Long Beach this morning and are looking into it. A job well done, right?"
Sort of. If Tony was afraid to unleash this new skeleton to Frank, there's no way he'd let it out to James. Last time that happened, he immediately told Thalia, who almost killed him in return. Whatever Tony told Roland, who told Ra's, who told Reeves? It'd have to wait. Or hope to never become a reality.
--
Karin and Thalia were seated quickly and smoothly at their table, a cushioned seating with a window view and a comfortable scenery for the breakfast. James had told Thalia to stay happy the other day when she was reunited with her family. That wasn't going to be so hard anymore now that the pieces of the puzzle of her life were starting to come together. Would she be able to afford a glamorous place like this all the time? Probably not, but maybe in the shortrun due to the surplus of money they now have. With Ra's dead, there was no immediate purpose for the one million, meaning, anyone under that roof who needed it had access. Would it stay for James to give out as he sees fit? Or would he donate it to the most needy party? Maybe to Joseph's college fund? To the Griffins, with Nicole trying to raise an 8 year old boy with no stable income, no matter how much she refuses outside help? To the detectives to settle elsewhere? Or a mix of the above? One million dollars certainly could help them all substantially. It was just a matter of who needs it more, it seems.
But there was no need to start a war over who can beg the hardest. Money wasn't an immediate concern for Thalia, that cash she had in her pocket certainly more than she could ever ask for, strangely enough. For a thief, she wasn't all that greedy on the inside. Hell, she'd happily give that thousand James handed her to Karin, because the mere 300 her mother gave her made her day far beyond her dreams. Well, however she felt, spending money like an entitled rich chick would be a first for both of the young women. So why not embrace it?
Upon getting seated, Thalia excused herself for a moment to go to the lady's room. Nothing too major; she just wanted to take care of her business, wash her hands, and return to the table. Inevitably, crossing through the restroom meant looking into a mirror, one of the few things she'd dreaded the most in her life: looking at herself and wondering what she'd become. Would she still do that now? Or rather, would she still do it in the same negative mood that she'd do so before? Perhaps that would be the change. After coming out from the bathroom stall, her eyes shot upward at the mirror immediately in front of her above the sink. She approached to wash her hands, just looking upward at the reflection staring back at her. She'd come so far in such a short time. A week ago, she was doing this in front of a barely-functional bathroom in Ra's' den in Burbank, questioning her every move and thought, and wondering... what she really pretty? Was she WORTHY of change? Now, she was certain. She made a choice to change, and it was starting to pay off. Not every girl looking for a new life lands themselves a ton of extra cash, so Thalia was certainly one of the luckier ones. But again, the money didn't matter. She had a few new allies, a new best friend, her family close by once again... maybe not a lover like she'd expect, which came as a disappointment, but she wasn't going to mope over that. She broke it off with Frank more peacefully yesterday, perhaps with a few cracks in her heart remaining, but she'd cement those over soon enough. Or at least try. And Jenny? That was a barrier she'd cross eventually, a hint of bad news. Maybe what she'd craved for so many years wasn't what she wanted all along. Her middle school sweetheart, not quite what she'd expected. That was drama for another time. No, now it was just her and Karin. One last looking into the mirror as she shut the sink made the former robber think over herself one more time. She'd never looked better or happier in a while.
This is your new life, T. Go get it.
So she did, winking to her reflection once more and heading out the door, where an unexpected surprise awaited as she gleefully made her way back into the halls of the restaurant. A rather sudden bump into a larger male being, obviously taller than her, causing Thalia to jerk back in response, her palms flying in front of her to put space between the two. One vice that still existed in Thalia was her social anxiety. Running into someone so unexpectedly stunned her and immediately threw her into an apologetic frenzy. "Shit, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking front of me... M-My bad..."
Her stuttering voice came to a halt as her eyes drifted upwards to the man she'd run into by total mistake, and oddly enough, she was... lost. Afraid of judgment, but also taken by mere looks. It still fell back into the side of fear, but still, her thoughts were racing at this person...
"Ack, you don't have to be sorry," he chuckled at how nervous this shy girl was in front of him. She was instinctively putting distance between the two, almost about to run for it back into the lady's room. But he could tell from the get-go she wasn't exactly a social butterfly and actually quite nervous, so he helped bridge that distance. "It's just a little bump, no biggie."
"Y-You sure?" The closer he got to her, the more her heart began racing. As she met his eyes, she could clearly tell he was good looking. Was he going to be another creepy womanizer trying to get down her pants? Those days of sex-then-pickpocketing were over for Thalia, so that wouldn't be her endgame for sure. But she'd be a fool not to notice a sense of natural attraction that stopped her from backing away.
He nodded. "You seem... rushed. Nervous."
A faint grin came over her face, seeing how he was half right. "I-I'm new in town...." Not a lie at all, really. "...And my roommate keeps inviting me to different places for breakfast and such..." ...Not EXACTLY a lie, but still a bit of a stretch. "....I dunno, I'm just really nervous..."
"Well may I say," he chuckled at how frantic Thalia had become and how she began to talk her way out of this. "Welcome to Cali. Where are you from?"
The conversation was still going? That was weird. Thalia wasn't expecting this, but it'd be far too rude to just up and leg it. "Pennsylvania. I figured I needed a change of scenery."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not from here either," he went on. Still talking? Unbelievable. All Thalia could wonder: who would talk to me? Why? How? "My folks lived in Lyon for like... the first year I was born...."
Back it up.... Lyon? "You're French?" she immediately blurted out. Was that too sudden? Would he freak out if she was too forward?
Maintaining his very calm, very chill mood, the man nodded with a warming grin on his face, then a shrug. "Technically yes, but again, only for one year of my life that I don't even remember anymore. So I hardly call myself French."
Thalia mimicked his smile, now finding a connection she could feel comfortable discussing. "I-I never lived in France, but I remember visiting all the time as a kid. To see my grandparents and all."
"Heh... how fortunate. I never really went back."
"It's... Ça fait longtemps, [It's been a while]..."
"Oh, no, don't take it that I REMEMBER any of my French," he laughed, patting her on the shoulder calmly, startling her, but she maintained her smile. "It's been too long for any of that. Maybe 20 years too long."
The laughing was contagious, spreading to Thalia as well. Maybe she could stay happy for a while, especially with this new face. Or was this a one-time encounter? Her own fear of screwing this up, even with common ground, kept this instinct to retreat echoing in her mind. She took a step away from and around this man, still smiling back like a madman. "Well, I don't want to keep you hanging, or my roommate at that rate..."
"Psssh," he smirked, still keeping the spirits of the moment up. "I'm just waiting for my little sister to finish in the bathroom. Took her to breakfast before work."
"Heh... well aren't you a loving brother?"
"And aren't you a caring friend."
Thalia shrugged, trying to avoid the sensation of blushing, but she was weak. She was clearly becoming red-faced around him, and his pleased facial expression showed he was getting a kick out of it, too. "Sometimes I wonder if I am... but maybe I am after all."
"No doubt you are.....
He continued with the slew of compliments, only making Thalia more shy. It only became worse, after a few second of just staring into each other's eyes, this fun personality of a man extended his right hand forward.... a handshake? What is this? Thalia's heart sank in its place. Sure, she extended a hand forward, but she was afraid of what was to come. Afraid, but in a good way. Excited. Or probably bad. Did he know of Al-Asheera? Would he recognize her tattoo on her dominant hand? It wasn't exactly hidden away. But even if... would he care? He just seemed like a friendly stranger for now. Would it blossom into something more?
"Damien."
His name. Finally. A mystery that even the shy girl was wondering... how would she ever call this man? But now she had an answer. His shake was firm, but also careful as he was shaking with a woman. A very nervous one, at that. Thalia was more flimsy, but only because she was exhibiting her shy, passive side. Something that really hadn't shown on her since Frank. But he offered a name. Half of her wanted to give an alias, but.... no. He was too kind to her to be fed a lie.
"Thalia."
You'll regret that. Trust me, you will. You know better than to give your real name like that.
Especially with the name Thalia Griffin floating all over the news, it would be an easy giveaway. Her name was uncommon, and if Damien just tunes into the radio, he'll hear more reports and conspiracy theories about her and her family. Busted. Or was it? Did he already know just by the ink and the first name?
"Well, Thalia... Hope you enjoy your breakfast," he concluded, retreating his hand to its place, even if he could feel that Thalia didn't want to let go. Once she felt the release, Thalia brought her hand back and began taking steps away, keeping her very lost eyes on Damien's for just a few seconds longer. She eventually had to go, and, with a nod, she spoke,
"As do you... Damien."
Was this a one-time thing? Or was there something more to Damien? Would this be something more? She didn't have anything more than a name and face. Unbelievable. She was heart-stricken just by that one encounter. And it was obvious when Thalia returned to the table and scrambled to her seat across from Karin. Her smile was still there, her face still red, and even her steps to the table were a bit more gleeful than usual. This wasn't something she could cover up easily, but in front of Karin, why would she? She simply kept her gaze down, looking at the menu before her in the breakfast section. It would pass over, right? Did Karin see any of that fiasco?
"Soooo... what did I miss?"
Laaaaame. You know she saw. I bet half the restaurant saw. Just tell her about Damien. Not yet. Only if asked.
The bomb: what hire-up in the LAPD did they still have? To get materials from the bomb squad, it'd have to be someone of rank, like what Frank mentioned. But hell do they know? They've narrowed the spectrum, but it's still a case of 'it could be anyone'. The last one on Tony's mind being Reeves, especially. But one thing would be able to tell: security footage. It might be able to catch who got that bomb out of the station, but, if Al-Asheera have changed MO this drastically, then odds are, they've stepped up their game and changed tactics, perhaps tampered with CCTV. It left Tony rather... hopeless in the moment. It didn't matter if James could catch the perpetrator, because Sam should know. And that was a shell Tony intended to crack.
Upon arrival, it seemed like Frank could handle this on his own. Tony? Somewhat doubtful. Frank was new. Skilled? Sure, but to let him in on a mission this dangerous and critical without backup? No way. But sneaking out back? It might be possible. If Murphy tries to run, odds are he won't be darting for the front door. The back. It'd give Tony an opportunity to intercept. So he nodded in acceptance and crawled to drive when Frank departed. Didn't seem like Murphy saw anything suspicious from the get-go. So.... casual. For a man who takes lives, he can sure put on an act of being the innocent shop owner. Completely blends in. Unlike Al-Asheera. For the most part, they stuck out with their tattoos. The Clover Boys weren't like that. They kept under for the most part as to not draw attention. Tactful, and good for them. Al-Asheera were bold, fearless, shameless, unapologetic, and even WANT their identity to be known to the masses as they integrate themselves into society. And into different parts. Pigman in the LAPD, Sam in a bank, Roland as a personal trainer... With the exception of Ra's who dresses like a king or sultan, any of them could easily blend in and become functional members of society while hiding their dirty laundry. It sure took balls for Thalia to put herself out there and put that life behind her. Truly trying to fit in. Maybe someday...
Out back. That's where Tony pulled up, right by the back door, but kept the car in drive. Who knows if a chase would be in order, after all? Or an emergency getaway. So for now, the car stayed on, and Tony keeping an eye on the door. As he did, he knew he had to sneak a phone call in. James. He needed to hear this updates. He would oftentimes peek back at the bomb in Sam's briefcase, just watching that frozen timer at 15 minutes. That sucker could arm any second, which would spell bad news for many. James had to know.
The beeping settled, and Tony spoke:
"James, Frank and I got our hands on my cousin, now we're taking the next step for Murphy. But there's been a few developments you should know of..." he sighed, glancing at the explosive briefcase once more. "Al-Asheera are stepping up their game. When we grabbed Sam, we noticed he was carrying around a goddamn bomb in his work briefcase. No worries; it's not armed or anything. But if it auto-arms... god, we could have a serious problem on our hands. What's worse is we don't know how many of these things are out there. This is a change in method from these brutes, and after studying them for so long? I'd never see this coming... I did pick up that this thing was stolen from the LAPD bomb squad. Some piece of equipment they had on the side from a previous raid or something, hell do I know. But I've seen it before, and I can guarantee you it's stolen. Maybe that'll hint to more of their men, perhaps a new inner circle? Maybe The Hidden himself? At least we know that he's another LAPD insider, one higher up in the ranks, for sure."
"...Oh yeah, I have no clue if you've been watching the news... but Ra's is confirmed dead. The department picked up his body off of Long Beach this morning and are looking into it. A job well done, right?"
Sort of. If Tony was afraid to unleash this new skeleton to Frank, there's no way he'd let it out to James. Last time that happened, he immediately told Thalia, who almost killed him in return. Whatever Tony told Roland, who told Ra's, who told Reeves? It'd have to wait. Or hope to never become a reality.
--
Karin and Thalia were seated quickly and smoothly at their table, a cushioned seating with a window view and a comfortable scenery for the breakfast. James had told Thalia to stay happy the other day when she was reunited with her family. That wasn't going to be so hard anymore now that the pieces of the puzzle of her life were starting to come together. Would she be able to afford a glamorous place like this all the time? Probably not, but maybe in the shortrun due to the surplus of money they now have. With Ra's dead, there was no immediate purpose for the one million, meaning, anyone under that roof who needed it had access. Would it stay for James to give out as he sees fit? Or would he donate it to the most needy party? Maybe to Joseph's college fund? To the Griffins, with Nicole trying to raise an 8 year old boy with no stable income, no matter how much she refuses outside help? To the detectives to settle elsewhere? Or a mix of the above? One million dollars certainly could help them all substantially. It was just a matter of who needs it more, it seems.
But there was no need to start a war over who can beg the hardest. Money wasn't an immediate concern for Thalia, that cash she had in her pocket certainly more than she could ever ask for, strangely enough. For a thief, she wasn't all that greedy on the inside. Hell, she'd happily give that thousand James handed her to Karin, because the mere 300 her mother gave her made her day far beyond her dreams. Well, however she felt, spending money like an entitled rich chick would be a first for both of the young women. So why not embrace it?
Upon getting seated, Thalia excused herself for a moment to go to the lady's room. Nothing too major; she just wanted to take care of her business, wash her hands, and return to the table. Inevitably, crossing through the restroom meant looking into a mirror, one of the few things she'd dreaded the most in her life: looking at herself and wondering what she'd become. Would she still do that now? Or rather, would she still do it in the same negative mood that she'd do so before? Perhaps that would be the change. After coming out from the bathroom stall, her eyes shot upward at the mirror immediately in front of her above the sink. She approached to wash her hands, just looking upward at the reflection staring back at her. She'd come so far in such a short time. A week ago, she was doing this in front of a barely-functional bathroom in Ra's' den in Burbank, questioning her every move and thought, and wondering... what she really pretty? Was she WORTHY of change? Now, she was certain. She made a choice to change, and it was starting to pay off. Not every girl looking for a new life lands themselves a ton of extra cash, so Thalia was certainly one of the luckier ones. But again, the money didn't matter. She had a few new allies, a new best friend, her family close by once again... maybe not a lover like she'd expect, which came as a disappointment, but she wasn't going to mope over that. She broke it off with Frank more peacefully yesterday, perhaps with a few cracks in her heart remaining, but she'd cement those over soon enough. Or at least try. And Jenny? That was a barrier she'd cross eventually, a hint of bad news. Maybe what she'd craved for so many years wasn't what she wanted all along. Her middle school sweetheart, not quite what she'd expected. That was drama for another time. No, now it was just her and Karin. One last looking into the mirror as she shut the sink made the former robber think over herself one more time. She'd never looked better or happier in a while.
This is your new life, T. Go get it.
So she did, winking to her reflection once more and heading out the door, where an unexpected surprise awaited as she gleefully made her way back into the halls of the restaurant. A rather sudden bump into a larger male being, obviously taller than her, causing Thalia to jerk back in response, her palms flying in front of her to put space between the two. One vice that still existed in Thalia was her social anxiety. Running into someone so unexpectedly stunned her and immediately threw her into an apologetic frenzy. "Shit, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking front of me... M-My bad..."
Her stuttering voice came to a halt as her eyes drifted upwards to the man she'd run into by total mistake, and oddly enough, she was... lost. Afraid of judgment, but also taken by mere looks. It still fell back into the side of fear, but still, her thoughts were racing at this person...
"Ack, you don't have to be sorry," he chuckled at how nervous this shy girl was in front of him. She was instinctively putting distance between the two, almost about to run for it back into the lady's room. But he could tell from the get-go she wasn't exactly a social butterfly and actually quite nervous, so he helped bridge that distance. "It's just a little bump, no biggie."
"Y-You sure?" The closer he got to her, the more her heart began racing. As she met his eyes, she could clearly tell he was good looking. Was he going to be another creepy womanizer trying to get down her pants? Those days of sex-then-pickpocketing were over for Thalia, so that wouldn't be her endgame for sure. But she'd be a fool not to notice a sense of natural attraction that stopped her from backing away.
He nodded. "You seem... rushed. Nervous."
A faint grin came over her face, seeing how he was half right. "I-I'm new in town...." Not a lie at all, really. "...And my roommate keeps inviting me to different places for breakfast and such..." ...Not EXACTLY a lie, but still a bit of a stretch. "....I dunno, I'm just really nervous..."
"Well may I say," he chuckled at how frantic Thalia had become and how she began to talk her way out of this. "Welcome to Cali. Where are you from?"
The conversation was still going? That was weird. Thalia wasn't expecting this, but it'd be far too rude to just up and leg it. "Pennsylvania. I figured I needed a change of scenery."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not from here either," he went on. Still talking? Unbelievable. All Thalia could wonder: who would talk to me? Why? How? "My folks lived in Lyon for like... the first year I was born...."
Back it up.... Lyon? "You're French?" she immediately blurted out. Was that too sudden? Would he freak out if she was too forward?
Maintaining his very calm, very chill mood, the man nodded with a warming grin on his face, then a shrug. "Technically yes, but again, only for one year of my life that I don't even remember anymore. So I hardly call myself French."
Thalia mimicked his smile, now finding a connection she could feel comfortable discussing. "I-I never lived in France, but I remember visiting all the time as a kid. To see my grandparents and all."
"Heh... how fortunate. I never really went back."
"It's... Ça fait longtemps, [It's been a while]..."
"Oh, no, don't take it that I REMEMBER any of my French," he laughed, patting her on the shoulder calmly, startling her, but she maintained her smile. "It's been too long for any of that. Maybe 20 years too long."
The laughing was contagious, spreading to Thalia as well. Maybe she could stay happy for a while, especially with this new face. Or was this a one-time encounter? Her own fear of screwing this up, even with common ground, kept this instinct to retreat echoing in her mind. She took a step away from and around this man, still smiling back like a madman. "Well, I don't want to keep you hanging, or my roommate at that rate..."
"Psssh," he smirked, still keeping the spirits of the moment up. "I'm just waiting for my little sister to finish in the bathroom. Took her to breakfast before work."
"Heh... well aren't you a loving brother?"
"And aren't you a caring friend."
Thalia shrugged, trying to avoid the sensation of blushing, but she was weak. She was clearly becoming red-faced around him, and his pleased facial expression showed he was getting a kick out of it, too. "Sometimes I wonder if I am... but maybe I am after all."
"No doubt you are.....
He continued with the slew of compliments, only making Thalia more shy. It only became worse, after a few second of just staring into each other's eyes, this fun personality of a man extended his right hand forward.... a handshake? What is this? Thalia's heart sank in its place. Sure, she extended a hand forward, but she was afraid of what was to come. Afraid, but in a good way. Excited. Or probably bad. Did he know of Al-Asheera? Would he recognize her tattoo on her dominant hand? It wasn't exactly hidden away. But even if... would he care? He just seemed like a friendly stranger for now. Would it blossom into something more?
"Damien."
His name. Finally. A mystery that even the shy girl was wondering... how would she ever call this man? But now she had an answer. His shake was firm, but also careful as he was shaking with a woman. A very nervous one, at that. Thalia was more flimsy, but only because she was exhibiting her shy, passive side. Something that really hadn't shown on her since Frank. But he offered a name. Half of her wanted to give an alias, but.... no. He was too kind to her to be fed a lie.
"Thalia."
You'll regret that. Trust me, you will. You know better than to give your real name like that.
Especially with the name Thalia Griffin floating all over the news, it would be an easy giveaway. Her name was uncommon, and if Damien just tunes into the radio, he'll hear more reports and conspiracy theories about her and her family. Busted. Or was it? Did he already know just by the ink and the first name?
"Well, Thalia... Hope you enjoy your breakfast," he concluded, retreating his hand to its place, even if he could feel that Thalia didn't want to let go. Once she felt the release, Thalia brought her hand back and began taking steps away, keeping her very lost eyes on Damien's for just a few seconds longer. She eventually had to go, and, with a nod, she spoke,
"As do you... Damien."
Was this a one-time thing? Or was there something more to Damien? Would this be something more? She didn't have anything more than a name and face. Unbelievable. She was heart-stricken just by that one encounter. And it was obvious when Thalia returned to the table and scrambled to her seat across from Karin. Her smile was still there, her face still red, and even her steps to the table were a bit more gleeful than usual. This wasn't something she could cover up easily, but in front of Karin, why would she? She simply kept her gaze down, looking at the menu before her in the breakfast section. It would pass over, right? Did Karin see any of that fiasco?
"Soooo... what did I miss?"
Laaaaame. You know she saw. I bet half the restaurant saw. Just tell her about Damien. Not yet. Only if asked.
Meet me @ a hotel 2nite?"
