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“You’ve lost touch with your subtlety, Kate.”
“I wasn’t trying to be subtle.”
“Your disguise says otherwise.”
Kate’s flips another page of her book. She doesn’t look up at him; she doesn’t give him the pleasure of seeing her sunken cheekbones and her under eye bags. She pulls her sunglasses off of where they hang on the collar of her shirt, shading her eyes before he can even catch a glimpse at them.
“She’s cute.” Kate comments dryly, changing the subject. She turns another page of the book she’s not reading; The Count of Monte Cristo. Only now does she realize how sickeningly fitting it is.
Alejandro looms over the railing of the third floor in which they are standing. Kate doesn’t doubt for a second that despite his calm demeanor, Alejandro is contemplating every single possible outcome of this encounter. She knows that by now, he probably has five different escape plans and a handful of ways in which he could overtake her, or if necessary, even kill her.
Thankfully (whether that was for him or her is up for debate), she comes with no intention to cause harm to either him or his arm candy. She just wanted to let her presence be known, not that she thinks that he has forgotten about her, but she just wanted to serve as a reminder that despite everything that went down almost six months ago, Kate is not planning on letting this go nor making this in any way easy for him.
She wants her memory to be something to keep him up at night. She knows that she has some tough competition, but the thought of Alejandro just continuing with his life as if he didn’t contribute to ruining her’s, makes her blood boil like no other.
He doesn’t say a word, just looks down at the floor below him, presumably watching dozens of people walk by, going on with their lives in a way that Kate can’t.
“I never took you for the… prodigal type.” Kate smirks to herself, trying not to use the more evident term. She didn’t want to be so obviously offensive towards him, she wanted him to believe that she somehow still has the slightest bit of respect towards him.
Alejandro scoffs, and it’s on the verge of sounding almost amused. Again, he doesn’t respond to her comment, but he does speak up this time.
“What do you want, Kate?” He gives a swift glance over to the store in which his lovely little companion is perusing. Kate only realizes just how young she looks, definitely a couple years younger than her. But to be frank, she feels like she has aged a lot the past six months, in a way that would have not been natural if it weren’t for all of this emotional turmoil that has been bringing her down.
Kate snaps her book shut, crossing her legs and keeping her gaze steady in front of her. She stares at her faint reflection in the display window, catching Alejandro’s reflection as well, his back no longer towards the store, but facing towards it, their gazes both parallel to each other.
His eyes are on his companion now, and Kate doesn’t blame him for being so alert. If anything, his sudden wariness causes a deep satisfaction in her. She was not only a pawn, but she could also be a potential threat. The queen almost, in his sick game. It was just a matter of her choosing the power she wanted.
She finally answers. “I want you to know that I’m not gone.”
“I know that.”
“But you don’t.” She snarls. She didn’t want to look at him, but the way her head snaps towards his general direction is almost automatic.
He takes a deep breath through his nose and shoves his hands in his pockets, taking long and slow steps around her, until he’s on her right side, looking over the balcony once more.
“I haven’t forgotten about you, Kate.”
“I know you haven’t forgotten about me.” She fixes her gaze over to her left, letting out a shaky breath that she hopes he does not pick up on. “But have you forgotten about what you did to me?”
Although he has never been very colorful with his tone of voice, Kate can detect the hint of incredulity in it. “Of course I haven’t.”
“Good.”
“Is that all?” He asks, sounding impatient, walking behind her bench before finally standing by her right again. She hates how he suddenly brushes her off, finally deeming her harmless. Writing her off as a crazy, vengeful person who clearly does not have the upper hand in this situation.
Alejandro always has the upper hand.
She hates how he always has the upper hand.
She hates how she allows him to have the upper hand.
“Does she also remind you of your daughter?” She throws out every bit of feigned respect.
The way Alejandro’s eyes change, even if it was for a brief moment as he quickly tries to regain his composure, was something she was never going to forget.
“Kate.” He warns, as his voice is low and dry. He looms over the balcony once more, but she notices how he stuffs his hands deeper into his pockets, trying his best not to cause any sort of commotion.
“Is that what you say to the people you use? Or does she remind you more of your wife? I mean, it’d make more sense.”
“Kate, stop.”
“So I’m the daughter, she’s the wife; what a perfect little fucked up family.” Kate laughs bitterly, it’s almost funny how insanely ludicrous this is.
Alejandro is finally still and quiet.
Kate watches how his partner eyes them, it’s quick and is more of a side glance. She doesn’t realize that her eyes have met with Kate’s due to her sunglasses, but a small drop of gratification settles inside of her knowing that Alejandro’s girlfriend is aware of the tense conversation that her boyfriend is having with some presumed stranger.
And as petty as it sounds, Kate hopes she questions him about it later on, just for the sake of Alejandro getting pestered.
“What do you want, Kate?” He repeats, spitting her name out like it’s venom, but his voice is not in any way striking, still very well aware of the fact that they can not draw much attention. His shoulders remain stiff as he continues to look over the floors beneath him. She wonders if any of his possible escape plans included throwing her over the railing and down onto the first floor.
“I want you to not forget.”
He finally turns his head towards her, she notices through the reflection of the window. “Quit playing games.” He scolds her like a child.
The ghost of his hands wiping the tears from her cheeks still haunts her, along with the cold barrel of the gun beneath her chin.
“I’m serious.” She assures him, stuffing her book into her backpack. “And that’s why I’m here: to serve you as a reminder.”
Another dismissive scoff escapes his lips. “You’re seeking revenge, now?” He makes it sound ridiculous, but he’s hit the nail on the head.
“I learned from the best.”
He finally turns away from the railing, his gaze directed towards the store once more. The fact that she may not be bluffing must be settling in.
His girlfriend looks anxious, Kate knows she’s trying to hide it, but her sneaky glances are not as sly as she thinks.
“Whatever it is you plan to do; leave her out of it.” Alejandro’s voice lowers for that last part, and Kate undoubtedly realizes that it’s a warning. And as much as she knows Alejandro and realizes how serious he is, she will absolutely make no promises.
Which is exactly why it’s her turn to respond with silence.
And finally, their eyes meet.
“You’re better than this, Kate.” She wants to yell at him for turning into the morality police only when it’s convenient for him. But something inside of her tells her that he genuinely wants the best for Kate, even after all he did to her, that he doesn’t want to see her turn into a monster that’s thirst is only quenched by vengeance.
“I could’ve said the same thing about you.”
“I’ll see you soon, Kate.” He says, accepting his fate, because he will, in fact, see her soon.
And as he walks off into the store, Kate takes a few seconds to sink in everything that they have just discussed. She knows she wants to get back at him, but she also knows she doesn’t have the heart or strength (weakness?) to ever meet his lengths. All she has is a motive; a motive to hate him and everything he has caused her. A motive is a start.
Kate picks up her bag and walks away. All she needed was somewhere to start.