Unexpected companions I

The water was steaming as I poured it into the mug. In a flash, a violet hint freed itself from the tea bag and shimmered in soft threads through the steaming water. It smelled like a sweet apple. "And?" I looked at her, still not sure whether I should even ask. No, actually I did not know how I had got into this. Didn't I want to hold back? Anyway, I would leave everything behind. Then why even bother? But life never goes as planned. Is my fate really preprogrammed? After all, the MC was now sitting at my kitchen table sipping a mug of tea, and I perhaps had messed with one of those almighty characters without feeling but with a measure of wealth and power. I had the feeling something was slipping from my hands.

Not only my own problem aka Alexandre de Valois, but now Elodie's man problem as well.

"You packed your bags." Elodie pointed with her narrow chin at the two suitcases at the entrance."

So she didn't want to talk. Whatever. I nodded. I didn't care. I had to draw a line in the sand...

"And you quit..."

I nodded again and pushed the second mug of tea in front of me.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

"And when will you know?"

"At the very latest, when I get my ticket from the machine."

"Ahhh... Why are you going?"

I bit my lips and looked at her for a moment "Why do you want to know?" Are you just doing this to change the subject or...

"I..." Elodie stared at her hands wrapped around the warm cup. "W-While I... I have to get out of here. Can I tag along?"

"W-what?" My mouth fell open. I didn't get it. The words were like hieroglyphics. "Y-you... want..."

She nodded hastily.

"But you have a child and a job... here?" And the ML... your destiny! "Wh-what about that guy from before? What was that all about? Did he want you to..."

"He's coming along, of course!" She hurried to say. "But... But we both have to get out of here. W-Well, because of him... I don't have a job after today either. You heard him."

I nodded, not forgetting the words. 'Fuck off, whore, before I change my mind and never come back!' How could I forget? But weren't they meant for me. "So it was because of that guy after all? W-what did he do?"

"Can't we talk about this?" Her eyes flitted aside, looking at my kitchenette in the background, feigning interest. I knew that gaze, knew that behaviour. In order to avoid conversations that couldn't get past her lips and to keep on shrouding secrets in darkness, because lying was even harder. Why not just dodge? Wasn't it the easiest solution. "You also seem to be leaving in a hurry."

I bit my lower lip. "I am running away. Yes."

A smile gleamed in her eyes. "No, really?"

"I'm going to run away."

"Are you serious?"

I nodded. A smile erupted on my lips, as well. What a strange situation. What a strange feeling. Somehow liberated...

"You're a funny girl. When you're running away shouldn't you hide it?"

"Obviously, I'm not the only one who's running away. Let's play with open cards?"

"A-and why are you?"

"A similar problem as yours. A man."

"The one from the other day?"

I nodded.

"Then there's nothing wrong with us running away together."

I looked at her. For seconds. Is she serious? "But strange... and a little rushed." I tilted my head and looked at the protagonist wearing my pyjama, which was a little too tight. The skirt tightened around her round breasts and the sleeves were at least five centimetres too short.

This conversation... I never thought...

I didn't really know what to think. And I just couldn't bring myself to bump her off. There was this feeling, a bizarre cocktail of fear, doubt and joy... not to be completely alone. To be part of something? I and the heroine would elope together. That was certainly not the content of a web novel. And the ML... that was the guy from the street? Right? The look-alike of Alexandre? Somehow I couldn't get rid of the feeling that there was a past between the two characters. Was it one of those storylines, with an ominous night, aphrodisiac and intrigues that led to an unexpected pregnancy of our MC and an ML who didn't know of his paternity joys until a miniature double of himself would stick to his trouser leg? Actually too risky to get me involved in this ... "I want to leave tonight. For me, it is a race against the clock. Can you make it till then?"

Shocked, she fixed her gaze on the tip of my nose as if a horn had grown there. I touched the tip just to make sure.

"Tonight? So soon? I thought..."

"Time pressure!", I interrupted her with a friendly but determined smile. And hoped to scare her off with this. This conversation was a bit creepy. Why did she want to come with me of all people? Yes, we knew each other from work... but I wouldn't describe us as friends or even good acquaintances. Besides, she had a child. Wasn't it completely irresponsible to just tear him away from his familiar surroundings? Not that I knew anything about raising children, but...

She was also the MC of this novel, wasn't that the greatest counterpoint!

"Yes! I can do it. When do we meet and where? Here?"

I bit my lips. Very strange! Why couldn't I say no? "Not here, at the station. In front of the counter. Is eight o'clock okay?"