Printer Girl

Alicia stood up from the bench immediately and turned around only to face the storm of rage that stood all in a figure in front of her, chilling her bones to no end.

"Mrs. Marino?"

"Do you take the life of my son for nothing?"

A loud gasp left Alicia's lips.

"It is not what I mean, Mrs. Masino."

She immediately let her know. The very thought of taking one's own life so easily brought chills running down her spine.

"What else did you mean, my dear?" questioned the lady sarcastically.

"I-I-"

"Is this how an employer should act when their employee is in trouble? Was this what you meant when you promised to be responsible enough to be by their side no matter what?"

Questions after questions rang across the hall, bringing both Alicia and Gloria to be the ones accused in front of the hospital crowd.

Alicia felt tongue-tied, but seeing Gloria cry out more in guilt and hurt, her blood started to boil fiercely.

"Mrs. Marino-" she initiated, to speak as politely as she could, but was once again cut off by the lady who had no brakes on her accusations.

"My son here is barely breathing. And you keep telling such things to the wronged one?"

"Mrs. Marino, please try to understand. You've got it all wron-"

"Wrong? Wrong, you s-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

A loud voice reverberated across the hall, putting a pause on the commotion.

All heads snapped at the main entrance with surprise.

"What is he doing here?"

Alicia thought, a frown forming on her forehead.

"A-Ali-lise?"

She heard the barely audible voice of Gloria call her stutteringly.

"Yes, dear?"

"What are the c-cops doing in here?"

"Expect my son no more at your useless cafe, Mrs. Anderson," Mrs. Marino said, gritting her teeth as she glared at Alicia.

"But-"

"Did you ladies not hear what I meant by just a while ago?"

Adrien asked as he stood behind Alicia, who had her back facing him.

"Mrs. Marino," he called, gaining the fuming woman's attention at once.

"Yes, Mr. Adrien?"

The instant she was called out by the onyx-eyed cop, her once-raging demeanor disappeared into thin air the next second as she spoke softly and respectfully.

Alicia rolled her eyes at the sudden changes.

"It is wise not to blame them when they aren't actually the ones responsible for it. Do we get it?"

"But, it was all because of her that my son had to get involved in it!" She pointed at Gloria.

Alicia glared at Diego's mother and embraced Gloria, patting her head.

"Mrs. Marino," he spelled out with visible threats, causing the lady to shut her mouth immediately and glare at Gloria and Alicia.

"Mrs. Anderson?"

Alicia drifted her gaze back at the cop, gazing straight at him, "Sir?"

"A word would do," he said and stepped away from the crowd.

Making sure Gloria was settled on the seat, she followed the cop, who walked ahead, making no noise.

As they stood by the confined hospital shutter, Adrien glanced behind him at Alicia, who was waiting for him to start his interrogation.

"So, Mrs. Anderson," he began to talk with a serious expression. Not that he was the opposite of it. It seemed like that was his regular expression to maintain. "How long have you been running this cafe?"

"Exactly turns two years in the next few days," she replied calmly.

"Have you ever faced such a situation nearly as bad as this or worse than this?"

"No, sir. This was the first time."

Mr. Adrien had too many questions that kept riddling. She was barely able to keep up with the man. He was clearly attempting to delve deeply into the case.

As he continued to interrogate her, Alicia's eyes wandered down to his hands and settled on the green and white, shiny pebbles.

A spark of curiosity swept over her eyes at the sight of it as he kept flipping it while he questioned her, but she hid it and focused on his questions.

"And that's all for today."

He concluded and put those pebbles that caught her attention into his pockets, drawing her eyes toward the action.

Sensing the strong gaze on her, Alicia straightened her tilted head and saw the questioning gaze of Adrien.

She shook her head, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment at being caught red-handed, and then stopped staring at him and diverted her attention elsewhere.

Adrien gazed at her for a while before he stepped ahead, passing by her side.

Alicia soon turned around and stopped him, clearing her throat.

"Excuse me, sir?"

She had her whole attention on him now, so she continued, "If you wouldn't mind, can I ask you for something?" She questioned him, puzzling him, but he still nodded his head.

"Go ahead," she heard him speak in his deep voice, snapping her gaze, which drifted to the chest pocket on his jacket once more.

'Idiot!' 'Idiot!'

Alicia cursed herself internally for being a creep and maintained her composure with a small curve on her lips.

"Uhh-I, were you guys able to track down any information about my bike?"

As soon as she questioned it, if she was not mistaken, there was a small change of expression on the blank face for a fleeting moment she spotted.

She could be mistaken, but as soon as she questioned him, she saw a small change of expression on the blank face of his for a fleeting moment before it vanished away just like it never was.

Alicia shook off her thoughts, finding it absurd to think of it, and waited for the cop to give her any information about her missing bike.

"As long as I remember, I never encountered anyone filing a case about their bike to me. Better check whomever you filed it to."

He sounded so cold and intimidating to death as he spoke.

"But-" Before Alicia could make out the words into sentences, the man showed his absence to her.

Alicia grunted lowly, "Jerker," she muttered under her breath before she walked toward her friend and spotted him speaking to Diego's mom.

"Abruti!" she muttered.

"Did you say something?" questioned Gloria with a confused look.

"Yeah, let's head to the canteen. You seem to look quite a lot like a malnourished kid."

She rolled her eyes at him and diverted her attention, letting her friend speak for the rest.

"Hey, Printer girl!"