Chapter 6: The Killer

"Coffee milk," the boy said, his head covered in a black hood.

The waiter hesitated a bit, afraid and uncertain of his customer's demeanor.

The boy grinned as if it would make the situation better. Mischievous but unmasking his turpitude with pride and making Warona's heartbeat do an unexpected somersault.

Of course it was him.

The same boy she ran into at her birthday party.

It was hard to believe though. Did he know her? How could it be him? Does he remember her? The possibilities were starting to frighten her when she wasn't even quarter way past her mission. Calvin had told her the guy always sat on the middle booth, to the left side of the cafe's entrance. As expected, the beautiful stranger was settled on that exact same spot. But how could it be him?

The waiter had gone for the order and when the boy looked up, Warona pulled a magazine up her nose and kept her stare on the uninteresting articles. His gaze lingered on her disguise two tables away while Warona held her breath.

He stalled a bit before turning his eyes back on his phone. Warona released a breath. For the hundredth time since she walked into the cafe, she convinced herself that it was going to be okay. All she had to do was follow the script. 'Melding into the character', Calvin had called it. All she had to do was enjoy a little of her tea, pretend to mind her own business for a while, get up and boldly grab the boy's attention by 'accidentally' knocking on his cup. She had to ruin his expensive attire and more importantly, his day.

As insane as it sounded, she couldn't believe she had travelled all the way from another part of the country just to woo a boy by pouring her cup of tea on him. Stupid cousin brother and his romantic set ups.

The waiter came back with the boy's order and the second Warona heard his not so loud 'Thanks,' she was entirely sure it was him. The boy from her birthday party.

His voice never failed to hit a chord within her. Dry but feminine enough to make his gender ambiguous. Not like a regular man's voice. This one brought a shiver down Warona's spine, one that made her want to get close and drop the 'Are you a girl?' question. But again, she found that a stupid thing to do.

Whether they were male, female, or whatever, I didn't give a damn. I shouldn't. But his dark rimmed eyes and painted nails made him look even more androgynous.

Warona couldn't enjoy her tea at all, she found herself observing him profusely . . . His epicene beauty was nothing she had ever seen.

Turned out he was a slow drinker, thank God. Warona needed that time to keep herself in check. Fixing her scarf and pulling on her miniskirt.

The boy hadn't even downed half of his drink when a certain clumsy girl knocked over him.

His sweet expensive coffee milk immediately poured down his more expensive shirt and pants, making him shift quickly, fighting the urge to scream at how it horribly burnt his thigh.

"Oh my God! - I'm so sorry- shit. I am really sorry, I -" Warona shuffled.

In a haste, she pulled out her hankerchief, moving to wipe him, but the boy slapped her hand away so fast as if allergic to touch.

"I'm sorry, I don't even know how I bumped on you - guess I was in my head too much - I didn't look where I was going I'm sorry -"

She wasn't even sure if she was acting anymore, because she seriously felt sorry for burning the boy.

"It's okay." He grimaced.

Warona kept apologizing until he turned his eyes and looked at her.

Then everything froze.

None of them moved. Warona's breathing halted, unsure about how to feel if he finally recognized her.

He did.

His eyes said everything.

"You . . . " He spoke hesitantly, as if trying to pick his next words.

A waitress finally caught sight of the spilled coffee and rushed over to take care of it while Warona struggled to stay put in her staring contest with the boy.

"I - I'm really sorry" She wasn't even sure if the stummer was part of pretending anymore. She had faded into the script amidst his deadly gaze, feeling uncomfortable.

"You've already said that."

"Really really sorry."

She had no idea what else to say. A drop of sweat trickled down her side of the face.

"I heard you."

The boy had suddenly worn a smirk, and Warona could tell that he had successfully matcher her with an old face from a forgotten file in his mind.

She tried another move with her hankerchief but he moved back.

"It's okay, I can do it myself."

He grabbed a napkin from the table and managed to wipe some of it off himself. But then he realized his shirt was too stained to walk around like that.

Warona watched him, entranced. This was the part where, like any normal person, she leaves. But that's not what her scripts said.

She had to think of something real quick.

"Let me help", she prompted.

Her voice came out hesitant but the boy swallowed hard before letting her take a sit across from him.

Warona was glad she wore a flannel on top of her t-shirt before wearing the jacket.

"Allow me to buy you another coffee milk, Sir."

"S' okay, no need to."

He was still annoyed by the mess and didn't want to bother the girl, despite how desperate he wanted her attention.

"Please?" She asked. Like a plead.

He looked at her for three seconds before sighing in defeat. She smiled, and never in his whole life had he seen such a pleasant smile.

After Warona beckoned the waitress and ordered coffee milk for the handsome stranger and a cup of tea for herself, she took off her jacket and handed it to him. This was one of those moments she was glad she wore most of her clothes a size bigger than her. Though she was pretty sure the boy could possibly wear the same size as her considering how lean his shoulders were. Apart from his aura, he conveyed the impression that he was furthest from masculine.

The boy did not want to accept the help but he couldn't walk out like that, so he pulled on the jacket and zipped it up to his chin, unexpectedly getting engulfed by the girl's lemon cologne.

He murmured a low thank you and Warona smiled.

Their order was brought and this time, the guy wasn't taking his time to finish his coffee milk. What a sweet choice of flavour for a guy like him, Warona thought.

"So, is this a coincidence or have you been stalking me?" His voice broke the silence.

Warona moved her hands around her cup on the table and took in the warmth of her tea.

"And what makes you think I would stalk you?"

"That's for you to tell me."

"What were you doing in my house that day?" She plainly let it out.

"Did you finally figure out my identity, is that why you're here?"

"You haven't answered my question."

"Neither did you," he raised a brow, drinking. "So what brings you to Dourm Town, Warona Sylvester?"

Her heartbeat halted at the mention of her name. It was too much to expect and she was suddenly unsure if she stick to the script or throw it to the bin and straightforward question the boy.

"So many questions, so little answers." She played nonchalant.

"I got scared when I saw you in here . . . Thought it was her ghost following me around or something, it never stops haunting me", his voice, a whisper, as if talking to himself. Thanks to luck, Warona was on earshot. "You caught me off guard."

"Whose ghost?" Bemused.

"Nothing. Forget I said that", his eyes flickered. "How's Riegel and Hans?"

She couldn't even form words for how fast he was going with this. She was starting to doubt if it was safe to kill him or not.

"Uh - they're . . . coping?" She didn't even know what to say. She was too baffled. Not trusting herself to say less and afraid to say too much.

"Mmh, good to know. They hadn't showed up at the cathedral recently, my father was getting worried."

Warona's hand slipped into her pocket, feeling the dagger she had been carrying around with her.

If for some reason, he dared to tell them about her whereabouts then she would definitely kill him before his time. She had this feeling he could.

He wasn't to be trusted, Calvin had warned her about that a bundle of countless times, thank God.

Utasha finished the last drop of his drink before beckoning the waitress.

Warona stopped him when he wanted to pay for their bills but he declined.

"It's okay, consider it a belated birthday gift."

She stared at him.

"Feel free to drop by, I'm pretty sure my father would love to see your gorgeous angelic face."

Utasha slipped a card in Warona's hand, a cunning grin on his face, and left the cafe. Warona remained frozen. Unsure of what to do as she looked at the card which read:

'Black Friday Midnight Masquerade Party.

Long Live Black Mask Society.

River Street, A. A. Draver Avenue.'

She had no idea what to do or think.

What do you do when someone you want to kill invites you over to a party?