What if?
"Boline!"
Hurt, betrayal, and disbelief flashed in her eyes as she watched her so-called-best friend speed away faster than she could ever hope to run. She didn't feel pain about losing her jewerly box overflowing with valuables; she was only feeling the hurt of having someone you thought that loved you crush you. The Omni didn't look back as he disappeared out of her life, giving her the impression that he never cared. All those times of reas.suring and a shoulder offered to cry on were false- just steps taken to reach her money. The first real friend she thought she had turned out to be a petty thief.
The Draqua slumped to the floor, her eyes beginning to water. The one thing she wanted so much was a friend, and when she got it, she learned that she never had it in the first place. One tear rolled down her cheek, just the beginning of many. It wasn't her fault that her family was rich. It wasn't her fault that people believed those bloody rumors that she was stuck up and snobby.
So many regrets.
She continued crying, thinking about the so called friendship she had just lost. What if she never cried that day in the school yard so he wouldn't have come to talk to her for the first time? What if she didn't show him the valuables her family had come to own that most people desired? What if she didn't show him her large hoard of retired squishies that costed millions? What if?
The room was quiet, save for the sound of her choked sobs.
---
Each step felt like he was attempting to run through quicksand. He felt like crying- but no, he didn't cry. Not Boline. Boline the thief NEVER cried. He wasn't supposed to feel, wasn't supposed to even know what a friendship was. He was supposed to stay to his duties in the gang. He wiped a smear of sweat from his brow, pushing his slightly ninja-style headband further up his head. Even though her voice had stopped calling his name, Kia's voice continued to resound in his head- Boline, Boline, Boline! Boline!
But he couldn't stop. The jewerly box felt increasingly heavy in his hands as he brought it farther and farther away from its original owner. He didn't want to steal from Kia, but when he told Shafe that he had befriended her, strict commands had been given to him to steal what he could. The diamond necklaces and jewerly items were enough, weren't they? He didn't want to steal more than what he had to. The Omni shook his head, guilt weighing down on him like a stone.
What if he never ran away from home? Maybe then he wouldn't have ran into Shafe and get dragged into the whole thief busy. What if he hadn't told the thief leader that he had actually made a friend? What if he just took a stand and refused to take from her? What if Kia hated him? What if?
He held the jewerly box tightly, a tear escaping from the gland openings in his cheeks.
---
"Lady Kia!" The middle aged Tesuri ran into the room, worry showing on her features, "What ever is the matter?"
Kia was silent for a moment. Then she said to the maid, "Nothing...I just had a dream."
"But you weren't sleeping!"
The Draqua glared, "A vision, then, if you prefer that choice of wording."
"Why do you have tears on your face?" The maid pressured her, wanting to know what was wrong with the young girl, "And where has Mr. Boline gone to?"
"None of your business!" She snapped, scowling angrily, "Leave, or I"ll tell Mother and Father that you have tried to pressure me into doing wrongs."
Bahi let out a small gasp and raced out of the room, mumbling 'blackmail' over and over.
Kia sighed and lay down on her bed, the mattress feeling harder and colder without Boline to warm it up by sitting on top of the sheets and playing cards with her. Her room felt so empty without Boline's humorous and happy presence. Everyone told her he wasn't to be trusted, that he was just one of those mysterious people who probably comingled with the wrong crowds. She didn't want to believe it.
What if she had?
Perhaps she never would have tasted what true friendship felt like. Being friends with Boline seemed so real that it seemed impossible that he had robbed from her. But....it was impossible to believe everything was a lie. Kia had a remarkable way of telling when people were lying, and unless Boline was skilled in doing so, then she couldn't detect it in his features. The Omni was all she ever wanted and more in a friend, but now he was gone. She was probably the first student he had ever robbed, seeing as he hadn't been kicked out of school by now.
What if he knew that she'd never tell anyone of what he did?
Kia began to cry agaain, not caring if the maids heard her from their normal eavesdropping spots behind the door. She did not regret ever being friends with Boline- her only regret was not even attempting to chase after him. Not even attempting to show that she wanted to still be with him. Not even attempting to show that she loved him.
---
"Boline's back!" A large, lean Gondra grinned at the Omni as he walked through the door, "Got the stuff?"
He adjusted his headband and threw the jewerly box before turning away and sitting in a corner, silent.
"Come on now," He huffed, wondering what the Omni was all silent about now, "Did you do something wrong?"
Boline spun around, eyes flashing, "Did something wrong? We ALL did something wrong. We stole. I didn't want to. It's that Shafe-"
"Shafe what?" It was more than a statement than a question, spoken from the fiercesome jaws of a muscular Vogar, standing in the doorway, "Cooer, please leave."
"Right away," The Gondra lifted his thin frame; falsely giving him the ti
tle of weakling, and quickly scuttled out of the room.
The Omni's face was, as usual, masked of all emotion. The previous discomfort and wave of anger was concealed again behind his eyeless face and a grimly set line. He didn't continue what he was saying, only staring blankly ahead not even focused on his leader. Shafe's eyes narrowed into slits- a common action for him, and didn't sit down. He preferred to be standing and talking to someone while they were sitting- it made him higher and he felt that he could easily overpower them. Everyone else was scared of him, but Boline? The skilled thief rarely obeyed orders, but without him, they wouldn't be able to get as many goods. Boline had to stay with them, as he was in debt to Shafe because of training.
"What were you saying?" Shafe's voice was losing patience, poison-touched words piercing the air, "Tell me, Boline."
"It was nothing important."
Boline's ex
pression still didn't change when the Vogar's tone became deadly, "Tell me, Boline, I have every right to know."
"You're right, since it's all your fault," He stood up suddenly, eye-level with Shafe, "You told me to steal when we could have just played quests for money and food. We're too lazy to do things the right way, and I'm pretty sure half of us wouldn't be doing this if you weren't so much like a dictator."
Now, Shafe was shocked. Few had stood up and lashed out at him like Boline just did, and they...well, they didn't leave the group in the most peaceful of way. He didn't let the surprise show on his face, of course. The Vogar was described as a cold, stone block with writing chiseled into it and then covered up; cold, firm, and unreadable. His ex
pression changed to that of hot fury, about to burst. Boline did not flinch or back up. In one quick fluid movement, he knocked down the lampshade and flung himself at the Omni. Boline ground his teeth to keep from letting out a groan of pain as the Vogar's claws dug into his shoulders, pinning him to the wall.
"We trained you," His voice was full of venom, "Gave you a home and we were your family. Doing quests is too slow- you know we wouldn't be able to make enough Tu off that. We are taking it because we need it. Miss Kia has plenty. You shouldn't care, but if you want to betray us, go ahead and I'll make sure that you won't do it again."
Boline stared, still unmoved, "No, I'm done with this. I'm taking the jewerly back to Kia- it was hers, after all."
"No you're not."
"You're going to stop me? Get Cooer and the others to do your dirty work?" He sneered, not even trying to push Shafe's claws off him, "You're so noble."
Shafe swung his arm, square into Boline's face.
---
"Is he alright?"
"I dunno, he looks like one of those gang members..."
"Maybe we shouldn't get too close."
"That guy doesn't look good at all!"
Boline came to his senses and sat upright, finally tuning in to the voices he was hearing.
---
Might continue. Dunno.
Special Notes;
Thanks Cat (Caaaitlin) for Boline and Shadly (Shadowrider) for Kia. =)
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