Chương 4: Raining Curses
Maria flinched awake as she felt rain hit her in the face. She looked around, blinking. What time was it? How long have I been sleeping here? she thought as she looked at her outfit. She sighed with relief that she was wearing her normal outfit. "Where the fuck am I..." she stared around to see the building where she was attacked by Barnaby.
She shook her head and slowly stood up, coughing slightly. "This is not good for the concert this week..." she trailed off, sneezing suddenly. "Ouch.. a sore throat and getting sick. This is just how my luck goes," she groaned to herself as she walked to the street.
Kotetsu was whistling happily to himself as he held an umbrella to cover his head from the rain. He kept walking and blinked, backing up to see Maria walking alone and hugging herself to keep warm. He gave a small frown. He had become friends with Maria through Nathan; however, he didn't know of the secrets she held within. "Oi~ Maria!" he called for her quickly walking to her.
Maria looked back to see Kotetsu and gave a gentle smile. "Hi there, Kotetsu. What are you doing out here?"
The tiger stared at her like she asked a stupid question "I should be asking you that! What would happen if you get sick before your concert~?" he questioned back at her.
Maria blushed lightly and looked off to the side. "I know I know, 'tsu," she raised her hands up in defeat.
Kotetsu looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you aren't sick already? You never give up this quickly."
Maria stared at him. "It's bloody raining, of course, I would give up quickly. Now let me under your umbrella and take me home already. I'm already going to miss a rehearsal today because of my throat, I don't need to miss more because of a cold," she pouted as if she was nineteen.
Kotetsu smiled gently and held the umbrella over her. "Of course, Maria. Would you like to stop by the cafe before I walk you home?" he asked, showing he was worried.
Maria looked up at him and puffed her cheeks up. "Of course I want to go to the cafe... it's my favourite place to go to with everyone..."
Kotetsu grinned happily and grabbed her wrist gently. "Then to the cafe we go!" he spoke out loudly, Maria blinking and blushing brightly.
The two walked to the small cafe, not really speaking much due to Maria trying to figure out how she would answer possible questions from Why were you out here by yourself? to Were you running? That's the only thing that could really cause your throat to do that, right?. She did what she could to stop herself from thinking too hard on any other questions especially since they had arrived at the cafe. She smiled gently and stepped through the door that Kotetsu held open. "Thank you, Kotetsu."
Kotetsu smiled gently and nodded. "Of course, Maria. Go ahead and get what you want, I'll pay for it" he gave a goofy grin.
Maria looked at the taller man. "Ah, I can't let you pay for me..." she gave a pained smile, showing that she didn't like others paying for her. "I mean... I am a grown woman..."
Kotetsu gave a pout like a child would if not given their way. "Please Maria~? Let me pay for the drink this one time?"
Maria looked at him and gave a sigh. "Okay, okay... fine. I'll let you pay for me, but don't say I didn't try to tell you no..." she walked up to the counter and ordered a black chai tea latte with a stick of chocolate.
Kotetsu blinked and raised an eyebrow. "That's what you're ordering?"
Maria gave a nod. "Yeah, it's my usual... besides... It's best I have this over my beautiful alcohol" she almost gave a cat-like face to her comment due to daydreaming.
Kotetsu nodded and got a simple cup of coffee, buying both of the drinks. The two sat down and he looked at her. "Could you tell me why exactly you went missing last night after Twisted showed up? Or even why you have a cut on your face as if some type of armour cut you?"
Maria looked at him and raised an eyebrow at the last question. She took her phone out and turned the camera on so she could look at her face. There was a cut on her cheek, causing her to question how she got it. "Well, I do have a life Kotetsu. I have a show going on soon and I plan to keep to the schedule, even if it means leaving you as well as the others alone. As to my face, I really don't know how this happened. I guess I just woke up with it. I wonder if I was drunk last night" she trailed off as if she went into deep thought.
Kotetsu looked at her more. "You act like you have something on your shoulders... or something is tied around you and holding you back. Come on Maria-chan, please tell me what's bothering you!"
Maria looked at him. "You should know already, if something is bothering me I would tell Nathan. So unless I tell him something to which he tells you, Nothing is wrong at all Kotetsu," her voice was harsh as she stood up, taking the to-go cup with her as she left the cafe in annoyance.
Kotetsu watched as she walked away, taking note to the Barnaby walking towards her. He shook his head and stood up, grabbing his drink. He decided he would leave and figured he would wait to see if Nathan would tell him anything.
Barnaby watched Maria as she walked by him, giving a glare at her cheek since he knew he hit Twisted the night before. He looked forward and saw Kotetsu, raising an eyebrow. "She looks... happy."
Kotetsu stared at Barnaby. "Not too sure happy is the right word, Bunny. She's really mad at me and she seems like she is having issues with work. She sounded like she was running too. Her voice seemed forced," he trailed off sadly.
Maria glanced back to see the two talking, gritting her teeth. "Can you find the one who dyed her heart red to black? Hey, who could it be? Hey, someone tell me! Can you even solve the question with your abacus yet? Can you even stop the rope from hanging her by her neck? Did we really choose it right saying we're okay this way? Hey just tell me how, hey just tell me how! Can you even say the formula of the area now? Can you even scream the dreams you swore would never go out? Who was the one who let my hopes just curl up and die? Hey, who could it be? No, it's gotta be... Just open up your eyes, why don't you grow up and see? But what the hell is 'growing up and tell me when will I be? Can a single person out there just explain it to me? Hey, just tell me how. It's not like I care now!" she sang out, not realizing that Kotetsu and Barnaby heard her.
Barnaby took this and thought a bit, assuming this was her saying something was wrong and that she was stuck between many stories or even stuck between lives that she didn't want to be stuck between. Kotetsu frowned slightly and looked at Barnaby. "Bunny, do you think something is bothering Maria? She didn't tell me anything and I didn't want to push her more to answer... but that song... it sounds like she's hanging herself or at least another form of herself... do you have any idea?"
Barnaby gave an immediate response of shaking his head and just walked off, leaving Kotetsu to decide between following him or following Maria. He chose to follow his partner figuring that Nathan would tell him something, especially since the others, as well as himself, cared greatly for her.
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