Cool air circulated inside the observation room. The lights brightened up the white interior of the place, from the floor up to the ceiling. Only the table and the chairs added contrast to the palette. Their dull gray shade seemed to mock the room’s inhabitants. The lack of color muted the feeling of life.

Skye resented it.

Her black eyes snapped open when she heard the door open. Gray ones stared back at her. Her nails bore into the skin of her palm. Pure cold-blooded hatred projected out of her glare. A tremor crawled over her muscles. The desire to hit something, to react violently, to move at all… shook her to the core.

Alex answered with a gentle smile while she swung a plastic bag in her hand.

She entered the room, Jae trailing behind her. The police officer who escorted her and her aunt earlier also came inside. He stood by the door and silently watched over the scene. Jae positioned himself beside the officer. Folding his arms over his chest, he glowered at Skye.

Except, she merely had eyes at the traitor that walked towards the opposite side of the desk.

“I am beginning to think that you’re part of the decor here” Alex remarked. She pulled a chair back, her other hand digging into the plastic bag. She sat down. Then, she ripped open the wrapper and placed it on the table.

“Chips?” She offered, taking out a piece. She popped the cheesy potato chip into her mouth.

“You tricked me,” Skye hissed and tilted her head to one side. She blinked once, accusation flickering around her pupils.

“And you revealed my secret to the entire student body” Alex retorted. She grabbed another chip, “I’d think we’re even now.”

“You wiretapped our conversation.”

She rolled her eyes, “Oh, please. I gave you the chance to search for yourself. It’s not my fault that you missed the recording device.”

Then, she nudged the opening of the chip bag towards Skye, “Aren’t you famished? Eat. I promise there’s no truth serum or anything.”

A small smirk curled at the corner of Alex’s lips. She continued to munch. She didn’t eat often but when there was food on the table, her hands and fingers didn’t know how to stop. She partially hoped that it could help ease the tension—as if this was an ordinary picnic instead of an interrogation inside a police station.

It seemed to not be working.

She also had no complaints about it.

“There still has to be a law against that,” Skye sneered.

Alex nodded her head. A know-it-all tone laced in her voice, “I’m already dreading community service. Sounds as scary as juvi.”

She winked, spotting the twitch in Skye’s brow. The frown lines on her childhood friend’s face deepened. Alex could almost see the storm cloud that shrouded over the infuriated black eyes. She peeked at the corner of her eye. It seemed that nobody else wanted to talk.

Alex sighed in fake disappointment. She bit into a chip, breaking it in half, “Confess. Why did you do it?”

“What did you expect? I offered an arrangement but you betrayed me” Skye snarled. The rim around her eyes widened. The side of her fist hit the table.

Alex blinked several times. She covered her mouth with a hand, feigning surprise. Then, she mimicked Skye and knocked on the desk with the side of her fist.

“Well, what did YOU expect? Not only did you violate the restraining order but you chose to dabble with my life. Because of that, you clearly have no good intentions towards me. You clearly chose to be a threat so you deserved to be here.”

The flecks in her eyes darkened. Combined with the gray color, they churned like a tornado. They held no mercy for anyone at their line of sight.

“You lied to me!” Skye exclaimed, triggered by the expression aimed at her. She slammed both hands on the table, “Logan knew about you all along!”

Alex closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. She recalled the conversation they had. She spoke her thoughts out loud, “If I remember right, I never said anything about him not knowing it.”

If Skye referred to the time at the diner, it had been Logan who started the whole thing. Not to mention, he always answered for her during the few times Skye hinted about her gender.

How was she to blame for that? Because she kept her silence? Logan’s knowledge about her secret wasn’t her responsibility.

The desk shook. Skye had lifted her wrists, pulling the chains. The handcuffs jabbed into her skin as the weight of the table resisted from movement. She wailed in pain, cupping one wrist at a time to soothe the pain.

Alex pressed her lips together and held back a snort. Her effort went to waste since Skye still saw it on her face.

“You must have thought that you won now, huh?” Skye taunted. She smirked at her own victory, “Too bad that you’re going back home to your own prison.”

She received a sarcastic smile. Alex rested her arms over the table, her hands folded together. She leaned forward. She used a soothing voice.

“That’s still up for debate” Alex shrugged, completely unworried. She smacked her lips and grinned. She wore a face of innocence, “But you know what’s certain? Whether I’m here or anywhere else, I gained people who’d have my back if I needed them. Sure, I’d miss seeing them everyday but… I know I’d carry them with me wherever I go.”

The still quiet only lasted 5 seconds.

Loud and infuriated sounds bounced off the wall. The entire space engulfed under the raucous. The vibrations reached the skin of the occupants. Skye thumped her feet on the floor. Her chains rattled as she leaped over the table.

Alex pushed herself back, landing to the floor. The police officer immediately helped her up. Jae clutched Skye’s wrists and twisted her arms. She yelped from inexplicable pain, shutting her eyes. She attempted to free herself.

A whistle pierced through the air. A crisp voice followed it, “No manhandling the suspect. Take your hands off her.”

Jae yanked once, directing the captured arms towards the ceiling. Another howl echoed around the room. The whistle blew again and he released. His muscles shook from the adrenaline. He stepped back, careful not to hit Alex. He hadn’t seen Skye act that way before.

He felt both enraged and horrified.

Skye fell on the chair. She pulled her arms in, tucking her wrists under her chin. She hissed from the excruciating pain of her red wounds. They bled like ink against her pale skin. She bit her tongue for every sharp sting that burned.

A low whimper rumbled in her throat. Then, her forehead hit the table. Her hair spread across the table and hid her from prying eyes. She continued to stay in that position, forgetting about the visitors. The tremble in her shoulders gradually increased.

Only her quiet sobs could be heard.

Alex walked back to the desk. She picked up the bag of chips and stored it back into the plastic. Her glassy eyes watched the defeated state of her childhood friend. She didn’t need to see Skye’s face to know what expression was on it. Her hand hovered, reaching out to touch the silky black hair.

Her fingertips brushed it lightly as she clenched her hand into a fist. She took a deep breath and let it out as slow as possible. Then, she dropped the fist to her side, opening the palm.

A heavy weight plunged into her chest. A deep part of her wished things didn’t turn out this way. That somehow Skye had changed her mind—that she decided to forego her schemes.

Now, it was too late for things to turn back.

Alex sent a silent prayer. She wished for whatever lied ahead, it would lead her friend to a better road. Somewhere the sun shone constantly so she could see all the beauty around her. A place where she could learn that happiness wasn’t just found in one spot or in one person, nor did it come from the downfall of either.

Happiness was whatever she decided for it to be.

It could be from the smell of hot coffee or tea. It could be the taste of cheesecake. It could be the pleasure of reading a book. It could be the moments spent with good people. It could also be… from moving on.

Anything at all, as long as she loved it.

It was time for her to know that love didn’t need to come from other’s validation or destruction.

Bowing her head, Alex pressed her lips together and headed for the door. She didn’t wait for assistance and opened it herself. She didn’t dare look back. Her life and Skye’s weren’t to intertwine ever again—not when it would only turn out like this.

She entered the previous room and made eye contact with her aunt.

Lilly stared at her gently. She stepped forward, spreading her arms, ready to engulf her niece in comfort.

Alex practically bolted towards the embrace. She buried her head on Lilly’s shoulder. Warm arms squeezed her closer, letting no room for air to pass in between. A few silent tears trickled down from the corner of her eyes.

“I’m sorry” Alex managed to wheeze out, “I-I don’t know what has gotten into me. I-I just—”

“Sshh,” her aunt whispered in her ear, “It’s okay. It’s okay. You don’t need to explain. You don’t even need to say anything. You are such a wonderful girl—I can never comprehend how you kept your heart pure.”

She rubbed Alex’s back, relaxing away the tension, “I am proud to call you, my niece.”