The Red Nights

Natasha was strolling along the street when she caught a sight of Matteo. He was passing by different stores and spots, hanging posters on them . He must have done that during all the morning because his, which seemed being full few hours before, was now completely empty, it only remained few papers on his hand.

When she led the first step toward him she rapidly stopped her move, [ due to all the training I have been practicing since this early morning I have sweated too much and for sure I'm smelling like a stack of trash ] she recalled [ if I reach him now he won't stop making fun of me ] . Indeed since he took the habit to tease Natasha whatever it's about her look , her preferences or even the way she was everyday.

She was already annoyed by Lina whose favorite pastime was to quarrel with her she didn't need another dude to victimize her .

So she decided to turn aside to take another road however while she was doing so Matteo had the time to glimpse her. He ignored her for a moment and carried on hanging his posters but a little faster than before. Since the day he came to Stainfall he had the time to memorize all the map of the city, he knew all what he should have known about it including every single shortcut. So it was easy for him to quickly find the right way to catch her up .

She had to pass by only three blocks before reaching her house, she took a look behind her and it seemed that Matteo didn't see her as there was no one stalking her. At that moment she d.e.s.i.r.ed only one thing, taking a nice hot bath before someone noticed her . But it remained a simple d.e.s.i.r.e since she saw Matteo coming from a corner to stop just between and her house when she was at just few meters from it .

" Damn it " she grunted between her teeth.

Matteo chuckled " so you were really avoiding me ".

Natasha didn't have the strength to argue with him at all , so she didn't wait for him to engage fight. " What do you want ? I'm very exhausted so I would want to go back taking a bath at my home at soon as possible ".

She expected him to reply with a joke about it or at least putting a comment on how she was covered by sweat and in fact he would have done it in a different circ.u.mstances but at that moment he was not in the mood . He erased the smile on his face and took a serious voice what didn't miss to shock her .

" I would want you to go visiting Lina at her work place " he said calmly.

But Natasha couldn't just drop her guard just because he asked it calmly . " Why would I want to do something like that " she rose slightly her voice " what kind of trick have you imagined you and Lina " .

" Oh please " he sighed loudly to show that he was irritated " do you really think that all things turn around you " he paused to cool down " look your friend needs help and I would want you to go help her " .

" Why doesn't she just come at me ? If she is really in trouble she must know that I'm here to support her " Natasha replied.

" I don't know " he directly acknowledged " that is why I'm begging you to take the first step... please " .

It was the first time he requested something from her with such an intensity. That ended up to make her think that Lina must have some troubles for real and in that case of course she would run to her rescue.

She closed her eyes to made up her mind and said " OK , just let me go to wash myself up , change my clothes before going to visit her " .

Matteo nodded gently and stepped ahead " there are some businesses I have to take care so I'm leaving her to you, see you " .

She ran toward her house at the minute he left her, three quarters of an hour later she came out from it to head for the city hall. In the road while she was walking, she started to guess and think about what could bother Lina that much and besides Jamal's departure she couldn't find anything else. But at the start it was her idea to send him there so she should be the first one to hold it and show the example.

Moreover she was the kind of person who prioritized the logic over the emotions , so how could she be so much affected that even Matteo was forced to come at her to seek for her help . Natasha didn't mean that she shouldn't show any sign that she missed him but since she was playing the role of the leader during his absence, she should stay straight and not reveal any hint of weakness. Just like he used to do.

Those questions remained unanswered as she was entering in the city hall, she walked for few minutes along the hallways before she arrived in front of her office. She knocked once and she didn't wait for a response and directly opened the door.

She assisted at one of the most awkward scenes she ever saw. The first sight she caught was Lina on the left side of the room, laying on the sofa of his office unconscious and she was almost n.a.k.e.d with only a tiny sleeveless shirt on her upper body and on her lower body she was wearing only p.a.n.t.i.e.s .

When she walked toward her she could notice that her face turned red and there were marks on her cheeks [ it looks like she cried before she fell asleep ] Natasha affirmed. She could hear a weird sound but it was too low to determine where it came from, she turned back and on the coffee table there was Lina's laptop playing a p.o.r.n video , it was the origin of the odd sound coming through the headphones connected with it .

Natasha sighed more by disappointment than relief. [ Now I understand what Matteo meant] she acknowledged. She landed her hand on her shoulder and shook her until she opened her eyes.

She woke up with a large smile on her face, she extended her arms and surrounded Natasha's neck with . " Oh Nat' " she exclaimed as she recognized her before she hugged her " what are you doing here my love ? It's rare for you to come to visit me at my work place " .

Natasha released herself from her cuddle and stepped back without letting go of her hand , she gazed at her before she spoke " what does it mean? " she indicated her half n.a.k.e.d body and the video in her laptop " all of this I mean, what is this ? What's going on with you? "

Lina lowered her head and her voice became scratchy as if she was about to cry " I knew it " she paused to take a breath " you hate me, right? "

" What are you talking about? Why would I come to see you if I hated you? " Natasha tried to reassure her.

" You only came because Matteo told you, I'm pretty sure about that. Maybe he knew that I would feel too dreary for coming to see you " she replied.

" Hey it just happened that we met randomly and he told about you , but that doesn't mean that I don't care about you " she said to her with a calm and a sweet voice " For what reason would I even be mad at you? " she asked .

" Because once again I let him carry all the responsibilities and I know how much it upsets you . You said it yesterday night, I hurt you and you're now despising me " she confessed.

Natasha recalled that during this reunion she had a too emotive reaction what might have made her thinking that she was angry with her. " I don't resent you just because of that , we both whatever we would have said to him he would have taken the same kind of decision. You were only enough m.a.t.u.r.e to use this temper of his for the sake of everybody " she looked down " in reality I'm angrier with him than you, he always wants to play the role of the hero who sacrifices his life on the battlefield to secure every people ".

Lina chuckled " for me , it's totally the opposite, that part of his personality completely turns me on ".

" That is because you're crazy, you're not well in your head " Natasha pointed out .

" You like playing the innocent girl but I know he does excite you " Lina teased her and Natasha remained silent " you don't respond, does it mean that I'm right? "

" No , you're definitely not " she shouted. They started bickering for long time like they used to do.

•••

Some minutes later they were both quiet sitting on the sofa and Lina's head was leaning on Natasha's shoulder. They were breathless after their little battle and after they had enough rest , Lina asked to her " hey Nat' , you really don't hate me? "

" I could never be able to hate you for real, there are just some moments you truly upset me though " she sighed.

" It's good to know " Lina replied, she suddenly stood up to face Natasha " now , can you help me preparing my today speech ? "

She looked a little bit confused " what speech are you talking about ? "

Then Lina started to explain her about her idea, about how she demanded them to take some professional activities which might allow not to begin a new life, she was not enough presumptuous to ask forgetting about the tragedy, but might help to go back up the slope. She then mentioned that few of them already accepted and she exposed her idea to organize a public announcement to ask officially to all the new citizens to join the project.

After she finished Natasha nodded " Yeah it sounds great, let's repeat your discourse " she paused and resumed " by the way since it is a public event, the old citizens might asked about Jamal , why didn't they saw him for all day long "

She thought a bit and asked her in return " what did you deal with your students? "

Natasha directly answered " I just told them the truth that he left for a mission you untrusted him , but I doubt it will have the same effect with the crowd who may not be as open minded as the youngsters " .

" OK, we shall think about it too " she took off her sleeveless , picked among the spare clothes she had in her office dressed up with a long robe " well let's start working "