Much to her delight, Ellette found her way back to Matthias each night. By night she trained, and by day she practiced what she’d learned. It felt good to feel like she was part of something, that there was a point to the daily grind beyond simple survival.

So much of what she did each and every day was to keep Dani safe and fed. Having something to do besides work, was strangely satisfying. Dani had noticed as well, bemused at the lightening of Ellette’s mood, delighted at her newfound drive.

“What has gotten into you?” Dani asked one evening, carefully reheating and portioning out the meal of leftovers from the diner where Ellette worked, washing dishes. “Doing tai chi with the old folks in the park is not something I’d imagine you taking up.”

Ellette shrugged and tapped her pen absently on her journal, working to remember what she’d come up with during her shift. It was always a challenge to remember all the random bits of prose she came up with while working through the mindless routines of the day. “I’m on my feet all day, my back gets sore. Figured I should do something to build up a bit of muscle. If old folks can handle tai chi, so can I. It’s harder than it looks, though!”

Dani laughed and brought the meal to the table. It was a casserole of scraps: some mac and cheese, a few hunks of dried out meatloaf, broccoli that had started to turn, mixup and baked together with breadcrumbs, eggs, and milk. Dani sat a woefully light bottle of ketchup on the table, their requisite sauce for such meals.

“I’m sure it is,” Dani laughed again. “I’m going to drop by your work tomorrow after I get paid. Actually buy something and tell Mr. Jefferies thank you for letting you take things home. Talk about comfort food!”

“How are you liking the new job? Not too difficult?”

“Janet is super nice and lets me sit at the register. The fact that I already have a few regulars who love to chat with me probably doesn’t hurt.” The petite, blue-eyed blonde gave her a wink. “They tip well, too,” she giggled.

Ellette shook her head and sighed. “Just be careful. If any of them bother you outside of work, let me know.” It was suddenly clear how important it was to learn the skills that Matthias had been teaching her.

“Oh, it’ll be fine. It’s mostly older gentlemen who come in for their coffee and newspaper.”

Ellette tapped Dani on the nose. “You are too cute for your own good. You still have your pepper spray? Keeping that burner phone charged?”

Dani rolled her eyes. “Of course, but I’m not stupid. You know I grew up dealing with the same shit you did.”

Ellette raised a brow, not daring to correct her. It was true, they had both led hard lives, but she knew that Dani had been somewhat sheltered. She was sweetly doll-like, and as long as Ellette had been able to, she’d protected her from the harsher realities.

***

Ellette glanced up at the waning moon, wondering how many nights she had left. Her time spent with Matthias had been truly unique. Never had she been able to dream of the same place for so long. The chime of the bell on the door was comfortingly familiar as she entered the little dojo and kicked off her shoes and socks. She was already moving across the polished wooden floorboards, working through her warm-up routine when Matthais joined her, arms crossed as he watched each of her movements.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

When she was done, she turned to him, surprised to find a scowl on his youthful features. Her heart picked up its pace, the sudden, almost instinctual anxiety and fear of disapproval from someone whose approval she’d worked so hard to gain causing her to falter.

“What? What is it?” she asked, wondering what she could have possibly done wrong. “I thought you would want me to-”

“Ellette, who exactly are you?”

Her stomach dropped. This little escape, the thrill of learning something new, it was over. She had no answer for him. Nothing he would like. Nothing she could fully explain. “I’m not sure what you’re asking. I told you, my life is complicated--”

“No. Where are you from? Where do you go when you leave here? The last two nights, I had someone follow you--”

“You what?” she exclaimed, though the outrage was somewhat feigned. She’d known he’d been growing suspicious. She always skirted around personal questions. Yet, so did he. “Look, I don’t go prying into your life, why would you follow me?”

Matthias ran a hand through his hair and turned from her, looking at least a little chastised. “It wasn’t my idea. Gabe got suspicious. He’s been asking about you.”

“Gabe?” Had he ever mentioned a Gabe? She couldn’t remember. It had been all she could do to remember all the details of what he’d taught her. She was always exhausted by the end, mentally and physically.

“My bodyguard. He can’t find anything on you, and he’s followed you twice now.” He narrowed his eyes, voice low. “No one just disappears like you did, not when Gabe is following them.”

“Ah,” Ellette responded, all too aware that she had worn out her welcome. “Well, considering I had no idea you had a bodyguard or that I was being followed--”

“Listen, Ellette, I like you. I don’t know how you managed to evade Gabe, but from my perspective, it doesn’t look good. You understand that, right? I tried to look you up myself, and you’re a ghost. I want to believe you had a good reason to lie. That you meant no harm.” He shook his head and sighed. “But I can’t have you coming back here.”

Ellette stood stunned for a moment, knowing it was her cue to leave, yet unable to convince her feet to move. “Matthias,” she stammered, staring at this boy she’d grown to know, to like, and trust. He was a figment of her mind, though wasn’t he? Just a dream, right? Yet part of her knew he was real. All of this was all too real. And she was about to lose him, his friendship, and the unexpected nature of it hurt. “I’m so sorry, Matthias. I appreciate you. Everything you taught me.”

He took a deep breath and nodded, fist clenching and unclenching at his sides. “You need to go, Elllette. For your own good.”

There was nothing more she could do or say. She had no explanation for him. No answer that would satisfy him or this bodyguard of his. She had a feeling that he was buying her time, that he had meant all he’d said. Tears burned in her eyes as she shoved her feet into her shoes and reached for the door. She blinked rapidly before turning back to take in the little room once more. The mirrored wall, the highly polished floor, the well cared for equipment, and the smell of sweat, cut by the aroma of tea that she knew was brewing in the back room. And then, there was Matthias, slender, blond, and deceptively pretty.

“Thank you, Matthias. I wish I could explain,” she tried, knowing it was futile. “Just, thank you.”

“Gabe will be here any minute,” was all he said, unwilling to meet her gaze.

She hated that she had, however inadvertently, betrayed his trust. Over the last couple of weeks, it had become clear that they were kindred spirits of a sort. They shared little, but there was an understanding there, of trauma, hardship, loneliness. Ellette took one last look at him before pushing open the door and disappearing into the heat of a glorious summer night. The jingle of the door closing behind her rang with a note of finality, and she knew it was the last time she would ever hear it.

***

Ellette woke to tightness in her chest and the burn of unshed tears. She took a ragged breath and turned to find Dani watching her, head propped up on her arm, large blue eyes heavy-lidded.

“You okay?” Dani asked sleepily. “You were muttering in your sleep.”

Ellette took a deep breath and nodded, wiping at her face. “Bad dream.” She blinked and let out a little ragged laugh. “It’s like I lost a friend.”