We walked out of the lobby in silence, both of us at a slow pace. 

The lobby was spacious, featuring numerous couches in the sitting lounge and a huge TV on the wall. Four women sat in the reception area chatting idly. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and cast warm light around, yet it seemed dark in here. 

Once we left the building, a different type of ease settled in my chest. The cool breeze picked up and ruffled my loose braid. Cars honked at one another or sped by. We walked on the sidewalk and passed couples and kids with warm smiles on their faces. There were plenty of different types of restaurants here.

 Coffee shops, Asian restaurants, pizzerias, burgers, smoothies, and ice cream. Krishna opened the door for me and went in. Customers were eating their sweets and talking. Rows and rows of different ice cream flavors are displayed in front of the store, with boards of their specials hung on the wall. I ordered a cookie and cream while Krishna ordered a vanilla.

 We left the shop and went to a park to enjoy our sweets. Kids played and screamed around us. Whenever I leave the building and go to town...

 I feel at peace. 

“Reika!” I turned my head to see a little boy with brown hair, jade eyes, and a toothy smile. He ran up to me and hugged me as big as he could. 

“How are you, Owen?” I asked. Owen’s Father works in the Black Order as a scientist. 

“I’m good! How’s papa?” he asked as he looked up to me. 

“Who’s this?” Krishna asked beside me, “You're not married, are you?” 

“What? No! Meet Owen, he’s a scientist, Nicholas’s son,” I told him, and Krishna seemed to breathe again. 

I looked at Owen, “This is Krishna, he’s a new exorcist. Your dad’s good, but he's busier than ever.” Owen’s sweet smile faded away; he looked really sad.

I ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry, one day he’ll come to see you,” I said. He gave me a big, toothy smile, then ran away from us and went back to playing. I watched his tiny form disappear into the group of children. 

I turned my attention back to Krishna, “Why did you become an exorcist?” He stared at me for a while with no expression on his face, then turned it back. 

“You don’t need to know.”

 How rude! 

Anger exploded inside me like a volcano. I pushed my ice cream into Krishna’s chest, making him catch it before it fell on his lap. He looked at me with surprise. 

“Enjoy the ice cream,” I muttered out loud, then got up, walked away, and left him alone.

 He probably knows a great deal about me, and yet I know nothing about him. 

Who does he think he is?

 I had a lot of pep in my step as one location was in my mind.

 Whenever I needed to blow some steam, I would often go to an abandoned factory that was near the Black Corps. 

Trees and tall grass surrounded it; all the windows were broken, and rust coated the building, as veins grew around it. There were no doors, which circulated the air; cobwebs were in every corner, all the machines were rotting now, and there were glass shards on the floor. 

I stopped walking and took the breaths of darkness surrounding me.

 How could I forget that this guy’s a total jerk? 

Just because he bought me ice cream, I suddenly thought he was nice? 

My left hand was still wrapped up, but my right hand wasn’t. I turned towards the wall next to me and began to punch with my right hand repeatedly until air could finally fill my lungs. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, then opened them again. There was a really big hole where I had punched, and blood dripped from my knuckles. 

I need a break...

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A.G. Preet here!!!! So sorry for the long wait! Thank you for your patience and I hope I haven't lost your love for my story yet. I promise to update it on Tuesday! Thank you once again!