The next hours are a blur. I stumble through the streets, at a loss where to go. I don’t have a flat anymore and under no circumstances will I ask my parents or Sophie for help. Who would have thought they were right in their assumption that there was something strange about my friends? I was obviously the only one who didn’t notice it, or didn’t want to, to be more precise. I was so happy in their company and now it feels like I’m on the run. Will they come after me? Nervously I look around but they’re not here. I’ve no idea how to go on, I just can’t cope. Like my mum. She obviously didn’t get out in time and she died. Maybe I do still have a chance if they can’t find me. Could be that I wasn’t so drunk after all last night and my decision was the right one. Anyhow it’s the only possible way out, they won’t find me there. I’ll never forget, but I have to move on.
Shortly afterwards I ring the bell. Ralph, still in his pyjamas, opens the door, a big grin on his face when he sees me. “Hi baby,” he murmurs, kissing me on the mouth. “Welcome back!”
Chapter 36
“She wasn’t on the plane,” Cassius growls, slumping into a chair on the veranda.
“So she either suspects or knows something,” Will states, pouring some orange juice into a glass.
“Who knows what?” Rupert joins them, yawning widely.
“Livia, that we’re different. Maybe she noticed that we don’t have any shadows,” Cassius explains. Rupert stares at him, suddenly wide awake.
“She didn’t ask you about it, did she?” Cassius shakes his head. Then Ruth strolls out of the house.
“High time, too, that we told her the truth. You don’t think you could have hidden the fact that we don’t have shadows for long on a sunny island like Madagascar, do you?” She frowns, sitting down beside Cassius. “On the other hand, maybe you could, Livia’s rather slow-witted.” Cassius opens his mouth to shout at her but Will interrupts him.
“In my opinion, she’s known for some time but didn’t want it to be true.”
“What are you talking about?” Natalie asks, joining them.
“That there’s something fishy about us. Livia was not on the plane.” Natalie exhales sharply.
“But we look just like humans, feel like them too, why should she be suspicious?” Cassius jumps up and starts pacing agitatedly.
“What I wonder is – why now?” Rupert muses. “Maybe because we didn’t fly out with her? Did she ask you why?” Cassius just shakes his head.
“She did ask me,” Natalie interjects. “But I think my answer was a plausible one.” She pulls a face. “But there were times when she mentioned that some things I said were weird.” She remembers several occasions, and then there was the issue of the blue lights in her eyes too.
“She liked to be with us, she’s in love with Cassius. I’m sure that’s why she never asked anything,” Will nods slowly.
“I think so too. She’s a coward and she wanted to be one of us at any cost,” Ruth murmurs. At least until this morning, she thinks to herself, hiding her smile.
“Well, she does, doesn’t she?” Cassius snaps. Ruth glares back at him.
“Why are you so sure? Randolph hasn’t met her and approved of her yet, and we haven’t told her the truth. Maybe she won’t believe us. Or she won’t want to join our family. It wouldn’t be the first time that a candidate refused to change into an Arash.” Rebecca. Cassius doesn’t respond, Ruth has hit a sore point, voicing his worst fear. Ruth notices Will and Natalie watching her carefully and places her hand on Cassius’ arm. “Cassius, it’ll all be alright, you’ll see. We intended to tell her here and now anyway.” Ruth really is an ace actress. Cassius looks into the girl’s dark eyes which are now full of compassion.
“Yes, but she’s not here, is she?” Ruth turns away, unable to hide her smirk a second longer. The problem of Livia is probably solved. If Ruth hasn’t succeeded in deleting her memory Livia is surely much too frightened to want to be with them anymore.
“I’m going to find her, now!” Cassius declares but Will tries to deter him.
“You’re much too uptight and impulsive right now. I’ll go,” he offers.
“You didn’t succeed in finding her yesterday either!” Cassius growls at his friend.
“Will’s right! You have to calm down first, otherwise you’ll make silly mistakes in front of humans. Will, look at her sister’s house, it’s at least worth a try,” Natalie suggests.
Will is completely at a loss about what to tell Cassius. He’s found Livia all right, Sophie having given him a hint. Livia wasn’t been at her sister’s but he listened to a call Sophie made. “Ralph, I’m glad that you and Livia are a couple again, I just read it on Facebook. Is she with you at the moment? I want to talk to her and she’s switched off her phone.” Will nearly fainted with shock. Liva and her ex? What on earth has happened? And above alclass="underline" what should he do about it? Cassius would certainly kill Ralph if he told him.
“I came as fast as I could without arousing Cassius’ suspicion.” Natalie ubilocated into Will’s flat as soon as she got his call. “What’s happened?” Will’s face is white as a sheet as he hands her a glass of champagne.
“Drink up, you’ll need it,” he whispers. Natalie looks at Will with concern, alarmed by his tousled hair and crumpled shirt, not at all his usual smart self. How she would like to comfort him!
“So, what’s up?” she prompts him again.
“Livia is with her ex, Ralph.” Natalie’s glass shatters on the floor. Her eyes are round and for once she’s speechless.
“How could she?” she breathes finally, reaching for Will’s glass and finishing it in one.
“No idea,” Will sighs and starts gathering the shards of glass from the floor. “I haven't seen her yet, I know from her sister.” Natalie refills the glass, a horrified look on her face.
“Something must have happened. Livia wouldn't return to this Ralph on a whim, she’s in love with Cassius.” Natalie blanches. “Oh god, how do we tell him?” Will shakes his fringe out of his eyes.
“That’s why I called you. You’re always very creative in making up fibs.” But Natalie shakes her head, her locks flying.
“Whatever we tell him we certainly won’t be able to deter him for much longer from looking for her. I have to talk to Livia and fast!”
When I enter the bathroom and find Natalie in a bikini and sarong sitting on the rim of the bathtub, I nearly faint. They’ve found me already! Well, Natalie really is an accomplished stalker. The girl with the brown locks looks like my best friend, she’s even smiling like her. But in reality she’s some alien creature who appeared just like that in Ralph’s bathroom on the fourth floor. I was never more convinced that I’ve done the right thing. “Livia, how are you?” she asks shyly, not commenting on her presence here. Right, so they know I sussed them.