So what was keeping me from telling Boss? Was I afraid of what Rafael's fate would be if Boss wasn't understanding of why he had been gone, or didn't believe him? Did I believe him? I had let Rafael off that night, and he had texted me a few times saying he was glad we were back in touch, and asking me how my days were. He had never asked about work though, so it wasn't like he was prying and trying to get information. As I turned the corner, I passed my favorite fountain that was in between a few buildings. I liked the shape of it and how large it was... snickering to myself that I probably just had a phallic reference thought. I giggled to myself. Some days it paid to have a dirty mind. Guiding my thoughts back to Rafael, I wondered if I should start a stakeout mission of my own. I had the skills to successfully track someone without them noticing... maybe if I was able to track Rafael and see what he did all day then maybe I could gather some information and show it to Boss. Regardless of what Rafael did, if he was just innocently back in town, glad to be alive, then maybe he would get his old job back. If Rafael was hiding something, and I figured out what it was, maybe I could get my promotion quicker.
Feeling quite pumped from my plan to get myself back into Boss' good graces while solving the mystery surrounding Rafael, I amplified the intensity of my jog and sprinted for a few feet. As I slowed myself down, I spotted a food truck across the street. By this time, I'd worked up a nice sweat, so I thought it might be time to call it quits. I grabbed myself two tacos from the food truck and sat down at the little table in the plaza.
The crunch of the tacos and the juicy tomatoes were a delight for my hunger. The cool Bridgeport breeze touched my skin and calmed me down, which felt nice after I'd worked up all that energy jogging. It felt good to just relax and be by myself. For my job, I always had to be around a lot of people, mind my surroundings, and be alert, so I greatly appreciated the times that I felt at peace, and didn't have to do that as much. I mean obviously, I never dropped my guard completely, as that would be a bad thing to do when living in a city, I just meant that I didn't have to be as stressed about it as I was when I was trying to perform perfectly for Boss. I was almost done with my dinner when my phone buzzed.
Do you want to hang out tomorrow?
I smiled to myself, deciding to use our hang out time as the start of my covert operation to figure out what Rafael did all day. I felt kind of bad even thinking of spying on my childhood friend, but I needed to know more about him now that he was back in town. My job was at stake here, and my job was incredibly important to me.
Yes. Meet at The Fountain around 12 noon?
Sure. See you.
Perfect. I hoped that hanging out with Rafael would reap good rewards. It had been a while since I'd had a good friend to talk to. I didn't date much considering what I did for a living. I didn't really want to know too many people, lest they figure out and disapprove of my activities, and report me to the authorities. I could lie my way through a relationship, but I didn't feel like it would be fair to string someone along like that, especially if they fell in love with me. I may enjoy the thrill of criminal activity, but I liked to think I wasn't a cold-hearted, callous individual.
The next morning, I got up as usual, and got ready for my outing with Rafael, after which I just relaxed around my apartment till I needed to leave. When I arrived at the fountain, Rafael was already there. He saw me from a few feet away, and smiled, waving at me. I waved back, and exchanged my own smile.
"Hi Natalia. How are you? Are you hungry? We could grab some lunch."
"I'm good, and yeah, sure, lunch sounds good. What about Cafe Dyrrios?"
Rafael came towards me, and we started just casually walking at a regular pace to one of the coffee houses in town that had great sandwiches and soup, in addition to coffee.
"So how have you been, Rafael?"
"Oh, not bad. I got a job."
"Really? Like an honest to goodness job?"
"Yeah, I was getting bored just sitting at the hotel, and I am supposed to be dead, so... yeah, I guess I decided to start over, or whatever."
"Wow. I can say I'm shocked. Did you have to use a different name to fill out your application since you're 'dead?' "
"I know. Probably not what you expected of me, and no, I didn't use a different name. I have no record, so a background check wasn't going to reveal anything shady. No one's looking for me either, so I just went with my actual name. I'm only 'dead' in Boss' and the team's eyes. I kind of figured changing it would raise more suspicion? I'm not sure, but for now, that's how it is."
Rafael smiled at me, and laughed. I seriously was not sure how to process what he just told me. I didn't know whether to believe him or not, but I figured my plans to stake him out would answer any questions I had on the situation, so I just let it go. The fact that he got me into petty theft made me somehow believe that he would just always be a criminal, but then I got to thinking about why he stole stuff when he was a teenager. His parents never bought him anything, and his dad often wasn't home to make sure he got fed. He probably stole out of necessity, for survival. My heart went out to him with that thought.
"Well, that's okay. Life choices are just that. Choices. If you want to go straight, who am I to stop you?"
"Thanks, Natalia. You're a good friend, even after I gave you the shock of your life with my return."
"I was surprised, but I did miss you, so part of me was happy you were back."
"The other part of you was..."
"You know, wondering if you were sent to kill me."
"Oh, right, that."
I laughed, and so did Rafael. I felt a little wierd that he got a legit job, but I was also sort of relieved. Once I did follow him to see what he was up to, and if he was telling the truth, I could quit worrying about that part of my life. Rafael didn't seem like he would rat me out or anything like that, so even if he did go straight, I didn't think I'd have much to worry about. I'd just be able to continue going on as I did, and enjoying life the way I wanted to. I smiled at Rafael again as we arrived at Cafe Dyrrios, happy that the day was going so well, and glad I had a plan in place.
Author's Note: Natalia is now a Level 2 Cutpurse in game. She gets to not only bump into people, but now she gets to swipe something off of them, like ID badges, wallets, that sort of thing. LOL.
She's happy the day is going so well, huh? Things are going to turn to shit!
ReplyDeleteSo it's been three months already, and she still hasn't told her boss? I wonder if he suspects something and has someone follow her to spy on her. And Rafael is an idiot for moving back into the same town. Boss or anyone from his gang could easily spot him and report him, and then he'd be in trouble. He should have moved somewhere far away, where there's no chance of him bumping anyone from his old life. Starting over in a place with a history like that wasn't the smartest thing to do, and I have a feeling it won't end well for him. They'll both be in trouble.
Yeah, she is. Cause all things considered, she's having a good day, is she not? She met Rafael, had a good conversation with him, got some food. LOL. I suppose things could turn to shit, but there's not really a guarantee that they will.
DeleteTwo months, but yeah, she probably waited too long. She's naive. She's too ambitious for her own good, which is why she screwed up her job in Chapter one, she tries to bite off more than she can chew. IDK, Boss has no reason really to suspect her of anything, she's been going to work like normal, and hasn't been acting shady or secretive, she's pretty good at manipulating situations. She can hide the fact that she has a secret quite well.
Bridgeport is a huge town, it's a bit like trying to locate someone in New York City (which is the town I equate Bridgeport too) when you don't know they're in town, yet alone alive. Possible, yes, but difficult. Had this been one of those towns where the population was like under 2,000 or something, then yes, Rafael moving back and trying to live there, wouldn't have been smart because he would have been spotted lickety split. He saw Natalia because he sought her out, and he's smart enough to know sort of where Boss does his deals and hangs out for the most part, so he avoids those areas. He also already managed to follow Natalia home from work and not have anyone spot him, so have a little faith. I mean that in the nicest way imaginable, of course. :)
Well damn. Two months and she's not told the boss about Rafael??? She's playing with fire I feel like. That day in his office was one thing, but now, every day she goes to work and keeps quiet seems like she's digging her own grave. I'm not sure why he came back now, but it's good she's not completely relaxed where he's concerned. Staking him out is a good idea, but she also needs to say something to the boss.
ReplyDeleteLOL, yes, Natalia is playing with fire! She's naive, and probably a lot overconfident. She's very ambitious in addition to her naivete, so that doesn't help her cause at all. LOL yes, she probably is digging a hole she's going to need a tall ladder to climb out of. Today, he just wanted to hang out with his friend. Until Natalia figures out what is happening, she won't be relaxed around him. She's at least wise to that part, and her not trusting 100% is probably one of her greatest strengths. We'll see what happens when she stakes out Rafael, and also, if she tells Boss or not, even though we both know she probably should. :D
DeleteOh no Natalia unless you have some death wish or some good back up, keeping information like this away from the boss is never a good idea. It is good that she doesn't really trust Rafael because all this business of going straight in the same place where he was a criminal doesn't sound kosher to me. Why go back to where the boss could be angry with him and possibly threaten his life or where a warrant for his arrest might exist? Wouldn't it be better to start over someplace else? I just don't buy his story and I think she better let the Boss in on this especially considering the fact that he was with another rival gang for a while.
ReplyDeleteAwww, haha, Natalia doesn't have a death wish, but she's being a bit naive. She has a suspicious nature, which is probably her best quality, LOL, because she is even able to apply it to someone she's known for a good part of her life, someone she used to trust. Ehh, he could be trying to go straight since he was considered dead, and no one's looking for him. He went back to the same town because it has good memories for him, all things considered. There's no arrest warrant out for him, he and Natalia don't have a record. It might have been better to start over somewhere else, but he didn't LOL. It's a bit like when someone fakes their death and just stays under the radar... but yeah, you're right that his story seems a bit wierd. We'll see what Natalia finds out when she follows him, and if she tells Boss... even though we both know she should. LOL. XD
DeleteWell, I wasn't expecting the time jump, so forget my last comment. haha But, hmm, I wonder why she hasn't told the Boss about Rafael or if it'll be a big deal. I mean, I suppose it will be because she's keeping something from her employer, the town's most powerful drug lord, but idk, I'm curious about that, I guess. Also about what may happen if/when the boss does find out about Rafael. I almost don't trust Rafael either, so am looking forward to what Natalia's stake outs will reveal.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad that she can have some time to herself, away from work and people. That's always nice to be able to get away and get recharge. And that she can revisit with Rafael since they were so close before he disappeared.
LOL, it's okay, I answered what you were wondering about the job in my reply to your comment. I didn't feel like making her team members, so I skipped over that part. LOL. Natalia's naive, a little scared, and that's part of why she hasn't told Boss. She doesn't know how Boss will react, and mainly she's afraid of what Boss will do to Rafael. So I think in a way, she is trying to protect Rafael through her naivete. She's not being very smart in general. LOL. I hope that answers your curiosity a little. Rafael is still a little mysterious and Natalia doesn't know what's going on with him, so it's probably natural there's a little mistrust there.
DeleteYeah, Natalia likes her days off, or just the times she gets off work, when she doesn't have to be under so much stress. All things considered, her and Rafael were good friends, and still are somewhat good friends, so it's nice when they can just hang out without all of that other crap.
Hi, I just caught up to your story. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in a while. I hope you have been good.
ReplyDeleteWell, this is a pretty interesting story. I have to say I like Rafael. I don't know if he is up to no good or not, but he's cute and she has a past with him. I also like that he chooses to have an honest job, but I wonder how that will affect them in the long run.
For her not to tell her boss about him might be a bad or good thing. That could go so many different ways. But I am curious what would happen if he ever did find out?
It's a good story. I also like that you added a section about her apartment and the Boss' headquarters.
I will talk to you soon,
Jennifer
Hi! I am happy to see you here leaving a comment! :)
DeleteThanks for checking it out. I'm glad you find it interesting. Aww, heehee, Rafael appreciates that you like him. :D Yeah, he's Natalia's friend, so of course they would both try to connect on that level. They didn't part on bad terms, so it makes sense. Heehee, we'll see what he is really doing in the next chapter when Natalia stakes him out. If he does have an honest job, it will be interesting to see how their two paths converge, if he doesn't, then we'll see how that affects things too, more so if he doesn't because that could mean trouble for Natalia and Boss and the rest of the team. Rival groups are never the best.
Yeah, I think I figured out finally how I want to do all of that, Boss being told about him and his reaction to the news. I think all of that will be explained possibly in not the next chapter, but chapter six.
Thanks. I felt like doing the little tours just because, I've never really done that before for any of my stories, and I finally felt like I am getting better at building, so I thought it'd be fun for others to see my sets in another way, rather than just in the story.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
You know, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if Boss discovers for himself soon. After all, Rafael is using his real name and beyond that, he and Natalia are now meeting up in public. I mean, it even seems logical that Boss "keeps an eye" on all of his workers and if he does, he'll also discover just who Natalia has been keeping company with. I don't know that he'd care she's spending time with him, but I do think he'd at least be a little miffed that Natalia didn't think to tell him. She really should say something soon because I get the feeling things will go a lot better for Natalia if he finds out from her and not an informant! Though, she's waited so long now that it may not go so well either way, lol. I don't get the feeling Boss would be upset Rafael is back, but I do think he'd be upset that Natalia kept this information from him for so long.....
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, hey hey, Rafael did get a job! What does he do now? It's cool that he's starting over, though if he really wanted to stay out of the world of crime it seems interesting that he's continuing to seek Natalia out. Perhaps he just can't give her up ;)
I suppose he could find out for himself, but it does make it harder to locate people in this town because it's huge. There's millions of people who live in the town. Yes, they're meeting in public, but there's so many people that the off-chance of anyone running into each other on accident is extremely rare. Rafael coming back after being dead is an advantage for him because Boss thinks he's dead, so he has no reason to go look for him. Plus I didn't really mention if he'd changed his appearance at all from before, so there's that too. Had Boss wanted to focus efforts on finding Rafael, then yes, it's possible them meeting in public and him using his real name would result in Boss finding him. It does seem like he could have people stalking Natalia at all times, ROFL, but he tends to do that for team members he doesn't particularly trust, and is trying to figure out whether to 'let them go,' or not. >:D He trusts Natalia despite her fuck up, but he knows she's naive, and she didn't fuck up with intention to hurt the team. I think I finally figured out how I want all of that to go, how he is going to react and stuff, haha, yeah he might just be like 'Aww, wtf, Natalia,' but then it would be no skin off his nose, if he looked at the big picture.
DeleteYeah! Haha, Rafael got a job, we'll find out what he does, when Natalia stakes him out next chapter. Yes, that is exactly right, he has missed Natalia and he misses their time as a couple. D'awww. LOL. They didn't exactly break up, or even get to say goodbye, it was just boom explosion, and then he disappeared, so they both still have unresolved feelings for each other, even though Natalia for now is keeping things at a platonic level until she figures out if she can trust him.
Somehow I don't trust Raphael. If he did change and wants a honest job now, why did he contact Natalia again? He should actually avoid her and go far, far away from his ex boss and all the danger that his past life represents.
ReplyDeleteIn the other hand, why didn't Natalia tell abt him to her boss? She's indeed playing with fire again. If his boss finds out Raphael is alive AND she knew it... O.o, he won't be very happy.
Heehee, you probably shouldn't trust Rafael, he is a criminal after all. ROFL. To answer your question, he contacted Natalia because he still has feelings for her. They split when she thought he died in that explosion, so they never actually got to officially break up or say good bye or any of that stuff, so they both still have unresolved feelings. He missed her. Love makes people do stupid things, so we will see if Rafael's decision is going to bite him in the ass later. LOL.
DeleteWhy Natalia didn't tell Boss is because she's naive, and overconfident. Initially, in the last chapter, she just genuinely forgot because she didn't think it was a big deal. Now, two months have gone by, and Natalia thought that she could use her secret as some form of threatening or something, and she's been going back and forth in her mind wondering if she could get ahead in her job by outsmarting her Boss, but it's only now that she realized that was a stupid idea. She's also a little scared, she likes Rafael, and she didn't want Boss to do something to Rafael. She doesn't know how Boss will react, so she was trying to protect Rafael by not telling him. Many reasons she didn't do it, some of them are noble, some of them are stupid, LOL. So... she's going to have to face the consequences, whatever that may be... XD
As much as I want to lower my guard down, I know I should at least keep it up for a few more chapters.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Rafael got a legit, good job . . . But what kind of job? Restaurant? Desk job? Part time?
Anyways, I'm heading on to the next chapter now, can't wait to read it!
You'll find out where Rafael's working in the next chapter. Haha, yeah, I always do have stuff up my sleeve... XD It's probably best you don't put your guard down.
DeleteIf he went clean, that's great! But I can't help but think the shits going to hit the fan sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteDoes her boss already know and is watching HER?
Haha yes, there is always that possibility of shit hitting the fan... you know, with it being a Going Solo, that is bound to happen at some point, of course LOL.
DeleteLOL, that's definitely another very good guess, Boss is pretty smart, but we'll see if he knows already or not. XD