Pub
The tram came around a curve, and Caitlyn grabbed the handrail with her other hand as it moved suddenly. A middle-aged man bumped into her from the side, and Caitlyn moved as tactfully as she could to the back of the car after the inadvertent touch. There, she could already see Jayce settled in, having managed to grab a seat early in the ride. She squeezed past the older couple and managed to make her way over to Jayce. His face was turned to the window, and he looked like he was rethinking all his life decisions.
"We're getting off at the next stop?"
Jayce merely nodded, but the nervousness still lingered in his expression.
She was still trying to convince herself that the evening would be just fine. If she was lucky enough, no one would even notice her presence and she could just survive with a pint of beer in her hand and Jayce’s bickering. However, when she thought about it right now, Jayce didn’t seem fully in the mood.
Caitlyn wrinkled her forehead and gently kicked the toe of Jayce's shoe. "Okay, tell me what's wrong."
"I guess you were right."
Caitlyn was taken aback by the sentence, but she didn't let it show on her face. "I'm always right. But that doesn't explain why you look so crestfallen."
Jayce finally looked at her but then sighed again. "Sorry. I don't even know what I'm saying. It's just-," he paused, and Caitlyn noticed how nervously he fiddled with his fingers. "It's just that Viktor and I mostly spend time together at school when we're working on something. What if he realizes that the two of us are meant to stay strictly lab partners? That I don’t actually belong in his world?”
"That's nonsense. He wouldn't have suggested this if he didn't think you were worth it," she pointed out. "Besides, he must trust you beyond belief if he's invited you to this particular type of event, and he trusts that whoever you bring won't make trouble."
Jayce said nothing more and merely looked at his friend with gratitude, but the uncertainty still lingered in his eyes. "I guess I'm not going to find out anyway, except by undergoing this evening.”
Caitlyn smiled gently, offering at least a small amount of comfort. "It'll be all right. Seriously."
Any further conversation was interrupted by the jerk of the tram and the zigzag that marked the arrival at the stop. Once they both got off, Caitlyn regretted not dressing warmer.
“Viktor!” Jayce waved at the man standing near the tram sign.
Viktor smirked and with confident step marched toward them, his cain accompanying his footsteps.
Caitlyn met the man few times before – usually when she decided to annoy Jayce in the lab where he and Viktor were working on whatever projects at the moment. She liked him. He wasn’t particularly noisy and he cared about Jayce. And that’s what mattered to her.
Both men hugged as if they didn’t see each other on daily basis and Viktor then turned to Caitlyn. “Hello, Sprout,” he said with full seriousness, but Caitlyn noticed the sparks in his eyes.
“Really?” Caitlyn frowned at Jayce. “Exactly how many people did you tell your nickname for me?”
Jayce’s mouth gaped open. “I didn’t tell him!” he started to defend himself and looked at Viktor. “Did I?”
Viktor raised one eyebrow. “You did.”
Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “I will never forgive you,” she muttered at Jayce and smiled at his partner. “Hi, Viktor. And please don’t call me that again. I would hate to kill Jayce for ever coming up with this horrendous nickname.”
"Noted,” Viktor nodded. “And not that I am not enjoying this delightful conversation we're having, but with the cold weather we're having, it might be best to move."
“Please. I don’t want you two figuring out what else I accidently fucked up,” Jayce nodded in agreement.
The three of them headed in the direction Viktor had indicated. After a while, Jayce and Viktor launched into a conversation about the project they were working on for school, and Caitlyn was glad to be able to breathe for a moment and let her own thoughts drift. They walked at a comfortable pace that suited Caitlyn's choice of heeled shoes, but not so slowly that the walk was annoying.
Caitlyn cleared her throat after a few minutes. "If you don't mind me asking, Viktor - how do you know- um," she paused, realizing that she didn't even know the name of the woman around whom the whole event had taken place. Viktor raised an eyebrow. "Violet?"
Caitlyn nodded.
"My parents knew hers. When I was a child, we often met at various gatherings where both of our parents were present. I also babysat a few times. And during the time she spent in prison, I helped her younger sister prepare for university."
Caitlyn didn't miss the way Viktor smiled when he talked about the sisters.
"I must say, since-," he paused for a moment. "I mean - even though they had major personal problems at one time that caused us to unwillingly separate, I'm glad I've had the opportunity to reconnect with this side of my life," he smiled at Caitlyn. "It's good to be reminded of where our roots lie and where we come from."
Caitlyn wondered what it was like to be proud of your community, your place of origin. To have pure affection for your family.
She was curious about this type of dynamic, not just between Viktor and Violet but also the regular interactions in communities when you know you can trust each other. Caitlyn herself had to be careful when talking to new people. At her mother's parties, it was easy. She knew what to say and what not to talk about. However, navigating a world of people her age could be much more difficult. Especially when one wanted to find a real friendship with someone who wasn’t a proud celebrator of oppression.
Caitlyn swallowed. "It must be nice. To know you have each other."
Viktor nodded, and Caitlyn noticed over his shoulder the searching look Jayce gave her. She quickly turned her head back and directed her gaze ahead of her.
"So, what should we expect?" Jayce asked, and though he tried to sound casual, Caitlyn could sense a slight uncertainty in his words.
"Oh, terrible things. I should have warned you to wear bulletproof vests and make up false identities in case anyone present started asking you about your family background."
Caitlyn took one look at Jayce's horrified expression, and an almost schoolgirl giggle escaped her lips. Viktor eyed her curiously, as if he hadn't expected such a reaction, and Jayce opened his mouth in surprise. "Oh, that was a joke," he snapped as if the possibility hadn't even crossed his mind.
A small smile still played on Viktor’s lips. "My sense of humour is one of my better qualities and I thought you were more familiar with it," he looked at Jayce eloquently.
"So, how is this really going to work?" Caitlyn asked when she had calmed down a bit.
"Don't expect anything special. It doesn't matter that you don't know Violet. If I understood correctly, her return home is more of an excuse to have a nice evening and meet up with old friends. I can't speak for everyone, of course, but most of society won't care who you are or your family background. As long as you're not working with the StB and trying to find something to report on tonight, you're welcome."
Caitlyn became a little wary at the mention of State Security. Until now she hadn't even considered the possibility that someone might try to infiltrate, but of course it was possible. She couldn't imagine what her parents would say if they found out where she had spent her evening.
"We're here," Viktor’s voice interrupted Caitlyn's thoughts, and the woman looked up.
They were standing in front of a shabby building with scratched plaster. Colourful graffiti was displayed above the entrance, and Caitlyn deciphered "Jericho's" from the sign. The use of spray paint to mark the name of the business was surprising, but Caitlyn realised that she actually quite liked the idea.
They entered the pub, and the comfortable warmth erased from Caitlyn's mind any objections she had to the place. Most of the space was set with crowded tables, and loud cheers and laughter came from every corner.
Her stomach turned. She loathed that she couldn’t know what to expect.
Viktor walked up to the bar, behind which stood a burly man who, despite his admirable physique, had a kindly expression on his face. After a brief discussion, Viktor turned back to Caitlyn and Jayce and motioned for them to follow him.
They walked around the counter, and Viktor proceeded through a door with a sign that read "Staff Only". A corridor they marched through was lit by unpleasant white bulbs that made Caitlyn squirm her eyes a little. Viktor leaned into a heavy looking door and opened it.
As they stepped outside, Caitlyn, with surprise realized they were out in the fresh air again. They found themselves in a courtyard-like space. She looked around. It sounded stupidly magical, but she felt like she had entered another world. Someone had gone to the trouble of hanging chains of lights, unevenly arranged. The walls of the buildings were splashed with bright colours, creating wild scenes, but together, they made a harmonious whole, and Caitlyn silently wondered if the artist was the same person who had created the sign above the entrance to the pub.
She almost didn't even register the people present despite scanning the entire area. There weren't many – around forty to fifty – but the energy that radiated from these people made it seem like there was at least a hundred more. Caitlyn surveyed them with searching eyes. Most of the men had longer hair - "maniacs" as her mother would call them. Caitlyn caught only a brief glimpse of someone with pink hair in the crowd before the person was lost to her gaze.
She glanced down at her outfit - the formal black trousers, the immaculately clean turtleneck, and the perfectly tailored coat - and a feeling of awkwardness washed over her. She felt like a small child trying vehemently to fit in with the collective of adults, unaware of how out of place she really looked.
Caitlyn wondered if it was too late to leave home and hide under her blankets.
Viktor looked at her and Jayce. "Does it meet your expectations?"
"It's beautiful," Caitlyn whispered, her gaze drinking in the painting on the opposite wall.
Jayce nodded vehemently, his gaze wandering frantically all around. "You mean to tell me that something like this is just a short walk from downtown?" He laughed a sense of wonder in his voice. "That's incredible!"
Viktor’s otherwise calm expression was broken only by a small, proud smile. "Well, Powder and Ekko were thrilled to have chance express their artistic potential," he interjected without caring to explain who Powder or Ekko even were. "If you want something to drink, there's a punch by the door. For beer, you would have to go inside."
While they were pouring drinks and Jayce was rambling to Viktor something about the ‘genius loci’ this place supposedly had, Caitlyn, lost her gaze in the crowd again.
She was startled to recognize a burly man standing with two twenty-something-year-old boys, engrossed in what was probably a very interesting conversation.
Vander Florián.
She could recognize that man everywhere. Probably everyone would. It wasn’t every day that the national press cared enough to talk about just one man for weeks. The dangerous, perverted, and morally corrupted individual looked quite normal in Caitlyn’s opinion.
Caitlyn continued to run her eyes over the crowd and paused when she noticed the bright pink hair again.
And her breath hitched when she realised they belonged to the most beautiful woman in the world.
She might have been a similar age to Caitlyn, but those were probably all the traits they shared. Her wild-cut pink hair was pulled back in a short ponytail and despite wearing a larger leather jacket, it still couldn't hide her muscular build and broader shoulders. She had just laughed loudly, and the wild sound stripped away all inhibitions, drawing Caitlyn in like a moth to a light. Next to the woman stood a slightly shorter girl with two unusually long braids and a young man with dark skin and white dreadlocks. But Caitlyn couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from the pink-haired woman and take in anything but her.
Someone cleared her throat at her left, and Caitlyn snapped back to reality. She turned to Jayce, who was looking at her smugly. She could already feel herself getting annoyed.
"You were staring," he grinned.
"Shut up," she pursed her lips into a tight line and raised the punch to her lips to take a sip. Of course, Jayce of all people had to notice.
Viktor stood next to her and nodded his head. "I see that Violet has already made an impression."
Caitlyn looked again in surprise at the girl, who was gesticulating wildly to her two friends. So, this was the woman released from prison.
Jayce chuckled. "Well, she certainly impressed someone."
She could do this.
She could do this, she could do this, she could do this.
Breathe in, breathe out.
She just had to laugh, be loud, and maybe the pretending would eventually turn into real feelings.
“Little man!” Vi grinned as she and Powder approached the boy. Ekko turned around with a huge smile on his face, and he only managed to raise a hand in a wave before Vi crushed him in a hug.
“God, Vi. How are you even stronger than before?” Ekko raised his eyebrows as he broke free from the embrace, clearly impressed by her condition.
She could say: because I needed to be. Because I didn’t want to be scared anymore.
Vi shrugged a forced grin on her lips. “Had a lot of free time on my hands.”
He didn’t really change in the time of her absence, which was a nice realization. Ekko’s hair was still in the familiar white, his face didn’t seem to collect any new scars, and he looked effortlessly cool as always. However, she wouldn’t admit the last thing aloud.
Vi could pretend that this evening was going smoothly. To be happy, to be enjoying this. For Powder.
“Oh, don’t let her brag. I don’t wanna spend another hour listening to how many push-ups she can now do in just five minutes or some other boring gym stuff,” Powder rested her head on her sister’s shoulder.
“I’m not the one who kept asking what I was doing all the days.”
She hoped it sounded right.
“I clearly only asked because I felt sorry for your lonely ass,” Powder scoffed and with that Vi playfully shoved Powder away.
“Yeah, so I’m not getting into the middle of this,” Ekko raised his hands and turned as if he was really planning on leaving. Powder grabbed his arm and held him on a spot.
“Don’t act like you’re better than this. You’re not fooling anyone,” Powder sneered and Vi chuckled at those words. Yes, she could do this. She just had to distract herself.
“So what have you been up to? Still planning on getting into that fancy engineering university with Pow?”
“ČVUT, Vi. The name is not complicated like at all.”
Ekko ignored Powder’s remark and just nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Actually, Viktor has been tutoring us for some time now. He’s finishing his doctorate there, so at least we know a little about what we can expect.”
“Viktor?” Vi raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Like our Viktor? I haven’t seen him in years. He’s been helping you both?”
“Yep,” Powder nodded. “And I totally forgot that man can be actually funny. It makes those fucking sessions more bearable.”
“Oh, I thought that my presence there was the thing that made them more bearable,” Ekko turned to Powder, who just glared at him with amusement.
“Yeah, sure. Keep lying to yourself.”
Vi frowned and silently watched the interaction between the two and their continuing teasing. There was definitely something happening between them, something that wasn’t there when she last saw them together.
Just another thing she missed.
“He should be here, I invited him,” Powder interrupted Vi’s thoughts.
Vi blinked. “Who?”
Powder rolled her eyes. “Viktor. Told him he could bring as many friends as he wanted, just to make him at least consider the invitation. I still give it like thirty percent chance that he will actually show up.”
“If he’s gonna show up, I’m pretty sure he’s bringing that lab partner with him,” Ekko grinned. “I visited them in their laboratory once and the man was using every opportunity just to touch Viktor.”
Vi laughed. “At least someone’s happy.” She looked around. “Look, there are some stuff I need to deal with. Be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Powder carefully examined her. Vi didn’t like this new dynamic. It felt like Powder was almost babysitting her – monitoring her every move.
Vi sighed “I just need to make some arrangements,” she waved at both of them. Ekko waved back but Powder just continued to watch her cautiously.
She should have been enjoying it. She knew that. And it wasn’t like Vi didn’t try. God, if anyone knew how much she tried to be interested in conversations, to feel like there wasn’t always something running away from her. Something that she couldn’t catch, but all the people around her were already familiar with.
And there was a new thing – a one that she didn’t really care about before. There was a constant worry. About the future, all that needed to be dealt with, all the people she had to make sure were safe.
"Vi!" she heard behind her, and before she could recognize who was calling out to her, two men were already crushing her in their embrace.
Mylo and Claggor.
Vi pulled them even closer to her when she realized who they were, getting lost in the warmth of their bodies.
"Sorry, we're late. Of course, the genius here managed to get on the wrong tram, as if we hadn't taken the same route a thousand times before, so then we had to go back," Claggor said in greeting. Vi was still surprised at how terribly grown up they both were. It was still fixed in her mind that they were fourteen and not a day older.
Mylo grinned and launched something at Claggor about always blaming everything on him and both boys got into some heated conversation.
She laughed at their funny stories when it was expected, nodded when it was needed, and talked when she was asked something.
Easy peasy.
"I actually wanted to ask you both – doesn’t any of you about some job?" Vi asked the boys after a few minutes.
Claggor just shook his head.
"Can’t you just work for Vander again?" Mylo suggested.
Vi sighed. "No, he had to hire someone else. But that's okay I'll figure it out somehow.”
It wasn’t okay. It was worrying her, paralyzing fear that she knew she couldn’t share with anyone. She was reckless before. So now it was time to be responsible. Just like Vander always told her.
She waved goodbye and weaved her way through the crowd.
Along the way, she was stopped by several people - mostly friends of Vander's, who themselves had experience of prison and, in short conversations, tried to pass on their own wisdom and lessons learned. Vi tried to nod understandingly and pretend to take all the advice to heart.
At the entrance, she registered Sevika, who was smoking and was currently in conversation with a woman of about thirty. Noticing Vi, she nodded in greeting and Vi returned the nod.
She didn’t like Sevika. Putting it mildly.
Still, Vi couldn’t help herself but have some respect for the woman. Sevika served for over four years in total. More than Vander. Vi herself had only needed those few months to know that she never wanted to repeat the experience.
She passed over her and opened the stiff door, stepping into the aggressively lit corridor that led to the main area.
Unfortunately, some things could not be postponed.
She opened the door to the main area and headed straight for the counter. Jericho was washing glasses when he noticed her, and his face lit up. "Vi! Without your orders, I've almost gone broke these past few months," he wrapped her in a hug, and Vi laughed heartily.
"In that case, you're lucky my taste hasn't changed," she moved away from the man and leaned against a wooden post.
"So, how have you been during my absence?" She asked innocently, hoping her question wouldn't arouse too much suspicion.
But Jericho looked at the girl in surprise, of course, and laughed. "When was the last time you asked me how I was?"
Vi shrugged. "Maybe I've changed."
"Yeah, girl. Just spit it out. What do you need?" thankfully, there was no annoyance or anger in his eyes.
Vi took a deep breath and blurted out, "I need a job."
Jericho raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Vi-."
"Sorry, I know you probably don't have anything. But Vander's hired Gert and one other temp while I've been gone, and he can't just fire them all of a sudden. And I wouldn't want anyone to lose their job because of me either, so I wanted to ask-."
"Excuse me?"
Vi turned and her breath almost hitched when her gaze found the tall woman.
Vi was pretty sure she had never seen her here before. She would certainly remember someone like that. She moved with a natural grace, and there was an air of confidence about even the smallest of movements. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail and the girl's sharply cut face had something kind in its expression.
She was beautiful.
The woman must have noticed Vi's intent expression because she suddenly looked at her. Vi quickly averted her gaze.
Jericho nodded at the stranger. "Yes?"
"I'll have one pint, please."
The man nodded and grabbed one of the glasses to give it a cursory wipe. "Continue, Vi."
Vi paused before realizing exactly what she was supposed to continue. "Yeah - um, sure. I just wanted to ask if you happen to have a vacancy. I'd even take the night shift, I really need something. I'm not about to go to jail again for shit like freeloading, and no one sane will hire anyone with a criminal record."
Jericho looked up from his tapping, and regret appeared in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I already employ so many workers I can barely manage to pay them, and I really can't afford anyone else."
Vi swallowed the lump in her throat. "It's okay. I didn't have expectations anyway."
She considered the whole fuss about it being a crime to be unemployed to be utter nonsense anyway.
"What are you going to do?" Jericho asked, setting the pint on the counter. "2 crowns and 50 halířs," he nodded to the tall woman.
Vi sighed. "I don't know. I guess I'll go around to all the shops in the area and ask if they're hiring," she laughed dryly. "Though I doubt they'd be interested in someone with dyed hair and tattoos."
"I might know about something.”
The unexpected moment of the woman’s insertion into their conversation made both Vi and Jericho turn their head to her.
She didn’t say anything else and put the coins in front of Jericho. She looked nervous, almost as if she regretted entering a stranger’s conversation at all.
Vi raised her eyebrows in surprise but leaned her palms on the bar in curiosity to see the woman's face.
"You’re talking about a job?"
"I apologize for interrupting and for- um, overhearing your conversation, I really didn’t mean to,” the woman looked pointedly at her. "And yes. I’m talking about a job. But to be completely honest, I'm not sure if the position would be to your liking. And you'd probably face some minor complications with accepting it," she paused. "It's not entirely... safe."
Vi pulled her eyebrows together in confusion. "In what sense it’s not 'safe'?" She glanced at Jericho, who returned her puzzled look and merely shrugged.
The woman looked around, perhaps fearing someone might overhear her. "It's a maintenance position-"
Vi's confusion deepened. "How exactly could being a janitor be dangerous?"
"- at the British Embassy."
That explained the dangerous part.
Vi carefully examined the strange woman. Her tight ponytail, cheeks flushed from the cold and elegant slightly trembling long fingers. But behind the nervousness and tipsiness, there was something that seemed honest. Or at least tried to seem honest.
Vi wasn’t sure what to make of this situation. She couldn’t help but find the way this woman approached her just because she accidentally overheard her conversation slightly suspicious.
It also didn’t exactly add credibility to the situation that the stranger was really attractive. She tried not to think about it, to not look at her long nose defining her face or the way her eyes were so unbelievably blue.
Fuck. She was supposed to concentrate. This was serious.
The blue-haired woman frowned. “With what could I possibly get it confused with?”
A slight nervousness spread through Vi's body, but curiosity gnawed at her as well.
And after the evening spent trying to feel just right in her body and be present with everyone, she finally did. Because the anger in her took control of everything.
Yeah, Vi didn’t like this at all. Not this weird, unexpected job offer and not the whole coincidence of the timing of the offer.
"Grab your drink and let's go," she nodded to the stranger.
"Thanks, Jericho," she gave the old bartender a forced smile and made her way back to the patio door without further ado. Behind her, she heard quick footsteps trying to catch up and finally felt the presence of the other woman beside her.
"Name?"
"Caitlyn."
"My name’s Vi."
"I heard."
Vi winced and looked at Caitlyn. "So, my reputation precedes me?"
Caitlyn blushed slightly and quickly looked away. "You could say that."
Vi opened the door to the backyard and let Caitlyn pass in front of her. They stepped out into the cool air, and Vi nodded her head toward an empty bench standing against the wall. "Let’s sit."
Caitlyn didn't object. They weaved their way around the group of already heavily toasted guests and settled on a bench that offered at least a little peace. Vi pulled out a pack of cigarettes and took one out.
"Mind if I smoke?"
Caitlyn shook her head.
Vi put the cigarette in her mouth and lit it. She was a little hopeful that the jail would at least do her some good and maybe she would quit smoking. But as she passed the first newsagent this afternoon, she couldn't help herself.
She exhaled smoke and looked at Caitlyn examining all the movement that was taking place on her face.
Caitlyn sniffed uncertainly, clearly uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "So do you want to know more about the job or-"
"Are you a cop, Caitlyn?"
Caitlyn's face stretched in confusion and maybe a little shock. "Excuse me?"
Vi had to concentrate on not letting her face show any of the anger she was feeling now. "I'm asking you if you're working for the fucking StB," she said as calmly as she could, but she was aware of the not-so-well-hidden disgust clear in her voice.
"No. No, of course, I’m not," said the stranger, and folded her arms. Vi tried not to laugh when she noticed the offended tone.
Vi wasn't an idiot, and she knew exactly what all this was about. The fucking StB was trying to get her to agree to an imaginary job at the fucking British Embassy – as if England wasn’t perceived as the 'Western enemy of socialism'. Presumably, Caitlyn (if that was even her real name) would try to promise her some sort of financial reward with some moronic narrative about actually working as an agent for the United Kingdom. The police or State security – or whoever set this up – would wait until Vi agreed and then they'd immediately put her back in jail and charge her with treason.
Too bad they tried to trick the wrong person. Because Vi wasn’t fucking stupid.
"Sure. So, let's assume I believe you." Vi crushed the cigarette in her fingers with rage. She looked again at Caitlyn, who looked almost offended. Maybe she was angry that Vi had seen through her lie so early. "Still, we're left with a few gaps, don't you think?" Vi raised an eyebrow questioningly, as if expecting a real answer. Caitlyn just rolled her eyes and, now obviously angry as well, folded her arms.
"I'm not a fucking State securityagent," she gritted through her teeth.
The word "fucking" sounded strange on her lips. Vi thought to herself that she probably didn't use it very often.
Vi pretended not to hear her. "I've never seen you here before. And suddenly you show up on the very day they let me out? Did you come with anyone at all, or did you just walk in here hoping no one would question who you are?" she snorted. "And you just happen to have connections to the British Embassy, where they just happen to be looking for a janitor? You know, I'm actually quite insulted that you didn't even bother to try and come up with a story that doesn't sound so fucking shallow. Do you think that I am that stupid? Wow,” she laughed bitterly, the anger soaking through her voice. “I would have thought that if you comrades put your heads together, you'd have come up with a better story than this one." She wasn't masking her anger in the slightest now, looking Caitlyn in the eye with open resentment. The blue-haired woman’s jaw was clenched tightly, and after a few seconds of unmoving staring that neither of them broke, Caitlyn stood up.
"Here," Caitlyn thrust her pint into Vi’s hand and strode to the opposite side of the yard. Vi only made a few surprised, unintelligible noises of protest, but Caitlyn was already gone.
Okay – what the fuck was that about?
Fucking commies.
She wasn't sure what to do. She had no reason to continue sitting on the bench, especially since she didn't know if Caitlyn would even come back. But the idiotic gesture of shoving her drink into her hand and walking away somewhere had surprised her so much that she wasn't even sure she could stand up.
She noticed the quick movement and looked up. Caitlyn was pushing her way through the crowd, and some man – Viktor Vi realized with surprise - stumbled quickly behind her, trying to keep up with her pace.
"Viktor?" Vi let out in utter confusion and looked again at Caitlyn, who had the same offended look on her face as a moment ago.
"Violet," Viktor looked just as surprised as Vi when he saw her sitting on the bench Caitlyn had stopped in front of.
Caitlyn looked at Viktor. "You two know and trust each other, right?"
Viktor nodded in puzzlement, watching the two women with a wary expression.
"And you and I came here together tonight, didn't we?
He nodded again. “I’m not sure I completely understand what is happening right now,” he looked at Vi again, who just shrugged her shoulder, as confused as he was.
"Would you be so kind as to tell Vi here who I am?"
"Wouldn't it be easier if you told her yourself?"
"Just tell her my name," Caitlyn said as if she'd run out of patience.
Viktor looked at Vi and then back at Caitlyn. "Caitlyn."
“And you know me, correct? You can confirm I’m not working for StB?”
Viktor raised one eyebrow. “Well, I don’t know what you do in your free time-.”
“Viktor,” Caitlyn sneered.
Viktor looked at Vi. “She’s not working for StB.”
Vi had no idea what was going on.
"Thank you. Now, Viktor, tell me if you know Mel Medarda."
Viktor shot Vi one last confused look but didn't object. "I do."
"How?"
"She financially supports one project that Jayce and I are working on. All unofficially, of course."
"Do I know Mel Medarda?"
"Yes. You introduced her to Jayce, who introduced me to her, and then we struck up a partnership."
Caitlyn nodded, and Vi was horrified to realize that she was attracted to this eccentric behavior in some way. Still, she was completely out of it.
Vi took a breath. "Can I just ask-"
"No," Caitlyn cut her off immediately, and now it was Vi's turn to put on an offended face.
But she couldn't help but find the character of Caitlyn - whoever she was - increasingly interesting.
"And could you please tell Vi here who Mel Medarda is?"
"Ambassador of Great Britain residing in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic."
Caitlyn then turned to Vi with a triumphant expression. Vi wanted to wipe it off her face.
"Wait," Vi closed her eyes, trying to organize all the facts. She turned to Viktor. "So, you're telling me you really know someone from the British Embassy? Someone who isn't working with the StB?"
Viktor wrinkled his nose. "Yes, I just told you."
Vi pointed at Caitlyn. "And Cupcake here really isn't lying?"
"I'm not aware of it," he looked at her, and Vi finally relaxed a little.
Okay. Okay, fine. That was good.
She wasn’t going back.
She allowed herself a small smile, which she shot in Viktor’s direction. “Catch up later?”
He nodded. “It will be my pleasure.”
She didn't allow herself to feel ashamed or embarrassed for the conviction with which she spoke of Caitlyn's collaboration. This was her fight for survival. And if she wanted to live, she had to make sure.
"Thank you very much. You can go back to Jayce. Don't let me ruin your evening." A small smile finally appeared on Caitlyn's face.
Viktor headed back to where Caitlyn had pulled him from earlier without another word. He shot both women another searching look over his shoulder before turning back and disappearing from Vi's sight.
Vi jerked in surprise as Caitlyn sat back down on the bench next to her.
"Your beer," was all she could get out, and handed the glass back to its owner.
"Thank you."
Silence fell between them, to which Vi snorted in amusement, surprising herself with the sound.
"I wouldn't have guessed you had such a sense for theatrics," she grinned, and that one sentence seemed to break any tension.
Caitlyn cheeks just slightly and took another sip of her beer. "I think the alcohol helped a little."
Vi shrugged. "Maybe a tiny bit."
"I just really hate it when people automatically assume I'm in the party or that I cooperate with the StB and who knows what else."
"Does this happen to you often?"
"You could talk about a certain regularity, yes."
Vi frowned. "At first glance, you don't look like the stereotypical idea of a loyal comrade."
"I think it’s more because of my surname,” Caitlyn looked at her and raised one eyebrow. “Kiramman."
Vi didn't recognize the name, so she just shook her head, and Caitlyn sighed.
"My mother is Cassandra Kiramman. One of the Supreme Court justices."
Vi turned to her in surprise, studying the girl's face. "I guess you're not really close?"
Caitlyn took another sip as if to drown out any further thoughts of her mother. "To put it mildly."
Vi was not one of those who thought that people who have partisan parents must automatically hold the same views. But she was annoyed by the sheer disparity of their lives. She didn't feel bad for Caitlyn. For how hard her life was, just because she didn't get along with her parents. While any protest from Vi had immediate consequences and made her life dramatically harder, people like Caitlyn had everything served to them on a golden platter, and all they had to endure was awkward dinner conversation.
Vi laughed dryly, and silence fell between them again. She threw the cigarette butt on the floor and smothered it with the heel of her shoe.
"So the embassy, huh?" Vi asked, and Caitlyn sighed.
"I shouldn't have mentioned it at all. Sorry. I should have realized how suspicious it sounds," she paused. "Besides, I wasn't lying. It's not a safe job," she put on the stony face again, the one she'd kept throughout her ridiculous interrogation of Viktor.
"I don't expect working in any Western embassy to be safe. You'll find more agents there than at their headquarters," Vi shrugged. "But that would at least make it interesting. As long as you don't ask me to do anything that could get me charged with treason, I'd be happy to take the job. It’s not like I have any other options anyway."
Caitlyn looked at Vi searchingly, perhaps checking to see if she truly meant her words. Vi's mouth suddenly went dry under scrutiny.
"It's not up to me anyway. You'd have to talk to Mel," Caitlyn spoke into the silence, averting her gaze away from Vi's face. "But as far as I know, the last janitor was really just a janitor. So, if you can use tools at least a little, I think you'd be welcomed," Caitlyn gave her a small, uncertain smile, and Vi could sense from it that Caitlyn was probably a little intimidated by her.
Vi allowed herself to be in the moment, at least for a moment, watching the incredible blue of Caitlyn's eyes. But then she just shook her head and turned away.
"Who are you?" she asked after a moment, turning her head to the girl. "I mean - I know what your name is, and I know you have mommy issues," she grinned when Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "But I still don't understand how you know Viktor."
Caitlyn leaned closer. "See him?" She pointed a finger at Viktor standing on the other side of the courtyard. Vi peered into the crowd and, after a moment, spotted him. She nodded.
"And do you see the man standing next to him?"
Vi wrinkled your nose. "The one who looks like he spent fourteen years locked in a gym?"
A small chuckle escaped Caitlyn's lips, but as soon as she realized she had laughed out loud, she immediately stopped. "That’s Jayce. My best friend," she looked away from the men and glanced at Vi with bored expression. "I'm here today as the official third wheel."
Vi didn’t like how weirdly was Caitlyn’s presence affecting her. Caitlyn bothered her. In all its simplicity and without any secret meanings. She knew people like her – the one who thought they belonged in spaces that weren’t theirs.
But she knew the reason why she was still seated here with her. Why she hadn’t left.
Because at least with Caitlyn, she didn’t have to pretend for a minute. And could be just as mean as she needed.
"So, what's this to you?" Vi sat up and pointed her hand into space. "Did you want some fuss in your life? Exploring the dregs of Prague? Or is this your way of revolting against your parents? Your rebellious phase that you then throw in their faces?"
Caitlyn scowled at her, and Vi just looked back with fake casualness to keep from showing how much fun she was having with this provocation.
"I’m not revolting. How I spend my free time is none of my parents’ business. And I certainly don't plan on telling them anything about this evening. They have their life and they know I don't agree with it. That's good enough for me."
Vi nodded with mocked sincerity but didn’t bother to mask the bitter sarcasm in her voice. "Okay, got it. So, it’s the first scenario. We are like exotic animals in zoos to you."
Caitlyn groaned. It was actually quite amusing watching her get so frustrated.
"God! You're so- ugh. Do you always have to think the worst of everyone right away, or do I have the privilege of being the only one?"
"Then tell me what you see." Vi leaned towards her, a challenging look in her eyes. "Look around and tell me what all this is."
Caitlyn didn't move for a moment. There were a few inches of space between the women, and Caitlyn just stared fixedly into Vi's eyes, a clear determination playing in her own gaze.
Vi remained in the same position without moving, studying Caitlyn's face. Her long nose and her eyes, in which acceptance of the challenge played.
Vi would have almost forgotten she'd asked Caitlyn for anything at all until the taller woman turned her head toward the backyard.
Vi wondered what such a place must look like to a stranger's eyes. The wildly painted walls, the people whose appearance was a textbook example of deviancy, and the general wild atmosphere that prevailed. Vi was never ashamed of her origins. It was a part of her, and without these people, she would never have grown into herself. Still, her eyes wandered to the taped-up trash cans standing in the corners with black bags sticking out of them, and suddenly, she noticed all the less pretty things as well. The way a couple of older men swayed under the influence of alcohol and their even remotely recognizable greasy long hair. The shoes of most of the people present were stained with mud, and she spotted a broken beer bottle just a short distance away. She unconsciously ran a hand through her own hair in an effort to make sure she looked at least somewhat presentable. She regretted ever challenging Caitlyn to examine this space.
"I see a community," Caitlyn broke the silence, and there was a note of caution in her voice, and Vi turned in surprise to her. "The ability to create this bubble of colour and variety in the reality of a world that is grey and austere. I see family and affection for one another. The trust that nothing can break within this world and the courage to not only defend those loved ones but to fight for what is right," Caitlyn swallowed. "I see the reason why you acted so harshly towards me. Because you're not just defending yourself, but also your own people who a potential intruder could harm. Because something like family has probably much broader meaning to you than it does to most people."
Vi was unable to say a word, so she just stared at the girl with her mouth open. Realizing how she was staring, she cleared her throat and sat up.
"Are you studying creative writing or something?" Vi got out of herself as she laughed uncertainly.
"Journalism."
Vi nodded. "Well, that explains it." She looked at Caitlyn again, observing. “You know, I’m surprised you actually have a personality.”
Caitlyn narrowed her eyes. “Oh, because journalists tend to be workaholics?”
“No. Because rich people tend to be soulless.”
Caitlyn just stared at her for a second in silence. And Vi thought – this was it. She finally cracked her perfect little façade – this role she had been faking.
But then she giggled. Giggled.
Vi let out a disbelieving laugh. “Oh god, am I talking to a five year old?”
Caitlyn scoffed, but the tension in her shoulders eased a little.
Caitlyn straightened suddenly and fished a pen out of her coat pocket. "Do you have any paper?" she turned to Vi, who just shook her head.
Caitlyn frowned and, without another word, grabbed Vi's hand and started writing something on the back of her palm. Vi's heart skipped a beat at the sudden contact.
"That's my phone number,” Caitlyn finished writing. “I'm meeting Mel next Thursday at a coffee shop. It would probably be best if you came with me, so that we don't have to set up a separate meeting. Call me ahead of time and I'll let you know all the details. Mel is great, so maybe you two will be able to figure something out."
Vi chuckled and looked down at her palm. "So, all it takes is half an hour in my presence, and you're shoving your phone number at me, huh?" She grinned.
Caitlyn merely raised an eyebrow in response. "You think too much of yourself."
"Isn't it strange that it's April?" Vi asked suddenly.
Caitlyn frowned at the sudden question. "What even is that question?"
The pink-haired girl shrugged. "It's just that it's cold and all. I feel like it's still October," she mused, hopping off the bench after a moment, getting an idea. She felt a little dizzy. Vi didn’t drink that much today, but it was enough to make her feel a little bit spontaneous. "Follow me."
"Why?" Caitlyn looked up, her brows furrowed.
"You'll see."
"I don't think I understand how your brain works," Caitlyn muttered, but didn't object further and followed Vi.
Vi tried not to think much about why she was acting like this around the woman.
She stopped by the punch pot and poured the warm drink into two mugs. Vi handed one to Caitlyn and kept the other herself. She registered Powder watching her a few feet away but decided to ignore her. She wasn't quite in the mood to listen to her sister's nudges and remarks about her and her sudden association with a complete stranger.
"So, you just got a craving for punch?"
Vi shook her head. "No. And this isn't punch, it's champagne. And you're not holding a mug, you're holding a glass."
Caitlyn just shook her head matter-of-factly. "The glass is an interesting shape, is it some new model?"
"Now you get it," Vi grinned. "And it's not April."
"No?"
"No. It's New Year's Eve."
"Why New Year's Eve?"
"Because I didn't celebrate it this year and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that there's a new year. I need the transition." Vi paused for a moment. Suddenly she felt stupid, as if this pretend game was too much.
Caitlyn didn't seem to be deterred, though. She gave Vi a small smile. "In that case..." she raised her mug and tapped Vi. "Happy New Year."
Vi sighed in relief, but after a moment she felt a strange distance from her behavior. Why did she even care about any relief at all? Caitlyn was a stranger, and Vi shouldn't really care about how she perceived her.
She shook her head, perhaps to shake off the strange feeling, and raised her mug again. "To 1989."
Caitlyn laughed and took a sip. "It would be nice to think this year will turn out better than 1988. Or the years before," she tossed out.
And there it was again. Her acting like she cared. Like she knew what it was like. And it made Vi go absolutely crazy.
She scoffed. Loudly. So that there couldn’t be any doubts about her intention.
"Let’s be honest here – would you even notice if the Communists fell? Like would you give a fuck if something changed?" her voice laced with irritation, and Caitlyn looked up in surprise at the sudden harsh words. "Your mom's job probably ensured you live in your little bubble anyway, and you don't feel any real consequences of this moronic regime. It’s only fair that I asked," she continued. "Were you even aware until tonight that normal people's lives really suck because of our stupid fucking government?"
Caitlyn finished the rest of her punch and wiped her mouth. "I think that's enough for today."
Vi opened her mouth in disbelief and laughed humourlessly. "What, you don't like when someone gives you a reality check?"
Caitlyn shrugged. “I'd better leave that conversation for the next time."
"What do you mean, 'leave it for the next time'?" Vi threw her hands in the air when she noticed Caitlyn walking away.
Vi was good at fights. The physical ones and even the ones with just words. She knew how to get under someone’s skin and she wasn’t stupid enough to start a fight when she knew she wasn’t in the right. And the more alcohol coursed through her bloodstream, the worse she got. But she'd never had someone just walk away.
Caitlyn turned around with a raised eyebrow and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "I know what you're doing."
Vi frowned in confusion and looked down at Caitlyn's palm on hers. Caitlyn took it off quickly, as if she'd forgotten she'd put it there in the first place and Vi suddenly regretted she didn’t just ignore the unexpected touch.
"You're trying to provoke me. And you’re right. I am lucky and spoiled and all of that. But you’re not right about the fact that I ‘don’t give a fuck’, as you said,” she frowned at those words and Vi noticed that for the second time this evening, Caitlyn was offended. “Just because I don’t experience the injustice that’s currently happening doesn’t mean I do not have empathy. And conversation on this topic would be much better if we were both sober. So, I'd better go now." She set her mug on the table and walked past Vi.
"Thank you for the champagne," was the last thing she said.
Vi opened her mouth wide, but nothing came out. She watched as Caitlyn rejoined Viktor and the man she called a friend and launched straight into a lively discussion with them.
Fucking rich girls.
"And who was that?" came from behind her, and Vi jumped.
"Geez, Powder," she turned to look at her sister, who was watching her intently with folded arms. "Can't you just come to someone normally for once and not sneak around like a ghost?"
Powder rolled her eyes and sighed. "Ghosts don't sneak."
Vi snorted and drank the rest of her punch. She set the mug down on the table next to Caitlyn's.
"Hey!" Powder waved significantly in her face, just to remind Vi of her presence. "You still haven't answered me."
"To what?"
Powder beamed dramatically. "You're so stupid after drinking. I asked, who's that girl you've been with for almost half an hour just now?" She looked significantly over Vi's shoulder. Vi didn't even have to turn around to know she was looking at where Caitlyn was standing.
Vi ruffled her hair and looked at Powder with a sigh. She didn't really know what to say in response. An incredibly attractive and intimidating woman? The daughter of a judge? Someone she just accused of being an StB agent and then managed to offend again? Viktor’s boyfriend’s friend?
Powder kept looking at her, expecting an answer, and Vi finally laughed dryly. "It's someone who probably just got me a job at the fucking British Embassy."