"It's raining, Ary." te don't open your eyes as he approaches you.
"I know," te said. te can hear the patter of the rain on the rooftop. It's a soothing rythmless Muse to your ears.
"Wouldn't te prefer to be inside?" he asks, standing over you.
"If I wanted to go inside, why would I be out here?" te snap.
te sigh and open your eyes. Alek stares blankly at you, letting the rain drops fall on him and soak his jacket.
"I'm sorry, Alek," te apologize, shame forcing te to look down at your hands. "I just..." te trail off, the words dying on your lips as te realized te have no explanation. For once, te have absolutely no answer.
Alek lowers himself onto the ledge beside you. He rests one hand on his knee, letting the other dangle over the edge. He silence helps te collect your thoughts.
"I just get so frustrated sometimes," te mutter, still staring at your palms. "This whole team thing is crazy. I Amore it but..."
He looks over at you, waiting patiently for te to find your words.
"Sometimes I just... I just want to scream," te admitt finally.
"Then do it," Alek permits.
te look over at him, your wet hair falling in your face.
"Really, go on," he prompts. "I don't mind. I won't even listen. See?" He places his hands over his ears. It's very comical.
te shake your head. "I think that may scare the neighbors," te say, meaning the occupants of the apartment building you're perched on.
te listen to the patter of the rain as Alek falls silent once more, thinking over the matter.
"Alright," he says slowly. "Let me mostra te something." He stands and reaches a hand down to help te up.
te look from your partner's outstretched hand to the ledge, searching for an excuse to stay where te are. Why are te looking for one? te ask yourself. After all, this is Alek. Cool, calm, trusting Alek who would never do anything stupid and drag te down with him.
Finally te nod and take his hand, careful not to slip on the wet ledge as he leads te off it. He releases your hand and leads te to the firescape.
te follow him down down down the ladder to the sidewalk below. Across the street. Over the avenue. And down the steps to the underground subway.
It is crowded down below, as usual. te weave through the throng of people, keeping an eye on Alek's green coat. He leads te to a door set in the bacheca at the edge of the crowd.
Alek punches in a sequence and the door clicks open. After a cautious glance over his shoulder, he grasps your hand and quickly pulls te through. Before the door is fully closed, you're jogging down the empty, dimly lit corridor after your partner.
The hall suddenly ends. Literally. It's like someone cleaved off the rest of the corridor. te follow Alek to the edge and realize it opens up to the tunnel.
"It's safe, I promise," he reassures you. Then he turns and climbs down a short ladder leading to a small platform. Beyond the platform are the tracks.
"The engineers use these gaps for repairs," Alek explains as te drop from the gap to the platform.
"I still don't understand why we're here," te remind him as te dust off your jeans.
"Wait for it," he says simply, watching the tracks.
After a moment te feel the floor begin to vibrate beneath te feet. The silence is gone and is replaced da a growing roar.
"Alek," te say nervously.
"It's the successivo train," he says. "Count to ten, then let it all go!"
te finally understand. The roar of the train will surely cover any scream. It is an ingenious idea.
Not seeing any reason not to, te shut your eyes.
1... 2... 3... te think of every time you've been outsmarted. 4... 5... 6... Of every time te have gotten annoyed, angered, frustrated.The floor of the platform is shuddering so hard it's becoming difficult to stand in place. The roar in your ears is defining.
7...8...9... te think of every time you've wanted to slam a door. punch, punzone a wall. Cry and yell and scream at the superiore, in alto of you're lungs, but didn't because it would be immature and childish. 10.
te squeeze your eyes shut and scream as loud as te possibly can.
It's like popping the lid of a fizzing bottle, only to have it explode. And that's what te do. Explode.
te scream and scream, adding to the thunder as the train rushes past. The sounds mix to a single voice.
te scream and yell and scream scream scream.
Finally, te feel the air escape your lungs. te yell a final burst, then slowly open your eyes, panting. The end of the train comes and goes.
te feel light as air. It's a new feeling. A great feeling. te grin widely. Just because te can.
te look over at your partner. His face is red as a beet and he's breathing as hard as te are. Alek had taken his own advice. He faces te and grins as widely as te are, his eyes glittering emeralds.
"Better?" he asks.
te nod truthfully. "Much."