Category : Books-Fiction

Sub Category : Fantasy

A dark haired girl stood at the entrance of "The Agency," insurance company. The logo of the place was pasted in bold at the top of the building and she had no doubt she was at the right   place.
She pulled her box to the receptionist's desk.
"Hello. How may I help you?" 
Her voice was like she'd practised this and knew the part perfectly.
"I'll like to see Mr Bloom"
"Do you have an appointment,"
The lady asked like she already knew the answer to this
"No but if you could just tell him Kyle's here, you'll be of great help"
The receptionist sighed and told her in her practised voice
"Sorry miss, if you don't have an appointment, I can't let you see him."
For one second there she thought 
the lady was joking till she saw her take her magazine and flip through like she hadn't noticed there was someone still standing there. 
Kyle raised a brow at the lady. Either that woman had a personal problem with her or she was a bitch.
"Excuse me I really do insist you call him."Miss receptionist looked at her like she was surprised she was still there.
"Listen, the boss is off on break so can you by all means...oh good morning Mr Bloom"
A gruff voice asked what was happening. 
"I'm sorry sir but this Lady wanted to see you but I told her you were out on break"
"Mr Bloom it's been a while"
"Kyle I wasn't expecting you. I'm sorry  I was on break."
"Don't worry your receptionist was the mist welcoming" and as she said the welcoming, she saw the receptionist tense from the corner of her eye.
"Let's go up to my office and discuss the reasons which brought you here"
Mr Bloom led her to his office and she took time to take in her surroundings. One thing for sure, they hid the base pretty well and no one would think it was something other than an insurance company.
She took a seat in his office and they had short chat.
"I was quite surprised when you call to be posted here" Kyle shrugged lazily.
"It needed space from the north"
"I understand an I can only say welcome to the  'Black Birds' wing of The Agency. I'll call someone to give you a tour."
Kyle waited for whoever was to give her a tour. When she heard the ding from the private lift, she knew her guide had come. A strawberry blonde in nothing but sports bra and shorts but what actually caught Kyle's attention was the riffle she was holding. That particular one was familiar to her since she'd seen Sue use it almost all the time. 
"You called sir"
"Raphy meet Kyle" Raphy gave her a lil smile and she returned it. "I call Sherifa to send someone to give her a tour. I hope that's no problem to you."
"Of course not sir."
"Good. Kyle you follow Raphy she'll be your guide."
"Thanks"
"The pleasure is all mine."

Raphy and Kyle went through the private lift. The lift was quiet and  it wasn't film lack if trying in Raphy's part. She started small talk but Kyle's one word responses weren't the mist encouraging. Till she finally gave up. The lift came to a stop and the door opened to the  Agency she was really interested in. Not the insurance company but the Hunters' base. 
As Raphy showed her around, she understood why The old woman insisted she go to the Black Birds branch. The place was every Hunter's dream and she was gong to make full use of everything. They went through the dojos, the armoury,the gunnery and the operations room 
"Finally my personal best, The simulation room. This place is magical. You don't only train here but you train in real battle situations. It's almost like reality even the pains are well real."
Kyle nodded. She couldn't wait to teat how real it could be.
"That marks the end if our tour. With that, welcome to The Agency." Raphy's eyes twinkled as she said that and Kyle almost laughed but rather compensated it with a smile.
"I guess your going to live in one of the Agency's apartments" Kyle nodded. "Cab I see your key?" 
Kyle handed it to her. 
"That's around my room. I could as well take you there."
'Thanks". Raphy hurriedly put a t shirt over her bra and together they left for wherever. 

One thing Kyle noticed about Raphy was she knew everyone. Even in the Agency, wherever they went to everyone was like 'hi Raphy,' or 'what's up Raphy' or even 'hey Raphy,who's the hottie' 
"Apparently this'd your room. I'm two doors down so if you need any help just call our 'Raphy' and I'll be there."
"Thanks a lot. You know you've been really helpful and without you, I have to say I'll be completely lost." Those were the first real words Kyle heard from her.
"I'm Raphaela Scarlet but as you surely noticed,everyone calls me Raphy."
"I'm Kyle"
"No second name?"
"There's a second name" and evevln a third and fourth. She didn't say that of course. " But you shouldn't bother knowing it."


Knock knock

The only thing she felt like doing was going deeper under her covers and that was exactly what she did. 

Knock knock

Sleeping through the night had always been a difficulty for Kyle and she just had to cover up he lost sleep by sleeping through the morning.

The third series of knocks was what brought Kyle back to reality. She put on her slippers and not so happily pulled herself  to he door. Without even asking, she opened the door and no one other than her her neighbour Raphy.

Very honestly, when Raphy came knocking on Kyle's door, she never expected her neighbour to open the door like she'd just gotten out of bed... correction, shed just gotten out of bed.

"Am I dreaming of you're just out of bed?"

"Nope not a dream. I guess yesterday's journey took a greater toll on me"  added to the fact that I didn't sleep almost half the night. 

Kyle got in leaving the door open and Raphy took it as her cue to enter.

"Did you need anything?" Kyle asked.
"Nothing. I was wandering if you  needed anything. Maybe a tour around. I know my way around here quite well and I won't mind really."
" Uh I was planning on parking all my stuff. "
"I'll help you," Raphy interrupted almost immediately.
"I think I'll be OK on my own" Raphy's eyes were pleading and honestly Kyle had never seen someone so willing to do chores.
"Please Kyle. I'm really bored. Just let me help you."
Raphy gave her puppy dog eyes 
"Fine" Raphy gave herself a mental high five
" But I'll have to take a quick shower before we start. There isn't much to be done."
Raphy shrugged and looked around then something clicked in her mind
"Kyle'
" Yah"
"Your apartment's bigger than mine"

Almost three hours later and both girls were through. Truth is ,without Raphy's help, Kyle would have unpacked the boxes only when she needed something from one of them.

When they finished, Raphy hurried to her house and brought something in a box. Taking a good look at it, she read,  Mix max. Raphy explained it was cakes in packets. In the beginning, she declined. Cakes were not really her thing. But after thanking her,  Raphy left the box on her table. 

Kyle had watched the box for  a while, half expecting something to come out of it and after labeling herself paranoid, she took a packet, opened it and bit on the cake. Only heaven could describe the feelings there but she could grasp one, pleasure. And of course and explosion of taste. That moment marked the beginning of what most people call an addiction

"Nate I can't believe this"  Raphy's sides hurt from laughing
"I don't know what so funny. I almost got killed"
"If you weren't such a man whore that wouldn't have happened. Wait what were you even thinking hooking up with a girl who by the way was already taken ... You searched for it"
"For the millionth time, I didn't know and she damn was she hot"
  Nathan Rogers had been Raphy's friend since she didn't remember when. She loved him to bits  and he could be the sweetest kindest heart when he wanted. The key being when he wanted because when not, he was a huge jerk and a Playboy of the greatest level.

"Raphy you don't understand"
"Surprise me"
"I'm in search of something new,something....."

Ding dong. 

Raphy rolled her eyes and opened the door
"Hi Kyle , come in" Kyle walked in and Raphy closed he door behind her
"Hey Raphy. I'm sorry I just uhm is he alright" Raphy followed her eyes to Nate who had ice on his black eye and couldn't refrain a laugh.

"Not particularly but he'll be fine." Kyle looked gave him a last glance before going back to what she came for.
"Raphy I absolutely have to know where you bought those cakes from." Raphy was positively surprised at this
"I'm sorry Kyle. It's my friend,  Luc who offered them and I really don't know where he got them"
"There's this place called the mall, have you checked there"
Raphy rolled her eyes at Nate. Her friend just couldn't shut up
"Thanks for the info captain obvious," Kyle replied "The mall didn't cross my mind"

"Well I'm happy to be of help to a beauty like you." Kyle laughed
"Flattery won't take you anywhere" 
"But it's a good start. I'm Nathan by the way but you can call me tonight" Raphy snorted
"Does that actually work on the girls you know ?" Nathan shrugged
"You tell me. Is it working?
"No but anyway I'm Kyle"
"Back to what we were saying. Luc isn't in town but I can call him and get the info for you"
"That'll be awesome. I'll just be on my way then." 

When Kyle left, Raphy gave Nate an incredulous look
"What?"
"But you can call me tonight. Really Nate? That van be how you get them all" Raphy was incredulous but Nate had other things on mind 
"Can you stop looking at my door with that awe struck look?"
"Who was that?"
"Were you even listening? That was Kyle"
"No I didn't ask for her name. How do you know her?"
"She lives opposite. What's up with you?"
"You're a really shitty friend Raphy"
"What have I done this time?"
"You can't tell me, your best friend that you live opposite a goddess"
"What?" Nate just kept looking at the door. That girl, Kyle, she was a goddess. His mind was still replaying the encounter. Her long legs, mouth watering body, those brown eyes and the sound of her laugh. He couldn't get her laugh out of his head.

Raphy wanted to be inspired. She knew better though. It had to come naturally. She sat on the balcony at night. The city lights were beautiful jut she found it so banal.
Her friends always said her sketches were beautiful but she just knew something was wrong. She had problems only with the particular painting. 

It was almost midnight as she closed her sketch book and stretched about to go to bed. 

She was just about to go back in when the doors onto the balcony opposite opened.
"Kyle! What are you doing up at this time?"
"I should ask you the same"
"I came out to sketch the city"
"You draw?" Raphy nodded"Wow. Any inspiration"
"Not really. I've been blank. I haven't found anything extra ordinary"
"Sometimes extraordinary is found only in the most ordinary things. You just have to look more closely." Raphy smiled and Kyle returned it"
"What about you? Why are you up?" 
"I just find it hard to stay asleep. "
"You suffering from insomnia?"
"Nope. When I fall asleep, I  sleep like a log it's just tonight." 

They talked more. Kyle urged Raphy to talk about her paintings, her family and Raphy was willing to oblige. Sometimes, Raphy will speak and even got animated doing signs with her hand just to prove a point. In their chat, Kyle discovered Raphy  love for painting started when she was little. She'll sit all Saturday watching her mom draw and paint. Raphy also had a sister and her parents were divorced. 
She even said at one point that she had a huge crush on the Prince then blushed when she said it like she'd just spat out her worst secret. She begged Kyle not to tell anyone and Kyle had to swear she won't

"Why are you so worked up about someone finding out?He's a prince after all"
Raphy laughed and said she'll understand later.
Two names that always seemed to come up were Luc and Eliot. 
             
                  Chapter 2
"Who are this Luc and Eliot?" Raphy told her they were some of her two closest friends. She talked about how Luc was a total idiot and Eliot was just so calm and collected. Even with their contrasting characters, they were the best of friend always looking out for each other. They were  powerful Hunters and were always on mission that was why Kyle hasn't gotten the chance to meet them. Raphy's eyes lit up a little when she talked about Eliot and he's 'wonderful' (Raphy's words not Kyle's ), Kyle wondered if she had a crush on the Prince or on Eliot. 

When they parted, Raphy felt like she'd finally bonded with Kyle. Though she'd done he bulk of the talking, Kyle had a listening ear that was for sure. She couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She'd made a new friend that WS for sure.