Raven waved Jaden and Will good night before walking to her chamber. The smile she had on her face disappeared without a trace. Her heart suddenly felt empty. She stared at the door for a moment and then turned back and stared into the empty space. She gave a small sigh and pushed the door open.
In the chamber, all the ladies sat in a circle, their attention fixed on a single woman who was narrating a story. When she entered, they all glanced at her, and nodded to her as a greeting. She nodded back.
They quickly gave their attention back to that narrator.
Raven then spotted Liza. She was sitting alone, her eyes fixed on the book in her hands. Raven walked to her. Hearing approaching footsteps, Liza slowly raised her head. Raven gave her a bright smile and then slouched besides her. She extended her hand to her and Liza placed hers on it.
"How are you?" Raven casually asked, her lips slightly curled up.
Liza stared at her for a moment. "Fine."
"You don't like people's company." Raven said , making it sound like a question.
Liza shifted her gaze from Raven to the circle of the ladies in the room. As Raven examined her expression, she subconsciously pulled out a cigarette and stuck it between her fingers, but didn't light it.
Liza opened her mouth to say something, but her eyes instantly fell on the cigarette.
"Isn't it bad for people's health to smoke?" Liza asked the question already aware of the answer.
"It is."
Liza stared at it and flatly said, "You are going to die."
Raven raised her eyebrows, a smile slightly forming. "People do die. But I am working on it."
"Good luck." Liza said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
They became silent. Raven just leaned back and closed her eyes turning the cigarette between her fingers. Liza returned to reading her book.
Liza suddenly broke the silence, "What do you think is the price of kindness?"
Raven slowly opened her eyes and looked at Liza. She remained quiet for a moment.
"Kindness is free."
Liza stared at her, obviously unsatisfied with her answer. What she was looking for wasn't just a simple practical answer but a deep emotional one. But she decided to go with the flow.
"Then, shouldn't everyone be kind if it is free?"
"Well…, kindness is free; but it is by choice."
Liza nodded her head in agreement. "There are people who are destroyed by their own kindness. Like, helping wrong people."
Raven simply shrugged, completely at loss of what to say. Seeing that Raven wasn't going to make a comment on what she had just said, Liza gave a small smile.
"I simply have many questions in my head." She casually stated.
Raven nodded at her words, but her whole focus was on that smile.
Angelic. And, most of all… rare.
As she thought about it, she realized it was the first time seeing her smile. Almost without thinking, she reached out and patted her head. She secretly wished that she could see that smile every time. Before she could realize it, her lips also slightly curled upward.
Liza's body stiffened at the moment, but soon relaxed.
"Your smile; it's beautiful."
"Thanks?" Liza said awkwardly.
Raven patted her head, and then withdrew her hand.
She stood up. "Good night."
Liza replied with a small nod. Raven then headed to her bed.
"Remember to put off the light." She reminded her roommates.
"Yeah."
That very night, Raven didn't sleep well. That question, "What do you think is the price of kindness?" continuously popped in her mind.
The price of kindness.
An image then surfaced in her mind.
A lady was lying in her own warm blood. Yet, she still wore a smile on her face. There was not a hint of bitterness or regret in that smile.
The smile was weak yet pure. As if what she was lying in was not her own blood. As if, she wasn't going to die.
Just like that, an answer suddenly popped in her mind.
Betrayal and cruelty. That was the price of kindness.
She turned over in her bed and stared in the darkness. Her hand reached for the cross on her chest. Countless sighs remained entrapped in the depth of her heart.
She shut her eyes tight, hoping that she could immediately sleep. But she didn't.
"Damn it." She cursed under her breath, pulling the bed cover closer to herself. The snoring sounds made it even more impossible for her to sleep.
Dawn found her eyes still open. She gave a frustrated sigh and quickly sat up. The waking bell suddenly rang at that time. All the ladies rose from their beds. Some cupped their hands for a prayer, while others just yawned, staring blankly in front of them.
Liza remained in the bed.
Raven lazily tapped her. Liza slowly sat upright; her eyes half closed. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned.
"What a short night." Liza exclaimed, her low voice carrying a trace of disappointment.
"Extremely short." Raven ironically stated.
Liza titled her head towards her. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes." Raven confidently lied. "Why?"
"Your eyes are red."
"My eyes gets red when I slept well."
Liza stroked the strands of hair in her face behind her ear not believing Raven's words. She had heard her tossing and sighing the whole night. But she said nothing.