Brianna Acero and the Second One's Return

54. Diana's urgent news

The day has turned gray by the time we reach the cemetery.

It's not very big, there are only around a hundred tombs, all market by large white slabs bearing the names and dates of the people buried underneath them. Some have fresh flowers, others look like they haven't been visited in years, and some are practically falling apart. I'm glad I decided to bring my coat with me, the cold gusts of wind that blow by every now and again make my entire body shiver and my teeth chatter. Kalen doesn't need a coat, he is like a superhuman heater, so he walks a bit closer to me, slinging an arm over my shoulder and letting me burrow against the warmth. We find Diana sitting in front of one of the many tombstones, looking at something off into the distance. When she hears me approaching she smiles, but her smile quickly vanishes when she sees Kalen, scrambling to her feet with a panicked look on her face. I raise my arms in front of myself.

"Don't worry, he's a friend, you can trust him. I just thought it would be good to have backup, to avoid what happened at the park."

She hesitates, but eventually she seems to accept the fact that I wasn't going to get rid of Kalen and nods.

"Diana, this is..."

"Kalen, pleased to meet you."

He leans forwards to shakes her hand, so he misses the way I murder him with my eyes. Why did he use his real name! What did we say about using our real names?! He seems to sense my anger and turns to me, and winks. He winks. I can't, I just can't.

"So," I start, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. "What's so important that we had to meet at a cemetery?"

At my words Diana blushes, turning a deep shade of red, twirling a lock of her dark brown hair between her fingers.

"I'm sorry about the location. I like to come here when I'm worried."

I study our surroundings, taking in line upon line of tombstones, and my eyes land on the one in front of her. It's old, I can tell by the cracks that have appeared on its edges, but it's clean, as if someone tended to it every week, if not every day. Fresh flowers are placed in front of it, the joyful yellow of the tulips a bright contrast against the otherwise gray landscape. Marta Khan, is all I can make out on its surface.

"Marta Khan, was that..."

"My mother?" She says, finishing the sentence for me "Yes. She died when I was a baby, not many people our age even remembers who she was."

That's not entirely true. I knew that the President had a wife who died when she was young, but that is about the extent of my knowledge.

"I'm sorry," I say, truly feeling bad for Diana. I know what it's like to miss a parent. I can sense Kalen watching me from out of the corner of his eye, but I ignore him.

"Don't be, it was a long time ago. I don't even remember much about her." She smiles at that, a sad thing that makes her seem older than she is. "But I still like to come and visit her, and just talk. Tell her about my day." She pauses, her eyes glazing over with the memories of her past.

I don't dare say anything, for fear of ruining the smile that has appeared on her face. As quick as it came it disappears, and Diana shakes away the thoughts of her mother. She turns to us, facing away from the tomb, worry evident in the firm set of her mouth.

"But I didn't ask you to come because of my mother, I'm afraid my father is in danger."

A sudden chill runs up the length of my spine, and I don't know if it has to do with the wind or something else entirely.

"You have to believe me! I'm innocent!"

I close my eyes, shaking my head, and the voice disappears. Did I just imagine it? Was it a trick of the wind? I glance at Kalen, but he just looks at me with a puzzled look in his eyes, obviously having noticed my strange behavior. I smile at him reassuringly, which seems to do the trick, as he goes back to staring at Diana. I try not to let jealousy overcome me at the look of awe that crosses his features when his eyes land on her. I can't ignore the fact that Diana is a stunning girl.