Chapter 37: You Must Be The New Girl
Kaya
"Stop shouting!" The woman shoots me an irritated glare, but I barely register her annoyance. If she’s really about to commit a crime, then I want no part of it.
"Hey, let me go!" I protest, yanking my arm in a futile attempt to free myself. But before I can earn another scowl from her, she suddenly halts, dragging me to a stop before a cluster of towering trees in what looks like an abandoned garden.
She glances around warily, her hand slipping into the pocket of her worn leather jacket. Her fingers fumble for something as her sharp eyes scan the surroundings, her body taut with alertness.
"Here we go," she murmurs, pulling out a thick ribbon—wider than the ones braided into her hair. In the dim light, I can make out its deep red hue.
"Now, stand here and let me know if anyone’s coming, alright?"
Without waiting for a response, she grips the lowest branch of a tree and hoists herself up, moving with practiced ease. I gape at her, completely dumbfounded.
"What... what are you doing? What are we doing?" My voice barely rises above a whisper, but the panic is there, bubbling beneath the surface.
She pauses on the first sturdy branch, looking down at me with narrowed eyes, as if she’s suddenly suspicious of me. "I already told you—we’re committing a crime."
Then, shaking her head as if I’m the idiot here, she resumes her climb.