#cloude seven

LOVE TRIANGLE

Cloude: [very tense] Fuckin’ rain...! Hey, can I get a drink?

Barkeeper: Sure, choom if you want. Obviously, you are having a bad day if you are drinking this early.

Cloude: [hisses] Did I ask for your permission? Do I look like I need your comfort? 

Barkeeper: What drink?

Cloude: [sharp] What?

Barkeeper: You want to drink, so what do you want to drink for breakfast?

Cloude: Breakfast? I see. Fuckin’ shit, I’m delta*.

???: Give him our shot, Ash. He obviously is on edge and needs one. 

Ash: Fine, one for you, too?

???: Eh, yeah! Why not? 

Ash: Portia, you coming? I want to get rid of this piece of work right here.

Portia: Comin’. Rodrigo, give me a minute, okay?

Rodrigues: Sure, suit yourself.

Cloude: Great, Ashy, right??? Are you implying I can’t order for myself?

Ash: Ashy? Come on, man!

Portia: Ash, he just had a bad night, obviously!  And you Mister! [to Cloude]  All I see is someone who seems like they're angry and a little out of touch with reality?

Cloude: You’re Portia?

Portia: Yeah! That’s my name!

DATE: 2460.05.15,  4:39 PM LOCATION: Cloude's Pad AREA: Downtown District, New Felicity

Hara: Give me the stats on your progress regarding the virus for Kazura Unlimited. Cloude: Hara, for fucker’s sake, I'm on it. Their security protocols are solid as fuck. (inaudible talk) Don’t worry  I'm crackin it. Hara: Sure, choombs*. I  gotta call from guess who? Cloude: Tell! Ain't no time for your fuckin’ riddles. Hara: You swear a lot lately! Did you get up this morning on the wrong side of the bed? Chill, take a deep breath. I have two new assignments for you. Claude: Ah, yeah? Fill me in and get to the point. Hara: NRL* wants some intel on a secret new project Bionibots Corporation is working on.  Cloude: (dry) Sounds preem*. Can’t wait to start. Hara: Preem, eh? That’s not all. Another corpo* chick is providing corrupted data by Bionbiots and wants them encrypted. Guess again, she asked for some intel on a specific person regarding a strictly confidential project by Bionibots. This second client is paying way better than NRL. I would suggest getting her job done first. I assume the job for NRL will be in this case a smooth operation. Cloude: Love it. (smirks) Kill two birds with one stone, why not. You know how much I want to damage this Corpo Bitch, don’t ya?

Few hours later. Door squeaking. 

Hara: All night and almost all day out, huh?

Cloude: Yeah.

Hara: The virus for Kazura Unlimited is done. System breach, here we come. I’m a fuckin’ genius.

Cloude: [exhausted] Did you ensure the code is not traceable?

Hara: Of course I did. I was working all night. Where have you been? Thought we would finish this shit together. 

Cloude:  Been with Aurora.

Hara: Oh, I see. Regarding her? I did some thinking. Aurora loves you. Can you give her a chance, at least?

Cloude: [snickers] How generous of you. No, sorry, I can’t!

Hara:  Why? Because of Teylia? Dachi-ko*! You know she is gone, and you should start living again.

Cloude: Yeah, partly. But there is more, you were right! Aurora loves me. Shit happens - now it is too late. Taking back what I said is no longer an option. 

Hara: Well, I told you, and why is it too late? Don’t tell me you did...

Cloude: Yes, I broke up with her this morning. I told her that you like her. She should focus on you and not me.

_______

Cloude “Just as she popped out of nowhere, she slipped back into the shadows, just like you. In the same manner, you vanished silently on me. I’m unable to explain but somehow I can't deny that the short exchange between us meant something. 

Since you are gone our last kiss held a special meaning for me. On occasion, I still think I can taste your lips on mine and hear your soft giggle. Whenever you tilted your head, I gently pointed out to you my tender gaze, defying your attempts to evade my inquiring glances at such moments. As I wished to immerse myself within your world. My wish was to see the world through your eyes. How I would have loved to have lived in a world where your peaceful vision prevailed. This woman made me realize even more how much I still miss you. Who was this woman anyways? She tilted her head the same way as you did.  Oh fuck, I'm imagining all the sweat. I need a drink before I have to deal with Hara. Cloude, wake the fuck up, stop dreamin’.”

Amara “On my way to the office, I ran into Cloude. At first, I didn't realize it was him. But I will admit I had a vague hope. Cloudes silhouette was too familiar to me. Of all people, I had to meet him here in Westnox. Why isn’t he home? He must have had a rough ride into the day because he hardly paid attention to his surroundings. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't recognize the hazard or me.

We had a brief moment. Old memories came up, and I had this feeling as if he was seeing the real me. The same as usual, I couldn't bear to look at him, and damn he hadn't lost any of his zest. I have to force myself to remember that there is no return button.

It was no longer my right to have his love, let alone friendship. By dying, I became an integral part of his past. Anyway, I am engaged and will get married soon.  

In my role as the new CEO of Bionibots, I have no time, and I can't let Cloude consume me. But vivid memories of a time come up of which I wish they had died along with my corpse back then and buried in the past. This is not physical pain - it is a scarred section of my soul. After all, it's a fragment of a past memory - but it still aches.

Hara: Cool chooms, TMI* but thanks. Will you end it because she loves you?

Cloude: Well, if that is true what you say, she won’t! Correct me if I'm wrong. You know that I don't feel that way, not now, nor do I know if I even want to feel that way ever again.

Hara: Teylia was a great lady, but she is gone, Cloude. There is nothing you can do to bring her back, right? Aurora is here and alive, and she loves you.

Cloude: Thanks for the heads up. (dry) Mind if I get back to my biz?

Hara: Kuzo*! You don’t get it, do you?

Cloude: What? I do, but I have to handle it in my own way. No one can do anything here for me. I will talk to her, happy? Wait, what did you just say? (stops talking, thinks shortly) Could it be that you like her? I mean, Aurora?

Hara:  (coughs) You dock with her. I like her as a friend. She loves you, so treat her right.

Cloude: (surprised) Are you for real, chooms?

Hara: What?

Claude: I'm sorry, man. I never realized you really into her. But you never told me. I don't mind, chooms. Go after her! After all, Aurora is a good soul, right? As for me? I'm fucking done with all the emotional crap.

Hara: (chokes) No, thanks. I’m good.

Cloude: Are you? You should have told me. Why did I not see that earlier?

Hara: Because you are a self-centered prick? That's why and also she loves you, not me. (looks down) It doesn’t matter anyway.

Cloude: She believes she is in love with me, but once she gets her mind straight. Aurora will see the type of guy you are. Well, I will set her tonight free. I'm doing this only for my best man. (snickers) But I’m not sorry for enjoying her one more time.

LOCATION: Aurora’s Apt. 01:36 am AREA: Downtown, Westnox

One week later. 

PLAY & PRETEND  🎵