He placed a small box with a pink pastry in her hand. And while a puzzled Nari looked at her hand, the beta disappeared into the crowd. Like he melted away.
– Hey, thirteen! – Frank called her, peeking out from the shop, – if you stir up trouble in front of my windows again, I won’t sell you coffee anymore.
– Sorry, Frank, – almost enchanted, Nari muttered, – I’m on my way.
Collecting the coffee package, she slowly meandered towards the ghetto. The weather was nice; she wanted to enjoy the walk for as long as possible. Kanetika was working today. And they couldn’t see each other often. Lost in her thoughts, Nari didn’t notice how she reached the waterfront. The river flowed through the whole city, filling its waters into narrow canals in the center and spilling directly against the walls of the ghetto. The girl sat on the cold ground by the bank and gazed thoughtfully at the concrete walls. The pink pastry in the box was almost the same color as her hair. She opened the packaging and brought the treat to her mouth. It had a pleasant sweet aroma. The pastry was strawberry-flavored. There could be a debate about its naturalness, as getting fresh berries was almost impossible. But it was still delicious. A delicate cream, a crispy bottom crust, and a fluffy biscuit in the center. Nari devoured the sweet gift with such appetite that for a moment she forgot who had given it to her.
– It’s annoying… – she murmured to herself, – it’s infuriating! And where did he even crawl out from! Teaching! Commenting! Who do you think you are anyway?!
– Nari? – a voice from behind called her, – what are you doing here?
– I don’t want to go back, – the girl replied over her shoulder, – what about you? Why are you here?
– I went to get some groceries, – Leo raised two paper bags in his hands.
He approached her and sat down beside her on the yellowed grass. Nari offered him a piece of the pastry that was left. Without thinking, Leo ate it from her hands and, momentarily forgetting himself, licked her fingers. Nari blushed, but didn’t pull her hand away, pretending that it was normal and nothing special had happened. Realizing what had just happened, Leo also flushed. Taking a deep breath, he continued the conversation calmly, barely restraining the tremor in his voice.
– Did you go for coffee? – he asked.
– Uh-huh, – Nari nodded, – Frank asked today if I would be released to the Arena this year.
– Scoundrel, – Leo smiled, – let me guess. He said he would bet on you if your opponent was someone weaker.
– You’ve studied him well, – Nari chuckled, – that’s almost exactly what he said.
Silence fell again. Some kind of swamp creature drifted past them in the river, and Nari watched it with her gaze.
– Listen, – she began cautiously, – today… I met that beta again.
– The one who helped you a few days ago?
Nari nodded.
– Just don’t tell me you decided to get to know him, – Leo said warily.
– No, nothing like that, – the favorite said, – it’s just… so strange. He appeared out of nowhere again. And disappeared into nowhere. He saved me again. Like some damned guardian angel.
– No! – Leo sharply disputed and immediately added more quietly, – no, Nari. He’s no angel. He’s a beta. You’re an omega. Don’t forget that. This whole world is hostile to us. Alphas, betas… none of them care about what awaits us. They may seem nice, but it’s all really hypocrisy and attempts to seem better than they are.
– Harsh and uncompromising, – Nari smiled sadly, – do you really think there are no betas and Alphas that could be… friends to us?
– No. There aren’t.
– What about Kanetika? Do you not even trust her? We’ve known each other since childhood. And she never turned away from us, not even when she found out our secondary gender!
– That’s until it starts harming her.
– But it is already harming her!
– Then it doesn’t mean it’s that critical.
– Leo…
– Nari, please, don’t start. We’ve already discussed this. Your friendship is a temporary phenomenon. You can be offended and angry at me, but I won’t change my mind. Only an omega can understand another omega. The whole other world is hostile to us. Betas and Alphas will never treat us as equals. Even if you want to believe that it’s not the case… – Leo got so worked up that for a moment he forgot himself and started raising his voice.
Nari lowered her gaze.
– Sorry, – the young man said, – I didn’t… really, Nari, I just…
– Forget it, – the girl waved her hand, getting up from the ground, – let’s go home. I still have dinner to cook.
By evening, she was standing by the stove, frying white fish. Leo and Dionna were sitting on the floor by her bed. Her younger sister continuously took colorful lollipops from the glass bowl.
– What are you, a child? – Leo nudged her, – we’re having dinner now.
– Yes, yes, – Dionna pushed him away, – tell me, brother, doesn’t Nari seem quieter to you today than usual?
– Nari has never really been loud, – Leo pondered, – she brings a lot of problems, but… usually, it gets loud around her. She herself is quiet.
– You understood what I meant, – Dionna hissed in annoyance, – did something happen while you were coming home? Or maybe something happened in the city?
– Who knows… – sighed Leo, – she met that beta again.
– The handsome beta? – Dionna’s yellow eyes sparkled.
– What made you think he’s handsome? – the brother asked irritably.
– Nari grew up surrounded by handsome omegas. I think she wouldn’t react like this to any mediocre beta. Don’t you think?
– I really don’t want to think about that. It’s bad either way.
– Brother, is that jealousy I detect? – Dionna's lips curled into a sly smile, – I don’t know what you think, but I think our Nari is going to clean up in the city.
– And why would she want to do that? Nari didn’t go into the city unless necessary. Never. Only to meet Kanetika and for shopping.
– And now she’ll be looking for meetings with the mysterious beta, that’s obvious, – Dionna popped another lollipop into her mouth.
Leo said nothing. He watched Nari, who was busy at the stove, skillfully wielding a knife. White fish was her signature dish. She had taken a long time to learn to prepare it. She would often run to an elderly omega neighbor who had taken their trio under her wing when they first found themselves alone in the ghetto. Though he behaved like the older brother, Nari actually took care of them since they met. She was clumsy and sometimes irresponsible, constantly bumping into walls and furniture, not looking where she was running, and frequently ending up with bruises and scratches. She was more afraid than anyone of ending up on a farm and did not like performing at the Arena. But Nari was still the one who always put others’ interests above her own. She always put herself in harm's way to protect the weaker. And although Leo was considered the oldest in their trio, it was always Nari who took every blow. She didn’t even give Leo a chance to cover her, and it was unbearable. Even more unbearable was the fact that in this rotten, hostile world to omegas, there was someone who managed to protect her.