Janet indulged herself in the game. She just didn't know who to question to seek the answers that were swirling in her mind.

"Hey, Janet!" Avery greeted putting a mug of hot coffee in front of her as she was tying the shoelaces.

"Thanks, Avery. I really needed it." Janet said and looked up to smile.

"I can see that. By the way, why are you so stressed? It's been so many days... are you still not comfortable here?" Avery asked concerned.

"No no, that's not it, Avery. I'm very much accustomed to the rules and environment here... but you know... uh... some things bug me all the time and I don't know ...where's the end?"

As Janet took a sip of the hot coffee, her throat felt warm, and she felt a little bit hotter in there.

"Okay but-"

Janet's phone rang, reminding her of her practice for the next-coming tournament. When she looked at the caller ID her smile widened.

"Hey, Janet! Watcha' doing?" The chirpy voice made her chuckle.

"Oh, nothin' much. Just taking a cup of coffee." She spoke.

"Oh? Me too!"

"How's work going, Maria?"

"Everything is going just fine, uh... it's um... off topic, but did you by any chance... came across a phrase like, 'something... est la'?"

Maria's words sent an electric shock down her spine. She had been thinking about it all night, and what she did not expect was to have a conversation on this topic that too with Maria, who didn't have a clue about what was going on there.

"Hello? I'm listening..."

Janet didn't know what came over her as she decided to lie. Her instincts told her from the very first day that Maria had business outside of that house. She unhesitatingly decided to play.

"Um... no. I haven't, why?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. But why?"

Maria seemed to ignore the question as she asked, "Okay... do you have any idea about the language?"

"Um... I don't know. Maybe French?" Janet guessed.

"Oh, thank you so much!"

"Was that all? I mean, is this the reason you called me?"

"No no, not at all. I wanted to know how you're doing! That's why I gave you my number, you remember? It's just... I suddenly remembered it. That's why."

Janet couldn't hold her laugh. Did she think Janet was stupid? That was purely intentional, at least Janet knew that.

"Oh? Okay... but why?"

"Uh... I was reading a book... and it really made me curious?"

A book? Janet was certain that there were no books in his uncle's library that contained that phrase. At that point, Janet confirmed she had links with many, she just wished nothing to happen to her uncle for all this.

"Which book?"

"Uh... Janet? I have so much works now. Talk to you later!"

Maria hung up.

"Who was that?" Avery asked.

"Just a friend of mine." Janet sighed, "Avery... all the best for tomorrow, I heard the semi-final is tomorrow. You know, how things are going for me. I'm sorry, I am not able-"

"Aww, it's fine! I know it, Janet. Just stay safe!" Avery smiled and pecked her cheek.

"What? You're blushing?!" Avery laughed.

"Shut up," Janet whispered.

⭑⁎꙳⭒☪⭒꙳⁎⭑

Janet knew where to go. Running through the hallway and then into Mrs. Dubois' cabin, Janet panted. She took a deep breath and relaxed and it certainly was not helping her adrenalin rush, which made her heart pound loudly in her chest.

"Mrs. Dubois? Mrs. Dubois?" Janet knocked two times, examining the area carefully so that no one sees her.

And after a few minutes, the door opened.

"What happened Janet?" Mrs. Dubois seemed worried, "Are you okay? Do you need help with something?"

She forced herself into her room and locked the door behind her. But a strange smell overwhelmed her senses, making her feel lightheaded.

"I need to talk to you, Mrs. Dubois," Janet stated rather firmly.

"What is it?" She questioningly looked at Janet. Maybe she did not expect a visitor to her cabin at this hour.

"Tell me..." She trailed off not knowing if she should take the name directly or not. She inhaled deeply and continued, "About Arthur."

"What about him? Did he again do something?"

"That's not it! He's behaving weird since he saw... this." Janet said took out the keyring from the pocket and showed it in front of her. As soon as her eyes fell on the keyring her, she stopped dead in the tracks. Her face scrunched up in horror and she broke out in cold sweats as she looked behind Janet.

Janet again felt someone's presence and that known smell. Vanilla.

To see what she had been looking at, Janet, turned her head around only to feel someone hugging her from behind. Janet's startled eyes met Anissa's.

"Oh, you?" Janet said calming down.

"Yes! What are you doing here?" Anissa smiled as she asked.

"I... uhm.... just came to ask something." She showed Anissa the ring even though she did not want it.

"Oh, that? What about it?" Anissa asked.

Before Janet could say anything Mrs. Dubious, pressed her arm and smiled, "Janet, I don't know everything about Arthur. I know... I am his mother, and I am ashamed to not know about my son well... It's just... All of my life I've been searching for something, pretending to be someone I am not. And-"

Anissa went to her and hugged her, "Don't say that. You're an amazing mother! And, it's not your fault that your child is spoilt..." Anissa said and looked away, as fresh tears shone in her eyes. "You've been caring towards every one... He just... doesn't know it." Anissa sighed while completing the next sentence.

They both sounded tired. Tired, exhausted, and frustrated by something that was disturbing their life continuously. Mrs. Dubious wrapped her hand around Anissa's and gave her a tight-lipped smile. When Anissa took her hand away, Mrs. Dubious caressed her hair with much care as if she was as fragile as a flower.

"Ask Anissa, if you want to know anything. She understands everyone and talks to them. Maybe she knows, what going on about Arthur." Mrs. Dubois said.

⭑⁎꙳⭒☪⭒꙳⁎⭑

Anissa stopped near a small café.

"I have long wanted to bring you here. This place is nice, isn't it?" Anissa asked finding a table for two.

"Yes... It is." Janet said and looked around to see the café.

The place was in rich deep brown, and the aroma of its dark aromatic perfume flooded her senses with a different kind of emotion. She wanted to forget everything for the time being.

The beautiful floral arrangement hung on the wall reminded her of her Uncle's house. The relaxed ambiance of the place made it perfect.

"Bonjour! un café s'il vous plaît..." Anissa's voice brought Janet back to earth.

She looked at the barista, who had tired eyes, yet there was a glimmer, he looked between Janet and Anissa.

Anissa chuckled and asked, "Coffee and anything else?"

"Only coffee. Thanks!" Janet said and sat down on the chair.

"Sugar and milk?"

"No. Just the black one."

Anissa nodded her head at the barista and spoke with a smile, "Avec lait et sucre."

Then she turned to Janet, "I like milk and sugar in my coffee... So... What did you want to ask?"

"We have enough time. So, you know French?" Janet asked.

"Yeah, I have been staying here since I was a child, so I more or less know how to communicate with the French people."

"Okay... That's impressive." Janet said.

"The barista here only speaks French." She laughed as she twirled her hair with her fingers.

"He doesn't know English?"

"Nah, a little bit just for basic communication."

The coffee came within a few minutes and Janet took a sip. The dullness and dizziness vanished in a moment, and she felt better.

"So, tell me, Anissa... What is the meaning of est lá?" Janet asked and she didn't fail to notice how Anissa's facial expressions changed, and the smile that left her face.

"Why?" She asked.

"Just like that..."

"Is... here." Anissa took a deep breath and forced it out of her.

"Huh?"

"It means 'is here'."

"Oh, and do you know anything about that ring?" Janet said while sipping her coffee.

"No. But I must say it looked familiar."

Janet hummed distractedly when she felt a pair of eyes staring at her, with utter disgust. She quickly turned her head that way, but there was no one or nothing.

"Now, listen Janet. You have practice today?"

"Yes... but it's late. At evening."

"Excellent. Then, I can show you some of the places here which are my favourite."

"Sure," Janet said smiling.

And it looked like Anissa was restraining herself from screaming. Her eyes contained so delight and satisfaction that Janet could not help herself but hug her feeling the positive energy that radiated through her.

They paid for their coffee and the barista nodded and waved them goodbye. But this time, his face was bright with joyfulness.

⭑⁎꙳⭒☪⭒꙳⁎⭑

When they came back, it was 4 in the evening, and Janet slightly knocked on the door. Avery, who was with a headphone on, opened the door, and locked it behind her.

"Where were you?" Avery asked taking out her headphones.

"With Anissa. Well, how was your practice?"

"Not good. That's why I'm trying to refresh my mood." She said and smiled cheekily, pointing at her headphones.

"Oh! Don't worry, you'll do good tomorrow. Maybe you were absent-minded or something?"

"Yeah, I hope so." Avery smiled and put on her headphones again, "Oh Janet?"

"Yes?"

"I think this is yours. Fell from your pocket..." Avery handed her a note.

"Mine...?" Janet looked at it perplexed.

She opened it, and something was scribbled on the note in big bold letters; as if a child had written this. And, the moment she saw it, she knew who could have written this.

卄乇ㄥ卩 ㄚㄖㄩ尺丂乇ㄥ千

+３３ ５５７８１ ９８５３

'The barista here only speaks French.'

Any thoughts? :)

Thank you for reading! ♡