"Hello?" Rose answered.
"Rose…"
From the way Mia said her name, Rose immediately knew something was wrong.
"Mia? What's going on?"
Mia hesitated.
"Can you come over?"
"Now?"
"Please."
A brief silence.
"I'm on my way."
A little less than an hour later, the doorbell rang.
Mia opened the door and Rose stepped in right away. She looked at her friend for a few seconds before setting her bag down.
"Alright… tell me."
Mia closed the door behind her.
"Lara came by."
Rose froze.
"Lara?"
Mia nodded.
"She came to see Cid."
Rose rolled her eyes before Mia could even continue.
"Oh no…"
"She was crying. She said she regretted everything, that she still loved Cid… And then she walked into the house without even waiting to be invited. She got down on her knees in front of me and apologized for everything she'd done to me. And Cid said she really seemed sincere."
Rose gently pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead.
"Cid… Cid… What a naïve idiot!"
Mia couldn't help a small smile.
"You're hard on him."
"No, I'm realistic. Cid can be smart about some things, but the second it involves Lara, his brain goes on vacation."
Mia sat down on the couch.
"Do you think she's lying?"
Rose sat beside her.
"I think Lara knows exactly how to get to Cid."
"She really did seem sincere."
"That's exactly what makes her dangerous."
Mia turned to look at her.
"Explain."