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One thought replayed in Clive's head ever since he first saw her at the Gilded 7 Casino: Who on Earth is she?
He forced himself not to glance at her while they walked from the Gilded 7 to Southern Street. He knew he had to be cautious with this unexpected newcomer, as she could be a liability. Matching her pace with careful elegance, he turned and gave her a charming smile.
"Forgive my rudeness, but I do believe I haven't caught your name." He spoke, his tone controlled and poised. He was happy they were walking a little behind the Professor and Luke. He would hate for his fake image of Future Luke to be soiled by him not recalling the identity of someone from his 'past.' As for her, he was just hoping she was simply none the wiser.
"Ah, my name? You may call me Carmen." The young woman replied in a similarly poised tone, yet it sounded weirdly more laid back than his did.
"Lovely name. But I now wonder, did you dye your hair because you were born with that name?" Clive asked, trying to engage in conversation with her, to gauge what kind of person she was. Though her unusual hair color truthfully did catch his attention at first. It wasn't every day that he saw someone with box-dyed hair, and for some reason, it made him a little more on edge.
Carmen nodded. "You could say that. But I think I would have dyed my hair anyway. Red's a beautiful color," she remarked before letting out a small enthusiastic laugh. Clive felt his eye twitch. Those words combined with that laugh made a mess in his mind. How could she be laughing right now? She should be on edge like him. She was there when he was telling the Professor and Luke about the situation of his Future London, she was there during the casino shoot-out, and she must've noticed the tension he perfectly arranged within the city with The Family goons. He hated how she was talking to him like he was some old friend. He couldn't let it get to him, or at least he couldn't allow himself to make his discomfort apparent.
However, before he could say anything else, she got the chance first.
"What's wrong, Luke? Do you hate red? I mean, I wouldn't be surprised, judging by your nearly all-blue get-up," She chuckled. She was teasing him, and for some reason, he had the urge to tease her back. He bit it back, letting his irritation boil over whatever familiarity he felt whenever he heard her voice. He couldn't help but notice how she stumbled a little when she said "Luke." It was as if she didn't believe it.
"Oh, no, of course not, Miss Carmen. Red is a lovely color, and it looks lovely streaking your hair!" He quickly bounced back with a laugh, doing his best to collect himself again. "I'm just a little on guard is all. Walking through these streets is frightening at times. You must have noticed Family goons scattered about. You really can't count on your stroll to go smoothly always. I would know." He laughed softly, rubbing his cheek as a reminder of how badly he got hit in the casino earlier. He wanted to instill fear back into her. Perhaps a reminder of the potential danger would be enough to wipe that stupid smirk off her face.
"Yeah, I noticed. It's okay, I'm not too worried. It takes a lot to scare me these days." Carmen spoke, turning her head to look ahead, spotting the restaurant Clive instructed the group to go close by. When Clive heard that, he desperately wanted to know if she was lying. He was usually good at reading expressions, but this girl was too mysterious for his liking. Those ridiculous sunglasses she wore made it difficult to gauge her true emotions. He knew he shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly but it was as if she already knew Future London as the lie it truly is.
Before he said anything else, he heard a younger boy's voice call out to them. Clive looked ahead to see that the Professor and Luke were already standing by the door, waiting for the two of them.
"C'mon, Luke. Would it hurt to be a little quicker? I'll race you!" Carmen suddenly exclaimed before she began to pick up speed towards the restaurant. Clive's eyes widened at this sudden show of childishness. However, before he knew it, he felt his stride quickening into a sprint. He felt silly indulging in this rather immature activity, as he would put it; however, it somehow felt natural with her.