AFK - Away From Keyboard

Chapter 16:

Emica's POV:

   I had been incredibly bored and lonely while Len was gone. Now I was wishing he hadn't come back.

All I wanted was for him to tell me what was wrong. I hate it more than anything to be left in the dark, no one ever thinks to tell me things. I had let myself get angry and yell at Len, expecting him to yell back or walk away...after all, that's how people usually react...right? Instead, Len had...had kissed me. It surprised me so much that I turned into a statue for a few minutes. Even after he had turned away I was too surprised to move. 

Then, all at once, I ran out the door. I needed to get far away from everyone for a while.

My menu allowed me to quickly equip my cloak, the hood of which, I pulled over my head.

The woods looked like the perfect place to run into, but there was always a chance I might get lost.

In the distance I saw a hill. I would go there.

I ran as fast as I could without tripping over my long dress. Lifting up the skirt made it so I wouldn't have to worry about falling, which I was unbelievably prone to doing.

There was a tree on the hill that I hadn't been able to see before. I sat breathlessly under it, trying to let my heart rate go down.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. Len had...kissed me...why? I had never thought about being kissed before. It had never occurred to me that anyone would try...

How old had he said I was?

Fifteen...that seemed very young to be kissed. I needed to think of something...anything else, but that was all my mind could process.

Something small darted into my lap. It gave a victorious mewl.

I smiled softly and pet Snowy's head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Len jogging up the hill. He stopped for breath at the top, while I continued to pet Snowy and pretended I hadn't seen him. My smile had faded.

"Emi..."

"How did you find me?" My voice wobbled a little. I managed to sound slightly angry.

"Snow queen ran after you, so I followed her." Len answered.

I mentally cursed Snowy, but she gave such a happy purr that it was impossible to be angry with her.

"Emi I'm sorry...I shouldn't have kissed you." Len began again. "I'm also sorry for yelling at you."

Something inside me wanted to forgive him right away, but another side of me decided to let him be sorry a while longer.

"I guess you're right." I looked to the opposite side. "I don't understand."

There was a short silence which was broken by Len's laughter. "I guess you aren't all sweet, huh?" Turns out you have a little spunk after all."

I gave Len a look. He stopped laughing. "Will you forgive me?"

I sighed a long sigh. "I suppose I'll forgive you."

Snowy licked my cheek and I started laughing. It's hard to stay upset when you're holding something as adorable as a white kitten with amethyst eyes. It's against my nature to stay angry anyway.

Len grimaced but I pretended not to notice, now thoroughly afraid of asking him if he was okay. That didn't stop me from wondering of course.

When he sat down beside me, I couldn't help but tense up and inch away a little.

Len leaned back against the tree and stretched out his arm to pet Snowy. I had always been able to talk before, but now I found myself at a loss for words. It was all very uncomfortable. The silence was unbearable, and yet I couldn't find anything to say. There was nothing to be said.

"What are you thinking about." Len asked casually.

"I don't know." I replied quickly; too quickly.

Len laughed. "Something you're too embarrassed for me to know?"

"No..." I lied. Well...it wasn't a complete lie since he already knew about it. I just didn't want to talk about it. What had he been trying to make me understand? All he had done was confuse me further.

"Alright then."

Someone had to come. I don't know how much longer I can take this. Myra, Rey, anyone. I just can't be alone with Ren right now. It's all gotten so complicated now, far beyond my processing anyway.

Just when I was about to say something, a familiar voice called out: "Excuse me, but I'm looking for a certain purple haired girl named Yue...anybody seen her?"

"Kit?"

"The one and only!"

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    "So...this is the Kit I keep hearing about." Len smiled wryly at Kit. We had all started back to the inn.

"Hey no fair. You can't go around ruining my reputation like that." Kit said to me.

"Oh she didn't say ANYTHING bad about you." Len groaned.

"And yet I have a hard time believing she talked me up to my rightful place." Kit smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "You're so vain."

"What can I say? It's  hard not to be when you're this amazing."

"Go jump in a lake." I moaned. "What are you doing here?"

"If you must know, I decided that you were a much better companion than all the boring people in Kedron. So I came here."

"You followed her all the way from Kedron?" Len raised an eyebrow. "That's not sketchy at all."

"Says the guy wearing an all black coat that just screams shady." Kit returned with a goofy smile. I mean, Len had followed me for a while as well...

"So how long have you known Yue?" Kit asked.

"A few days. I saved her from an assassin who was trying to steal her things."

"Excuse me? If I remember correctly, I was the one who saved you from the assassin." I cut in. 

"That I would have liked to see. The old Yue wouldn't even go near a goblin." Kit laughed.

"They were scary at first!" I defended myself.

Len smiled and nodded. "They are pretty creepy."

"Only if you know my Aunt." Kit added, to which Len raised an eyebrow.

"They look just like her." Kit smirked.

"That's mean Kit." I scolded him. "You shouldn't say that about anyone."

"I even missed you constantly telling me my faults." He laughed.

Len rolled his eyes. "You must have a lot of them."

"On the contrary...with Yue always correcting me, I have far less than you." Kit snapped.

"In one ear and out the other." Len shrugged. Kit opened his mouth to retort. They were just going back and forth over and over again.

"Stop! Stop!" I cried and put my hands over my ears.

"Oh come on...it was my turn." Kit moaned.

"I agree Yue. He should really shut up." Len nodded.

"Look who's talking." Kit shot back.

I groaned. Where was Myra when you needed her? She had a talent for getting people to shut up. What time was it anyway? I checked my menu, which told me it was two twenty-five.

"...well we'll just have to wait and see," Kit was saying. "Since I'm traveling with you now."

Oh no...