Tears of Blood (wlw)

love is dangerous

DEVYN POV

I'm waiting for Sierra by her locker when I catch a glimpse of Iris's pink hair.

"So what's going on between you two?" Sierra questions when she follows my line of sight.

"Nothing at all."

"You guys have been all cuddly for the past few weeks so I thought something was up."

"Just fooling around, you know."

"Iris is a nice person, don't do anything stupid. I have a sense that she likes you."

"We're just enjoying our time together, okay?"

"Mmmhmm." Ashton and Andrea walk past us and they're deep in conversation about something I couldn't quite catch.

"What about them?" I signal toward their direction.

"What?"

"Are they a thing now?"

"I don't know. Ash has been hanging out with her for the past month. I wonder if he'll make it official?"

"Do you think she's right for him?"

"They're cute. And I like her."

"Well I don't." I huffed.

"I thought you were over your petty and immatureness. Why don't you like her?"

"Well, she still hasn't thanked me for saving her life. She's always trying to one up me and it's annoying. I just get a weird feeing from her."

"I think it might be called insecurity..."

"And why would I be insecure?"

"Because she gives you a run for your money. She's actual competition, you've forgotten what it's like to have someone as good as you."

"You're funny. There's no one as good as me."

"Exactly my point, you can't accept it."

"Whatever. You're my friend, you should be giving my side."

"I am. I'm just saying that you should go easier on that poor girl."

"I am easy. I hardly talk to her, but Ash has to drag her everywhere, it's annoying."

"OOoooo wait, don't tell me, are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Of who?"

"That Ash has found someone new." I laugh so hard that my eyes swell up.

"Never in a million years would I be jealous over Ash. Especially with Andrea? Never."

"Oh yeah I forgot, you're too busy with Iris to care." I give her shove as we walk out of school.

"I forgot, my father asked me to meet him today, so I'll catch you later?"

"Yeah sure. Be safe!" We parted ways and I walked to the park near our school, to find my father sitting on a bench under the shade. I looked around to see that his bodyguards were undercover and they were spread around the park.

"Hello, Devyn."

"Did you need something?"

He taps the empty spot on the bench next to him.

"Have a seat, I need to talk to you."

"About?"

"Lot's of things." I sigh and take a seat right next to him.

"Okay. What is it?"

"How are you doing?"

"We both know you aren't here to ask me that, so, Mr.Ackerman, with all due respect, let's not waste our time."

"You really think I don't care?"

"Yeah, I think you don't. Since I was a child all I have remembered is your hate. I have no memory of your so called 'love.'"

"Love is a wicked thing."

"It is."

"You know, I came here to apologize. I shouldn't have lashed out at you. Family needs to stick together you know?"

"So what do you need from me? What do I have to give you in return for being so kind?"

"You're as fiesty as your mother."

"I don't want to talk about her."

"I came to say that the Runes have been spotted a few miles out of Orien."

"I thought Runes were myth and legend."

"They aren't. Back when the continent united together to fight them off, over 200 years ago, everyone thought that they had vanished. The Shallow was closed off all these years, but now there's been a big burst of energy from there. Our scientists have read the reports. Something is coming."

"How can they be back if they can't reproduce?"

"It's true they can't reproduce. Rumor has it that they're bred."

"How? And who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know. Maybe there is someone behind this, maybe not. What I do know is that dark times are upon us. Our allies have backed away from helping us and you already know we've been feuding with the Rahl's for almost a century now. So, they won't be of any help."

"But Runes are impossible to kill without an army. We need to reach out to all the leaders again. Standing united is the only way."

"I know Devyn, it isn't looking well right now."

"Damn."

"Precisely."

"You should get our research team to get Rune samples. To see if we can figure out how they're being bred."

"I'm already on that."

"So that's all you came to tell me?"

"The Rahl's have taken responsibility for the Cicada-22 attack too. They've admitted to providing weapons and ammunition to a terrorist organization. We have to retaliate. Show them we're not weak."

"But you just said that if the Rune's are truly back, we're gonna need to stand united. Wouldn't that make matters worse?"

"I don't care. I can never accept an attack on my soil." I lean back on the bench, taking in everything he had just said.

"Now, I need you to be strong for me. We're going to need leaders, I have a gut feeling matters are about to get worse."

"I am strong Mr. Ackerman."

"Physically, yes. Mentally, you are not. Leading a nation takes a lot of grit."

"I am strong, Father." He looks at me as I call him that.

"You need to let go of any attachments. You can't have any weakness, or the enemy will take advantage of it. I have learned from experience, so I'm telling you. Don't give in to emotions, they're only temporary. Think before you take any step."

"I know." Father has repeated 'don't give into emotions' since I was a kid.

"I bet you do, Devyn. I just don't want you to follow the same path I did, trusting someone, loving someone." Looking up at him, I see that there is a kind of pain in his eyes.

"Are you talking about mother?"

"No, just in general. Just don't fall in love. It is hell. It will make you do things you'd never do. It makes you feel vulnerable and subjugated. It becomes a weakness and people take advantage of that weakness. Look, you are my daughter Devyn, no matter the past, and I'm telling you this because I do care. I don't want you to end up some place you regret. Love blinds. So don't go near it." There's nothing more that I want to do than to hug him. He gets up and pats my shoulder.

"Take care, Devyn. Come back home soon, we'll talk with your sisters."

"Yes Father." He signals his driver from across the park and he brings the car over. I stare at my shoes, promising myself that I would not end up like mother and father.

I will never fall in love.