Us against the world

-+<*~ Chapter 2 ~*>+-

Jamie's P.O.V

 I waited impatiently in front of the Maravish airport. Ellie was in the car, I didn't want her to be seen or be driven into an attention center. Maya should've arrived by now, I couldn't wait to see her again. Rosewood was starting in a few days, the whole experience would be different if she was there. 

 I tapped my foot impatiently while gluing my eyes at the airport's glass door.

"Jamie, sir, I would like to be released from my prison cell." Ellie's voice was muffled through the car window, Lottie beside her. 

"You know I can't let you out," I said, giving her a slight side look.

 Ellie then huffed, crossing her arms like a child and looked away from me. I let out a small chuckle. Taking care of Ellie was like babysitting a newborn child, difficult yet easy. 

Wind whistled in my ear. Maradova was known for the cold, but all of the tourists underestimated it. Another bright beam of sunlight shot my eye, reminding me I was still waiting for May. And that was when I heard her.

"JAMIE!" Maya cried, suitcases at hand and running like the wind towards me. 

She arrived with a great hug, wrapping her jacket-covered arms around me. I squeezed her tight, like really tight, and I would never let go if I didn't have to. As we parted, Ellie and Lottie were banging the window, trying to get her attention. Maya banged it back, dazzling her usual sunshine smile back at them.

"You've grown,"

 She did, but I was still a half a head taller. The huge bruise under her eye was still there faintly, but you could tell it has healed after the past two months.

"I have, haven't I?" She ruffled my hair a bit, making it more of a mess than it was before. 

 I grabbed her suitcases, pushing each one in the boot of the car while she started catching up with Ellie and Lottie. Once I finished, we were on our way back to the Maravish royal palace. The girls' chattering was louder than usual, probably because of how long they had spent apart. It was funny how intense Ellie's mood swings had been without her.

 The snow-tinted palace came into sight. Maya stretched her head out of the car window with a gasp of cold air, another smile danced onto her lips. 

"No matter how many times we enter this place, it never fails to amaze me." She laughed, admiring the plants of the court-yard happily. 

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Weirdo."

 Lottie elbowed her in the stomach. It was no secret how much Maya adored Maradova but to Ellie it was a cage. No matter which or how many ways she'd see it, it wasn't her home, neither was it mine.

 Parking the car carefully, I shut off the engine while the others made a racing exit. Lottie helped me with the suitcases but Ellie and Maya just rushed towards the Rec-Room. I laughed while pulling out the last suitcase and placed it on the luggage cart Hannah and Midori had prepared earlier.

"They should be helping you, you know?" Lottie giggled, tying up her immense blonde curls.

"I don't blame them, they've been wanting to play Minecraft together for a while now,"

Lottie pushed the cart through the snow "True, plus you are very handy when it comes to these things,"

 We made our way past the maids, butlers and guards all surrounding the entrance. One of the butlers took the cart out of my hand and started pushing it himself. Lottie was talking about our next school year most of the way, but I wasn't focusing on her voice. 

Every now and then, my mind would wander off to something I dreaded thinking about; Haru. 

 He had escaped a long while ago, who knows where he was now. Haru had spent the last year keeping track of the Princess of Maradova, then brought me to my father. Not to mention, Lottie knew nothing of his escape. He even exceeded to his limits by setting foot inside of Rosewood hall. And now, all because some highly authorised guards couldn't keep him caged, the lives of its students are at high risk.

"Jamie? Did you hear me?" Lottie waved her hand rapidly in front of my eyes.

 I grabbed her wrist gently and placed it back by her side "No, what did you say?"

"Never-mind that. Why are you constantly going...I don't know...blank?" She asked as we made our way up the marble staircase.

She's noticed them, hasn't she?

"Blank?" I questioned, running my fingers along the railing.

"Blank, looking into space, ignoring what I say-- take your pick. What's gotten into you?"

 She's definitely noticed them. Now that Lottie has said it to my face, it made me think about how many times I've done it. If it were so many for Lottie to detect, it must've become a habit by now. 

"Nothing," I replied. I figured lying my way out of this would buy me some time before I truly have to tell her what had happened to Haru.

"Jamie, I don't know if it's your girlfriend or your dad or anything for a matter of fact," she paused right at the end of the stairwell "But it's not just something you do once a week, it's something you do numerous times everyday. Whatever's bothering you has shown, and clearly I don't know about it, so could you please just-"

"Look Lottie, it's nothing, I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. Now can we go inside and pretend we didn't have this conversation?"

 She looked me up and down several times before doing what I assumed was a nod and opened the door to Ellie's rec-room. 

  The two teenage girls were sat on gaming chairs, a huge computer set up laid out in front of them. They were actually gaming at 10 o'clock in the morning. Lottie skipped over to the mini-fridge, pulling out a couple of drinks and handing me one. 

"What, you're not gonna give me one, Lottie?" Ellie commented, her eyes made no movement from where they were at before.

 The Portman swallowed down the fear in the throat "I would but...you're scary when you game,"

 Maya choked on air, stifling a small giggle while spam-clicking the mouse. Her white leather jacket was tossed on one of the bean-bag chairs. Lottie handed her a can of soda then anxiously walked towards Ellie, stopping every step to imitate fear. Maya laughed again.

"You're gonna laugh, huh? Let's see how you feel when this happens," Ellie turned back to her screen. After a moment of strong tension, her avatar started stabbing Maya with what I could assume was a diamond axe.

"ELLIE I-" My girlfriend's screen flashed red, her breathing tensed. I flinched a bit at how loud she screamed my princess's name. Lottie was next to me, hiccuping a laugh every two seconds. 

Maya eyed her desk for something.  She then grabbed a pile of socks and began throwing each individual one at Ellie with a loud huff of fury.

"Oi! STOP- MAY SERIOUSLY,"  

 I chuckled the more Ellie screeched "How are there so many socks on the table?"

"Because Ellie doesn't know how to clean, obviously."

 This was one of the moments where it started out all joyful. But the lingering feeling of fear was growing stronger everyday. I shouldn't be scared, I don't even know why I'm scared. We all had so much on our plate, plus all the schoolwork and responsibilities.

And no matter how happy we were now, it wouldn't last much longer.

~

so sorry for the late update! school has really been overtaking my schedule :(

next update soon!