The Numbers on Our Arms

Chapter 8

A/N: Valentine's day special. Also known as regular chapter but on a Monday.

At lunch, Seraphina searched for John again.

Her search didn't come up with nothing when she bumped into John in the corridors.

"Hey." She beamed up at him. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"I don't want lunch," he replied.

She glanced away before connecting their eyes again. "Are you sure? I'll eat with you. We don't have to eat in the dinning room."

"No, I'm fine." He paused, looking up to the ceiling. "Do you like the Safe House?"

"Well, it hasn't started yet, but I like the idea that Remi has explained to me. I think you would like it too."

"It's ridiculous."

"Did Cecile tell you that?" she asked.

"Why would Cecile tell me that? I haven't talked to her about it! She's a fucking liar anyway!"

... I guess Arlo got through to him.

"Yeah, she is. That's why I told you I put Blyke as Jack. I never trusted her. She holds a grudge against Remi too."

"For what?"

"Beating her and becoming Queen instead of her when I abdicated my position as Queen. Haven't I told you this before?" she asked.

Seraphina's eyes flicked away from John as someone walked up to them. Zeke.

John will probably handle him.

"You have." A pause fell. "Doesn't everyone dislike someone who prevented them from getting a position?"

"Depends how much weight you put on it."

"Are you saying that its wrong?" he questioned.

"I'm saying that... Not everyone takes it to that extreme. Cecile has other reasons too."

John went to silence.

"Okay, do you want to go for lunch now?" she asked. She grabbed his hand.

"I said I'm not hungry."

She tugged on his arm. "Come on, you need to eat if you want to keep those muscles."

John looked at her through the corner of his eyes as blood rushed to his face.

He wrenched his arm out of her grasp and took a step away from her.

"I've already had lunch. Go eat with Evie or someone."

She rolled her eyes. "You should have said that sooner then."

Deep down, I knew it wasn't the truth.

Remi walked alongside Blyke and Isen through Kovoro mall.

Isen headed up to the self-check in movie ticket machine on the second floor of the mall.

"Hey, I booked some tickets in advance." He pressed the buttons on the machine. "It's for the first movie of the 'Cursed Princess Club'."

"Oh, I've seen the trailer for that. It seems cool," Remi replied. She took one of the tickets handed to her as Blyke took the other. "That is such a good choice."

They looked through the packets of sweets before paying and heading to the screen.

Tears streamed down her face by the end of the movie and she buried her face in Blyke's shoulder.