End of a Beginning (Book 4)

Chapter Twenty-One - ...a Beginning

"Higher Kirk!" I yell. Derek turns and shoots me a warning look. I've been banished from teaching Kirk archery and throwing knives for a while. As I watch from the porch, I itch at not being able to help but Derek thought it be best for Kirk to learn without me yelling at my younger brother. Kirk warily looks back at me, trying his best to improve but Derek turns my brother's focus back towards the bow. Derek is gentle with Kirk and my heart warms at watching them bond together. Derek would be a great father but I still haven't told him that I cannot bear any children. Hopefully that won't change anything between us.

Holden suddenly sits by me at the steps and watches the two carefully. "I remember you being shit at the bow," he says as he nudges me. I try to hide my scowl but he only laughs. "Go easy on him, Gus. He's learning quickly." I watch as my brother pulls back on the bow but he's shaky. Derek makes him put the bow down and says something to him in a hushed tone. Kirk nods and then focuses on the target. Pulling the bow back, I can see a difference in how he holds himself. The bow is considerably less shaky. In a blink, the arrow hits just below the center. As Derek pats Kirk on the shoulder, Holden claps obnoxiously next to me. "Way to go kiddo!" he yells next to me. Kirk waves to us embarrassed but does seem proud of the feat. In the small moment, I catch Derek's eyes on me. When we make eye contact, he gives me a look as if he's telling me I told you so. I stick my tongue out at him and he can't hold back a smile.

When they return to training, I lean into Holden. "When am I going to meet her?"

He turns to me sharply. "What are you talking about?"

I laugh. "You've been distant lately. And I know it has nothing to do with your jobs." Every time he comes around, it always seems like a part of him wants to be somewhere else. It reminded me of how I was when Derek wasn't around. "So who is she?"

He sighs and tells me that her name is Kelsie and he met her while in the mines. He says that she's the toughest one down there that even some of the other men cower before her. Out of the mines, she's the sweetest human being around. "Her duality is impeccable," he says with smile.

I put my head on his shoulder. "As long as she doesn't plan on killing me, she sounds perfect."

He laughs loudly and throws an arm around my shoulder. "That would really put a damper on our friendship." A couple minutes later, Derek and Kirk wrap up practicing and they join us on the porch steps. Kirk runs in to help Nana with cooking which just leaves the three of us. Things between us have gone smoothly and way better than I expected. Holden has gotten over his jealousy over Derek and Derek knows how important Holden is to me. He knows that he can never fully have me without my best friend attached as well. And the two seem to actually enjoy each other's presence. "How did you learn archery?" Holden now asks Derek. "You're the best I've seen and you're bloody blind in one eye."

Derek fidgets with an arrow but stays silent. Though he's been an open book with me, he still doesn't like discussing his life with others. Eventually, Derek sighs and says, "I learned with my brother while living in Yally." He doesn't say anything after but I know the story already. Yally has training centers that exclusively help people before they enter the games. Though they never planned on joining the games, Xavier brought Derek along to train and over the years, Derek has practiced constantly making him near perfect at the sport.

As Holden reels in the fact that Derek has lived all across Floriea, I notice Derek's eyes are focused on something behind me. I turn to see Nana staring at us from the kitchen window. Turning back, Derek's jaw locks. After Derek proposed to me three months ago, we told Nana the news and ever since the two haven't said a word to one another. All I know is that she took him to the other room to talk and he hasn't told me what she said to him. It must not be good. "You should talk to her," I blurt out. Derek's eyes find mine again.