Dangerous Charm [2]

01

|ANNOYING|

Her feet slipped slightly in the mud as she dodged to the side to avoid being hit by the large stick he had swung towards her but luckily she steadied herself enough to jab her stick into his side making him groan softly and stumbled back. He dropped his stick which landed in the wet mud with a squelch as he clutched his side in pain.

Seizing the opportunity presented by his self disarmament she dropped her stick and lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. Their bodies collided roughly, grunts ensued from their throats as they hit the wet ground, sinking slightly in the mud, covering their clothes and skin.

Melodic laughter escaped their lips as their eyes met, unable to remain serious in their current state.

"I win," Knox grinned cheekily once she'd regained her composure and she sat up on her knees so she wouldn't crush her friend.

"Only because I let you," Lenox tried but his response was met with a scoff from the girl.

"Yeah, right,"

He smacked her shoulder lightly, "Yes I did." He insisted but was met with an incredulous expression from Knox, "Now get off of me before I suffocate,"

Knox gasped in mock offence, clutching her chest, "What are you trying to say?"

"You. Are. Heavy." He shoved her leg as he said each word, trying to push her off but she'd clenched her legs around his waist so she couldn't be moved, "get. Off."

She released her grip and allowed him to shove her off of him, landing in the mud on her side.

Despite being completely filthy by that point, neither stood from the mud. Both Lenox and Knox remained sprawled in the mud for a moment in silence until Lenox spoke up, gazing curiously at his best friend.

"Hey," he spoke making Knox snap her gaze away from the brown cow in the field she'd been staring at for a moment, "what did Linara Fields want the other day at school?"

"Uh, the usual," Knox answered, quicker than she intended.

Lenox frowned at her, "really? You seemed off after you spoke to her. You sure she didn't do anything?"

Knox shook her head, "Nothing happened. It's fine," she dismissed.

"You sure she didn't say or do anything? You don't want me to deal with her? I'm not opposed to hitting a girl if she's a bigoted cow—"

Knox rolled her eyes and covered his mouth with her hand, "Chill out tough guy," she chuckled, "I can handle myself. It's fine."

"Did she—" Lenox began as soon as she removed her hand.

Knox clasped her hand back over his mouth, "Nothing happened. Nothing."

⚔️

Her father was cooking in the kitchen when they returned to the house that night. After their brief break-time sword—wooden stick—fight Knox and Lenox had finished their work at the farm and headed in once the sun had begun to set.

"Ah, you're both back," Eli glanced up from the stove he was stationed in front of, he tittered at the state of their clothing, "Go get yourselves cleaned up please,"

As he was talking, Knox noticed the bulb in the overhead light in the kitchen kept flickering despite being the only light on in the house. Every other room in the dishevelled farmhouse was dark, only slightly lit by the dusk from outside.

It was only when her father cleared his throat that Knox realised she'd been staring at the light.

"Earth to Knoxy?" Eli said as he waved his hand, "Go get cleaned up please,"