Love Far Beyond the Ashes

Air of Awkwardness

Calli pov:"Wawa!" I called out, trying to find her quickly. I shouldn't have talked to Irys for so long that I lost track of her. I continued walking until I saw her with Reine. "Wawa!" I called out again, gaining her attention.

She jolted upward and looked at me in full panic. "Uhm-Weine, I've got to go!" She stated that her face was bright red, and she stuttered, even calling her Weine.

"Yea... Yeah, I'll see you later." Reine said loudly:

"Hey you two, why don't we meet up with Ollie together? Besides, we need to get Kobo, right?" I asked

"Yeah..." Kiara mumbled. She looked away from me and Reine. I couldn't help but feel awkward.

"What is wrong with you two? You both seem flustered, and you aren't looking at one another," I pointed out.

"Calli, they just had a little argument," Mumei stated. I glared at her on the tree, and she stated back

"I guess I'll believe you..." I stated

Mumei stood up and looked in the other direction. "Selen isn't doing well." She sighed

"So are all of us going that direction?" I asked her

"Well, obviously, Calli-senpai." Mumei stated, I couldn't help but think she gave me the senpai honorific out of spite and was mocking me.

The four of us walked over to where the others were, and Ollie ran up to Reine, holding her tightly. "I was worried, idiot!" She cried out, but the peafowl stood there in a daze.

"Mommy Kiwawa, these three girls bullied me!" Kobo yelled as she pointed at Moona-senpai, Anya, and Ollie.

Kiara stood there, not even processing what Kobo had said: "What's wrong with Mom?" Clara asked, and I didn't even sense her behind me.

I tilted my head to the side in perplexity and sighed. "I really don't know," I said.

Reine, are you alright?" Moona-senpai asked

"N-N-Never better!" She shouted

We all stared at the two girls; something happened between them. Mumei said they had a fight, but that can't be all that happened; they're flustered, not mad.

"I'm telling you, Calli, they just had a fight and they are embarrassed because it was so petty, so please don't pry into it," Mumei stated.

"Are you gatekeeping again?" Selen asked Mumei, who shook her head.

"No, I'm just stating the fact that they had a fight. I'm genuinely being serious. Reine and Kiara fought about beauty marks," She said.

The two of them practically passed out when they heard Mumei say this, so it must be true, but for some reason I feel like they're hiding something from us.

Kiara, are you okay?" I asked once again.

"No-I need to throw up!" She stated that I was about to help her out, but Reine moved first, walking her over to a tree.

I squeezed my hand into a fist and looked on. "Wha-What?" I said that, for some reason, I felt oddly about this.

"What's wrong, mom?" Clara asked me

Yeah, dad, why do you look pale?" Kobo asked me

"It's... nothing," I replied.

"You should have told me you were a queasy jackass!" Reine yelled with worry.

"Sorry, it's just that I have a lot on my mind and I got an upset stomach, and then I had to throw up," She said.

Reine slightly had her arm wrapped around Kiara, and as she noticed, she pulled it away quickly and said, "I apologize!" Reine shouted

"You didn't hurt me; it's okay!" Kiara sighed She seemed exhausted all of a sudden.

Reine helped her stand up and walked her over to me. When my eyes met with the peafowl, I glared into her eyes angrily. She just looked at me normally.

"Can we talk privately?" I asked Reine, who seemed preoccupied with Kiara and not Ollie.

"We can, but why?" Reine genuinely asked. I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from Kiara, taking her somewhere private.

"What is wrong with you two?" I asked her. She looked at the ground and sighed before looking up at me with confidence.

"Nothing like Mumei said; we had a quarrel about something really stupid, so I apologize for causing you trouble and making you worry!" She said

"No Reine... something else happened. You made Kiara happy, and for some reason it pisses me off. I know you are like a sister to her, but for some reason I-" I cut myself off in order to take a breath, and Reine opened her mouth.

Calli, I understand how you feel, but I promise you that your worries are misplaced," Reine told me.

"No, I don't think they are," I told her.

Reine turned her back to me and asked, "Is that all?" She asked me I looked at the ground. "Yes" was all I could say in exchange.

"You two, what's going on?" Kiara asked her, and Ollie came to spy on us, I guess.

Yeah, why have you been acting strangely, Reine?" Ollie asked

Look, why am I being strange when I haven't changed the way I act? I am just looking out for my sister and doing things I normally do. What's the problem?" Shs asked

I can't put my finger on it, but the feeling I get when Kiara and Reine are together makes my stomach twist into a knot. I don't know what it is or why I haven't felt it before. No, I have felt this before, back when we met up with Reine a few days ago. Ever since we had that chat,

"Reine, let's talk about us!" Ollie said

Reine looked up in response to those words as if she had heard them before, and she smiled. Okay," she replied.

"Wait, Reine, can we talk for a few more minutes alone?" Kiara asked

As if Reine dropped everything, she turned back to Kiara. "Maybe in a minute," she finally said after realizing that she had kept Ollie waiting.

I couldn't help but notice Kiara was disappointed, and I felt more and more of a sense of dread.

What is going on with me? Why am I so mad?