JEOPARDY: The Cursed Soldier.

14. Quick-Stop

"I'm sorry about Angela." Ivan started some minutes into their drive.

"It's not your fault." Her mutter was accompanied by the pain of what had happened in the bathroom. Her whole body prickled at the memory.

"It kinda is. My emergency instigated the actions that led to Angela hurting you. For that and for not standing up for you. I'm sorry." He glanced her way, making her turn and force a smile on her face. "How about I make it up to you?"

Kayla frowned at him. But he just smiled—a beautiful smile that did great things to his already handsome face. "A little treat. Any preference?"

Kayla frowned harder. Did he know that Angela had drawn blood? It was not possible. She had already healed and washed herself clean. The scent of blood remained, but faintly. Only a creature with a sensitive nose could detect it.

"Angela didn't hurt me. We don't need to go to the hospital." She answered tentatively. A test.

Ivan's thick brows furrowed at her reply. Before he shook his head and said, "That's not what I meant... I meant... how do I say this? Um... When you are having a bad day, how do you cheer yourself up?" A pause and a glance her way. "That's what I meant"

Kayla actually blushed. Her ignorance and inexperience with the real world was finally showing and on that day of all days.

How much worse could this day get?

"Hey, it's okay. Language is a tricky thing. There are some English phrases I'm also unfamiliar with. Just a few years before, I couldn't drive either. You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Ivan added, his gaze on her. Like he could tell what she was thinking.

Instead of helping, his words made her feel stupid. There were so many things she didn't know and couldn't do. All because of how she had grown up.

She cursed her fate again, her eyes welling up.

Stop it.

She chastised herself. Yes, she was emotional than usual because she had sacrificed something important that day. She craved comfort, but crying in front of a stranger was unacceptable. And humiliating. 

To keep her tears from betraying her, she turned to the window, and tried to focus on the scenery moving before her eyes.

They drove in a tense silence for a while with Ivan stealing glances her way, but saying nothing until he finally shook his head and said, "You still haven't answered my question." She glanced his way but kept her face blank, despite her confusion. "What do you do when you want to brighten your mood?"

Kayla shrugged.

She worked out, trained, did friendly combats, talked to her mom, and watched movies to brighten her mood. But she didn't know how to answer that question without looking more strange. Or getting emotional.

His lips curved into that grin of his, absolutely obvious to the storm in her head. "Come on, give me something. I can feel your sadness from here. Let me help."

Kayla shook her head and faced the window again. "You don't have to do anything. I'm fine. Let's just get to your house."

Her voice held a finality to it. Which she hated, because it came off as rude. 

Ivan was just trying to be nice to her. He deserved more than her rudeness. But considering what she had sacrificed, being honest with anyone that soon may result in tears.

Kayla wasn't even much of a crybaby. But she was at her wit's end. She just--

"Do you like Ice cream?" Ivan interrupted her thoughts.