𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐄

'haunted by memory'✓

-Chapter four-

She smelled gras and the sea, it was natural. It was almost enough to lull her into sleep. "Elia!" Luke called out from a few meters away. When she opened her eyes she had to blink against the last rays of sunshine. It hurt her eyes just as much the loud shout hurt her ears. It was all too much. There he stood cold and collected all pulled together as he always was. She liked him way better when he had just woken up and didn't have the time to wrap himself in those walls he kept in public. Ever since that quest he was so blanc, that was if you left out the agression he expressed while training. Amelia herself learned the hard way to leave him alone in that.

His hair was a bit wet from his shower. Instantly Amelia reached out and scowled when her hand met gel instead of the smoothness of his natural hair. "You already scrunched them." She complained. When he had the time to do that? No idea. It wasn't as if her conversation with Clarisse had been that long, right?
Luke was crazy about his hair so it shouldn't surprise her. He was laughing. "How can you be so upset about my hair? Not that I'm complaining. You look really pretty when you pout like that." He was smirking, rarely was he playfull enough for that kind of teasing so she'd enjoy it while it lasted.

Amelia bit her lip. She was not pouting. "I'm not. It's just- I am a little wound up." For a moment her eyes darted in the direction she saw Clarisse wander off to before she quickly turned her head to Luke again. It was subtle that slightly raised eyebrow and narrowed eyes. She gulped. He never liked not being looked at while he was talking to someone.

"Clarisse and I were talking just before you came here- It was nice. You know- not nice, but nice. I really missed talking to her and it still feels so surreal." Amelia tried to defend herself smiling at the thought of fooling around with her friend.

Luke's face was harder now, no sign of the previous laugh. Amelia's own smile fell just as quickly. He was upset about her conversation with Clarisse. Why? She hadn't done anything wrong, right? Luke didn't say anything just scowled. Was she supposed to be apologising now? Amelia picked on her nails her eyes carefully watching his face. Then he suddenly nodded the scowl wiped away replaced by a blank expression. Somehow that was worse.

"You know we talked about this. You have to believe me, Elia. She would not be trying to be your friend if she didn't think she would win something out of it. She is a kid of Ares, a ticking time bomb. It was just a matter of time until she exploded. Clarisse is violent and emotionally unstable and not someone you want to be around." Luke explained slowly. She wasn't a child so why would he spell it out like she was? Amelia rubbed her eyes. They had this exact fight before and she did not have any wish to repeat it. Besides the obvious fact that Luke had been right all along.

Clarisse had exploded, unravelled rapidly to the extent of losing control and starting a physical fight with another person.

If there was something she could not bear, it was violence. Hurt and murder were against every rule of nature. Nobody had the right to intervene with fate and she stood by that.

"I actually wanted to do something nice for you. But I feel like you aren't even listening to me when I try to help you. I only want the best for you and you keep turning me away. Honestly, I don't know what to do." He sounded serious almost scolding and with that hard look he gave of the feeling he was older than he actually was.

"I'm sorry, I'm trying." She promised taking his hands in hers. Luke looked at them for a moment his mouth already opened then he stopped himself. It didn't matter for she was aware what he had meant to say. You're not trying hard enough. The skin around his reddish scar was twitching. It was difficult to tell for a bystander but Amelia had memorized each and every one of the ticks that showed her he was angry. How else would she know? It wasn't as if he would actually communicate that until all the anger had balled up.