Oblivious

52 // Flustered counterpart

Drapetomania
(n.) an overwhelming urge to run away

-Elora-

"How's your girlfriend?" I ask, moving my legs back and forth to create a gentle ripple in the water.

Ajax sighs. A heavy and deep sigh. It's annoyed but hurt and everything but nothing at the same time. He shrugs one shoulder, shuffles a little closer to me like he's scared the others are going to overhear. "I think she's planning on breaking up with me."

My brows furrow and I frown down at Elijah's pool. Ajax and me are sitting on the edge, our feet in the water, a little away from the rest of the group who are all splashing about and having fun.

"Why'd you think that?" I question tentatively, keep my voice barely above a whisper so nobody can accidentally overhear.

Ajax shrugs again but this time his shoulders don't manage to come all the way back up. Weighed down by some invisible force. Pushing at him until he's sinking into the ground with nothing other than the dirty soil to breathe in. "She's avoiding me, has been for the last week."

"I can't bring myself to confront her about it." He frowns, clenches his jaw so hard I'm a little scared his teeth are going to start rattling against the force.

"Did something happen? Like do you have any idea why she might be avoiding you?" I ask, glancing up quickly when the sound of Elijah's laugh floats through the air.

He's leaning against the wall of the pool opposite me, his arms on the ground as he watches Valentin jump on Daltons back, trying his hardest to get the boy under.

Marla stands on the edge of the pool, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Seeing it arise she takes a deep breath before jumping, landing on Val's back as they all go under.

Danny sits a little to the side of the pool, legs crossed under herself as she types away on her phone. The churning of my gut tells me she's texting Meeks.

I've tried to warn her. Telling her what he's really like and what he did. But if she doesn't want to listen what more can I do?

Ajax shifts uncomfortably in his spot, glancing at me quickly out of the corner of his eye before going back to staring at the water. "Yeah I got a rough idea."

"And are you going to share that or not?" I reach out, take ahold of his hand the way a parent would a small child, in some attempt to comfort him.

Ajax sighs again, this time it's different. Lighter but more embarrassed than anything. Uncomfortable even. "She uh..." he trails off. Glancing up to make sure everyone else is still out of ear shot, nonetheless he lowers his voice to barely a murmur as he says, "She thinks I like you."

My eyes widen and I shift a little away from him, make an attempt to drop his hand that he doesn't allow.

"Oh." I mutter not really sure how to respond. Staring right ahead I try to meet Elijah's eyes so hopefully he's able to come over and save me from this weird situation.

This was definitely not how I expected this to go.

Ajax rolls his eyes, gives my hand a squeeze as he pulls me back next to him. "I don't like you for the record." He says, frowns all over again. "Well I mean I do like you, but not like that, like a sister."