Hollow Veins

Chapter Twenty Four; Define Sorry

Alice sighed, "I just think maybe we can..." Aaron looked sharply at her, "We can...? You're not saying we can trust him?" Alice rubbed her head. The piercing orange light, leaking through the windows of the old house, was fogging her vision. "From what I've seen, he... he's been trustworthy so far." Aaron folded his arms, "How so?" Alice frowned, "What do you mean, 'how so?' Aaron, he saved my life, about three times." Aaron leaned against the crumbling drywall and mumbled, "Could be an act." Alice sighed, "What reason does he have to fake it." Aaron still wouldn't meet her eye. Instead, he peered out the window. "He's a liar and a jerk. Why can't you see it, Alice." "What he did was cowardly, sure but I doubt he did it for the purpose of being mean or a jerk or whatever you want to call him," She flung her hands in the air.

Aaron shook his head, "If he's willing to lie to you so he can save himself, he's willing to do it again." "How?" "Remember the testing?" Alice felt her face go pale, "Of course, but if you're saying-" "Think about it, Alice. Ari is absolutely convinced that you can't get into a city without some form of payment." Alice felt her heartbeat quicken. Aaron finally looked at her, "Payment... like test subjects?" Alice narrowed her eyes, "Don't say that." "Why not?!? Remember how strange he was acting when you and Ari were talking about the testing." "Stop. It." "Why are you defending him?!?!? He's twisting your mind!" Alice slammed a hand on the whethered table between them, "Shut up, Aaron!" She turned around and breathed slowly for a minute or two. This time, she spoke more calmly, "Just shut up." It was making her head spin. Like her own fearful thoughts had worsened to the extreme. "Let's just go back." She heard him walking towards her, "Just... consider what I said."

Ari glanced up as Alice and Aaron walked in, "Find anything?" Aaron shook his head. Alice barely looked at the others as she sat down. Jasper opened his mouth, saw Alice's angered expression, and closed it again. Prince stretched next to Ari, "My everything hurts." Ari glared at him, "Wonder why?" "Well I was beat..." He paused, remembering Ari's reaction to the subject yesterday. "Jumped off a balcony," Jasper put in with a slightly fearful look towards her. Ari reddened and looked away. The bruises on Prince's tan face were clearly visible. And the fact that Prince had provoked his attacker didn't keep Ari from blaming herself.

After a long silence, Prince began making lip popping noises. Ari exhaled slowly, "Prince, I will literally stab you." Prince looked at her for a second, then laughed, "You've finally known me well enough to threaten me." "Could have the day I met you." "Best friends." "Prince, I will carry out that threat." "Forever." She raised her hand to hit him. He leaned away, "Ok, fine. Worst enemies." "Good, I didn't wanna hurt you." "Awww. You didn't?" Prince leaned back towards her. Ari hit him. "Oops," She said, not sounding very sorry. He stood up indignantly and sat next to Jasper, "At least he's not going to hit me." Jasper smirked, "Mmm don't try your luck." Aaron yawned, "You're just too... easily hurt." Prince snorted. Jaden raised his hands to sign. Probably sensing an insult, Ren slowly pushed them down. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she started laughing. Alice looked up, "Wait a second... did you say something about jumping off a balcony?" Prince smiled and gave Alice an insolent wink, "It was one of my brilliant moments." Jasper raised his eyebrows, "I'd say suicidal." "Idiotic," Ari grumbled. Prince put up his hands, "Hey, it would have found us. I'd rather be safe than sorry." Ari blinked, "I'd say, falling off a balcony, breaking every bone in our bodies, and slowly and painfully dying qualifies as sorry." Prince smirked, "Define sorry." "Your parents." "Hey!" Ari laughed and leaned back against the wall. Jasper cleared his throat, "Anyways, I wanted to talk about tomorrow. We're gonna have to move." He looked uneasily at Jaden, "My worry is how moving is going to affect you." Jaden obviously didn't like the idea that he was, in any way, a burden. He raised his hands in order to sign, but Jasper cut him off, "If you give me any garbage about leaving you..." Jaden stopped signing with a grouchy look on his face. Ren lightly hit his arm and murmured, "Not happening." Jasper continued, "Staying is out of the question. There are too many Infected here and not many resources, which we're running low on."

Jaden looked away, feeling frustrated. He hated the feeling that he was weighing them all down. The others continued to discuss the matter, and Jaden wanted to sink into the ground. If he kept them from getting to the city... he looked at Ren. If she or any of the others died because he slowed them down... Sometimes Jaden just felt like... He closed his eyes. Despite how much they had all been forced into this, he knew the others would kill him if he tried anything to make them leave him. Jaden felt a hand slip into his. He opened his eyes to see Ren looking a question. Are you ok? He nodded. He was not ok. Not in the slightest.