Rayna's P.O.V
"Alex, I know you and Xavier argued but you can always come to talk anytime. Xavier was being an idiot." -idiot is an understatement -"I know but sometimes it helps to talk it out. Talking always helps and -"
Damn it, I'm rambling.
"-It doesn't have to be Xavier, just let go of your grievances and burdens. You could even write on paper if you don't want to talk about it."
God, I sound so cheesy
"Talk. It. Out?" She asks, her eyes narrowing with the pause at the end of each word.
I give an uncertain shrug "Yeah, I guess it always helps and -"
"It only works when there's actually something to talk about." She cuts in, her mouth tightening. "Me and Xavier have nothing to say to each other. He told me to choose and I did."
"Alex, you guys have been friends over a month."
7 weeks actually but who's counting?
Definitely not me..
I was starting to get exasperated with all the roundabout talk. I mean yeah, we didn't talk much in the beginning but I actually got used to her being around. She is a nice person under all that sarcasm. It was nice having another girl on the team.
And deep down, she was still a little kid.
The only downside had been Xavier but now I'm getting over it. At least, I think I am, let's face it, Xavier and Alex do fit each other better.
She's able to reign him in when he's acting dumb unlike me who'd just get roped in. They understand each other. It's better that way even if it still hurts sometimes.
"Don't you think you shouldn't let it all go down the drain because of a stupid argument?" I regret my words the moment they leave my mouth.
"Silly?" Her small face convulses as if confused on what expression to make.
And then she starts to laugh. Long. Hard. Until she's wiping tears of mirth away from her face while I stand there with a face red with embarrassment.
She finally stops laughing, a few chuckles still escaping as she tilted her head at me.
I had always felt like she was looking down at me but I had never felt it as acutely as now.
"My my Rayna, with the way you're going on, one would think you weren't in on it too." She tilts her head, the smile disappearing, her eyes however don't change."Except maybe you weren't." The smile creeps back, triumphant, mocking. "I guess you don't tell each other everything. What a pity. And here I thought I had met the legendary trio of friends but of course I was wrong because things like friendship, loyalty." She dropped her chin into her palm propping her elbow on the desk. "They're so fickle." Her voice turned dark then and even I who had met adversaries that were definitely more threatening than her flinched.
"I'm blowing it out of proportion. It's really a small matter, nothing to break a friendship, might even build a relationship. Like you said, silly." She straightens then. "But I hate trickery for any reason."
She considers me impassively then her eyes wrinkled." Or maybe you do know and are just here to mock me."
I nearly choke on my saliva
I'm the one mocking you?
But from her set jaw, I can see she's not joking.
I need to fix this.
"Honestly, I have no idea about what you were talking about but Xavier and Matt probably have their reasons for keeping it to themselves." I can hear the doubt in my voice and maybe she does too because she snorts. I press on anyway "But it's not like that. I care about you, I really do."
She sighs and stands , carrying her books and stuffing her phone into her pocket. She walks forward, pausing as she reaches me. "Well thanks so much for your care, Rayna but I don't need it. I'm grateful, I really am." I can hear sincerity in her voice which confuses me.
I turn to watch as she walks to the door. "I can't understand you, Alex."
She pauses, her hand on the doorknob then turns to me with a genuine smile. "Count yourself lucky then, everyone who has is already dead."
And then she slips out, leaving me alone.
I feel a knot in my stomach as her words sink in .
Xavier was keeping something from me?
Matt too?
Are they in on this together?
She said it was unimportant but it must have been, to cause her to stop talking to us so why didn't they tell me?
The knot's getting tighter.
Suddenly, I have the odd feeling I've had too much to eat which is weird because I haven't been to the cafeteria yet.
I need to talk to them - I sink into a nearby seat.-but I need to gather my thoughts first. Gather my thoughts.
My phone rings then.
It's Matt.
Gather my thoughts.
I purse my lips and pick up the call. "Hello."
"I don't know if you're in the middle of something but there's trouble. The metallic kind."
Wow universe, great timing.
