Blood of Acheron

Ariella

Sapphire and I ran over to our room, escaping the musk of testosterone that seemed to be in the air. Luca was so suffocating everywhere I went that he would be there for every movement I made; he was aware of it. He didn't understand I still needed space after everything went down this summer; I didn't trust him. Snowbelle frolicking around Sapphire and I was just another reminder of what he could do, a reminder that I shouldn't let my guard down at all.

Sapphire plops down on the couch and sighs; she was probably tired from carrying our team on her back. Alaclander was too busy flirting with his new fling to remember that he still had a flag to capture. Luckily for us, Sapphire outmaneuvered the opposing team and stole the flag from right under their eyes. Honestly, I was so proud of her. I know that during my first war game, I was too nervous to do anything and stayed by Luca the entire time.

"Ellie, please, for goodness sake, turn on the air conditioner." She groans.

I shake my head as I move toward the entryway wall and press on for the air conditioner. I then plop down next to her on the couch and sling my head backward, I needed to rest before I did anything tonight.

"Ariella, you need to catch me up with the nonsense with Luca; I'm genuinely so confused."

I groan. The last thing I wanted to do was reminisce over what had happened with him today. Al had purposefully paired us together so we could hash everything out, but like I've said a million times, I need space.

"He just won't listen to me," I sigh.

Sapphire tilts her head, prompting me to go on.

"Let me backtrack; I've known him since I was a little kid. He was always at my house and we were always together." I paused and took a deep breath.". As we got older, we started seeing each other differently; he was more protective of me and chased away anyone else who was interested in me."

Sapphire's eyes widen"Ariella, this literally sounds like the movies you love; what went wrong?"

I grab a decorative pillow from the couch and slam my arms into it."That's the problem we were doing so well ; last year when we came to Instar, we both decided to admit our feelings for each other, and I guess you could say we were together."

I take a deep breath and squeeze the pillow. The memories of last year still sting like they happened just yesterday. Yet he just wants me to pretend like the entire thing never happened. Sapphire notices my silence, holds my hand, and squeezes it. "Ellie, you don't have to tell me if it hurts so much," Sapphire says softly. I shake my head. I needed to make peace with it so I could leave him and it in the past.

"No, I need this; besides, we're friends, and I trust you."

She nods and continues patting my hands."It was two months after we had admitted our feelings for each other; he was getting distant and wouldn't explain why. Then we went to a party, and I lost him; he was drinking, and I just went to take a breather, and there he was all wrapped up with Snowbelle."

Sapphire gasps and frantically shakes her head. "What?"

she runs her hair through her scalp, connecting all the dots. My anger when Snowbelle had come up to me like nothing ever happened; my avoidance when Luca had continued begging me that what happened was a mistake; all of it was piecing together like a puzzle, except none of us felt like we had accomplished anything.

"He had her and they were snuggling by the little campfire outside, and I come in and it looks as if they're about to kiss."

Now that it's her turn to slam her arms on the couch, a sliver of a smile grows on my face. Her arms were practically flailing everywhere.