The Lost and the Hidden

Chapter 14

The next time I wake up, it is morning. My eyes are still closed, but I cannot hear anybody already awake. It's only when I open my eyes, that I almost jump up. I take my hand—that just lay on Logan's bare chest—into my other hand and hiss: "Jesus, you scared me."

"Had a good sleep?" Twelve asks, looking down at me, unblinking.

I don't answer. "Looks like you had." he answers the question himself, sparing Logan, who is still sleeping, a quick glance. Logan, who is wearing nothing on his upper body.

Oh, that must look... Not as it is. I don't try to explain it, though. I'm way too tired and I don't owe him an explanation.

You don't owe me any form of thanks. How can he be so nice to me. I like you, too. So, if he likes me... Are we friends now? I wish I could just ask him. But that's would be... I don't know, it feels silly to ask someone if you're friends, when you're seventeen years old.

Twelve narrows his eyes at me. God, what's going on with him, since when does he even talk to me about other things than training and my eating habits?

"Stop staring at me like that." I say, getting up and walking into the kitchen to look for something to drink. I'm sure the others are thirsty, too.

"Nice hoodie you have there." I ignore him, though it's interesting, because I've never heard him be sarcastic before. I've never heard him be anything before. Only barely, before he shuts up again.

Instead, I open some shelves in the kitchen until I find a few packs of water bottles in one of them. "Water doesn't expire, does it?" He doesn't answer. "No, they aren't expired yet." I answer my own question, examining the expiring date. "Stop staring at me." I demand, not even looking at him. I feel his eyes on me, that's enough.

"I am not." He contradicts.

"I wish you weren't." I mutter.

"I am not." he insists.

"You're not what?" Logan comes into the kitchen. Neither Twelve nor I respond. "Hey, do you think there's some... eatable food here?" he asks.

"I don't know, you should look." I notice he's still without his hoodie. I take the hem of it and begin to pull it up. He holds it down to keep me from giving it back to him.

"You keep it, you can't run around out there with nothing but this thin worn t-shirt. I'll go look if the owners of this house left something I can wear."

He's going to be cold. He probably won't find something warm enough in here. I want to protest, but before I can even open my mouth he says: "I'm not going to be cold. I'm sure they left something." He leaves without giving me a chance to answer.

"How cute." Twelve says, sounding disgusted.

"Could you stop it? What's your problem with me, now?" I snap.

"I don't have a problem with you." He says through gritted teeth.

"Then act like that's true." I say. "Just help me looking for something to eat."

"Yes, we don't want little Logan to be cold and hungry."

At that, I laugh out loud. "What is it?" he demands.

"It's only... It's weird, when you say something like this. I mean, you've never once since I've known you been... like this. Normally, everything you say, you mean serious." I explain.

"Well, maybe that's just what I'm showing you." He suggests.

"Oh, I'm hurt." I put a hand over my heart as if I'd been shot. "I would love to see the funny and unserious Twelve." I joke.