her hollow heart

chapter 10: GUT FEELINGS

Dylan's POV:

I stared out at the horizon as Max adjusted her gear, her hands swift but casual, like she'd done this a hundred times before. I mulled over her answer. "Yeah, but I dunno... something about Jace just doesn't sit right with me," I muttered, crossing my arms.

Max rolled her eyes, the sass practically dripping from her voice. "Mate, if I had a dollar for every time someone didn't 'sit right' with ya, I'd be on a beach somewhere, not babysitting ya here." She shot me a side-eye, smirking. "But hey, Lucy likes him, so that's good enough for me. You trust Lucy, right? Or do we need to have a whole other chat about that too?"

I sighed, glancing over at Max. She was always like this—sassy and sharp, but there was something comforting about her honesty. Plus, the way she talked about Lucy, you could tell she'd follow her anywhere, no questions asked.

"I do trust Lucy," I admitted, though my voice still carried a hint of uncertainty.

Max gave a dramatic shrug. "Well, there ya go. Besides, if he screws up, we can always just send J after him. You know she'd love a good excuse to take someone apart." Her grin widened, the gleam in her eyes unmistakable. She adored that chaotic murder bot way too much.

I couldn't help but smirk at the thought. "You reckon she'd do that for you?"

"Mate, J'd do it for fun. But yeah, she'd do it for me. She's like a more homicidal version of me, and trust me, you do *not* wanna be on the wrong side of that."

Tomorrow would bring a different kind of fight, and I wasn't sure if Jace would prove himself or crack under the pressure. But with Max and her sharp wit by my side—and Lucy's trust guiding us—at least I knew we had a shot. Even if that shot involved a reference to murder drones or two.

As the evening darkened, casting long shadows over the terrain, I found myself lost in thought. Max's playful banter and her usual confidence were a welcome distraction, but my mind kept circling back to Lucy. The way she'd smile at Jace, the subtle touches she'd share with Kasper—hell, even the way Kelly had practically fallen for her at first sight.

I felt a sharp pang of jealousy every time Kelly's name crossed my mind. It was like a punch to the gut to see someone who'd just met Lucy so smitten already. I was used to the idea of Jace and Kasper having feelings; they'd been open about their pining for a while. But Kelly? That was new and unnervingly fast.

Max noticed my distracted state and raised an eyebrow. "What's got you all broody, Dylan? You look like you've just bitten into a lemon." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's just... seeing Lucy with everyone else. Jace, Kasper, and now Kelly. It's messing with my head." Max's eyes twinkled with mischief as she leaned in closer. "Oh, so you're in the green-eyed monster club, are ya? Welcome to the party. We've got matching shirts and everything." I shot her a glare, but she just laughed, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Seriously, Max. It's not funny. I mean, I care about Lucy a lot. But seeing how quickly everyone else is falling for her—it's just... frustrating."

"Mate," Max said, her tone softer now, though still laced with her trademark sarcasm, "you're not the only one who's got a thing for Lucy. She's got that effect on people. But if you really care about her, maybe you should start thinking less about who's falling for her and more about why she's got you wrapped around her finger."

I frowned, contemplating her words. "So what, you're saying I should just accept it and move on?" Max shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm saying that if you want to stand out, you've got to be more than just another jealous face in the crowd. Show her why you're different. Why you're not just another one of the many who've got their eyes on her."

I wasn't sure if Max was being genuine or just teasing me, but her words hit home. Maybe she was right. Maybe if I focused less on the jealousy and more on what I had to offer, things might turn out differently. Max patted me on the back, her grin widening. "Look, you're a great guy, Dylan. Just don't let your jealousy mess up what could be something real. And remember, if you need backup against the competition, J's always up for a little 'motivation.'"

I chuckled despite myself, the idea of J causing chaos for my benefit almost comforting. As we prepared for the next day's battle, I tried to push aside the jealousy and focus on what mattered. Tomorrow was a new day, and if I wanted to make a difference, I needed to stop comparing myself to everyone else and just be myself.

I'd give a handmade dagger to Max as a gift, made with a beautiful obsidian blade. "Get it all bloodied and it'll look nice, okay?" I say playfully as she waved it around.