The Disaster Born's

Chapter Twenty Two - Ash

Leon's eyes meet mine as flames fizzle from his fists. "I've been throwing up all morning, bro," he says, walking towards me with a laugh. I smile back and nudge him, trying to keep things light. "Didn't see you and Miss Fiery for a while," he says with a knowing smile. I laugh, shrugging it off. "Nothing happened," I say, and it's not like I'm lying because nothing did happen at that point.

Leon frowns, seeing through my façade. He is my best friend, after all. "Riva, give me two seconds with my bro, would ya?" he says. Riva nods and continues to create waves, splashing at targets and manipulating the water into different shapes.

Leon puts his arm around me and walks in the opposite direction. "When we decided to be best friends, we took an oath, bro," he says, gesturing with his hands in the sky. "We swore on the very fire that took our lives that we would never lie to each other." Dramatizing each word, acting out everything he says.

I know where this is going. I look away and breathe out a sigh. "Alright, we k..."

"ASH!" An angry shout beckons from the training ground. I look in the direction of the sound. Alysia stands there in tight black leggings and a black sports bra with her earth emblem displayed proudly. Her sweat sparkles on her forehead, and her hair is scraped back into a ponytail. Leon winces and taps me on the shoulder. "He's here," he whispers, pulling me back. "Don't think we are finished with this conversation, bro."

I nod and walk towards her. She frowns at me, placing her tongue in her cheek. "What were you and Leon talking about?" she asks, her face showing a mix of aggravation and curiosity. "Nothing, just training," I respond.

"Hey, Lys, about last night," she interrupts me before I can finish, grabbing my arm. "Nothing happened," she says, her voice firm and authoritative, as if trying to convince herself. Her deep green eyes are filled with a truth she can't admit. "We kissed, Lys," I say, my voice barely a whisper. She places her hand over my mouth, stopping me from talking, and pushes me towards a tree to hide.

"Ash, what happened last night, it shouldn't have happened," she says, her tone sharp and frustrated. "Then why did it?" I retort, feeling my own frustration rise. She shakes her head, her mouth open yet no words come out. "Lys, I know you feel it. Something changed," she gulps, forcing her gaze away from me. I place my hand on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin. She bites her lip gently, her eyes filled with a mix of confusion and anger.

She suddenly snaps, pushing me away with surprising force. "I can't deal with this today," she says, walking off briskly. I breathe out a sigh and walk back towards Leon.

Leon smirks at me, pursing his lips together. "Sure looks like nothing happened, huh?" he says sarcastically.

Talon materialises from the shadows of the tree line and winces. He's wearing his training gear, a black vest with a star emblem and some shorts. "NOT YOU AS WELL," I shout. Leon puts his arm around Talon and laughs. "See, he gets it," he says, giving Talon a friendly shake. Talon nods in agreement, looking like he's just been inducted into the League of Sarcasm.

I think back to what Alysia, and I saw last night. "Talon, you're a smart man," I say softly, trying to boost his confidence. He shrugs his shoulders. "Average intelligence, I suppose," he responds.

I nod. "What do you know about 'The Forgotten'?" I ask him, listening intently. His face contorts with a frown. "I'm not sure, sorry Ash," he says sincerely. I nod, trying to process Talon's words. "Sounds spooky, bro," Leon says, shivering theatrically at the thought of it.

Suddenly, Ezra appears out of nowhere, like a bad omen. All I can think is, I can't deal with this today. He approaches Alysia with open arms, and she returns the hug, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. He kisses her, and it feels like a punch to my gut, making me feel violently sick. The envy and anger bubble up inside me, threatening to overflow.