King Gnah

20-ARCHER

KENNY

It was Saturday morning. I woke up with a slight headache, and the room was spinning around me. I hated life between the time I opened my eyes and the time I stepped into the common area. When I glanced at the clock, it showed that it was past eight in the morning. I went to the fridge, got a bottle of water, and then took the water. Since I had slept in my sweatpants, I retrieved my hoodie from the hallway closet, pulled it on, and headed for the door.

On my way out, I very nearly ran into Anya. She had just finished her run.

"Good morning," I said quickly before a yawn escaped my lips.

Anya had a blank and distant look on her face. I mean...she always did, but today was really distant. She almost walked past me, but I blocked the way. She then proceeded to glare at me, and even if I knew she could blast me to space, I decided to hold my ground.

"Thinking of me?" I asked just for the sake of making this confrontation lighter. 

It was safe to say that she was not impressed. I let out a sigh and decided to take a different approach, "Anya, I just wanna know if there is anything you want to talk about." I looked down at her; she was not as short as the other girls, but I was a whole head taller.

She looked up at me after a few seconds with a weak smile, "Someone just said something that got me thinking, that's all." 

When she put it like that, I just let her pass into the house. But before I could leave, she called to me, "We have a meeting at midday, don't take too long!"

"Aight!" I responded.

I walked down the street as I built the momentum to start a jog. I was thinking that one round around the exterior route of the school, a few sets at the gym, and my workout will be pretty much done. I wanted to keep it light.

The exterior route was a gravel trail that circled the school outside the fence of the school. The gym instructor talked about it once. So I went for it; the trail was big enough for a car, but beyond the rail was a cliff. I stirred clear of that spot and kept my pace. 

About halfway through, I saw Stefan walking toward me. I slowed down, then looked around, wondering how the hell he got lost.

He bowed, then spoke in his annoyingly perfect English accent, almost like my mother's, "I thought I'd find you here."

"Well, I didn't take you for a stalker, but then again, books and covers are different." I shot back as I paused panting.

He let out this low husky chuckle. No wonder Stacy was practically drooling for him. This guy looked like the real-life version of Kaz Breaker with killer looks and silver fucking hair. Colour me yellow with jealousy. "I came to ask if you are okay to go look for the gem right now."

Wait a minute, didn't Anya say we were gonna do it together? 

He noticed my gears turning and added, "Anya thinks we shall be met with some trouble, which is why she devised a plan, but...that is kinda the issue." He signalled for us to walk, and I obeyed. "We are not always on the same page with her."

"Why?" I interrupted because, I'm sorry, don't people die when they argue with Anya?

"There is a council of elders that runs the empire while Anya is here. Let's just say they have plans that would get them killed if she ever found out. But killing them would unleash chaos."

"And I am in this equation, how?" 

"The gem is in plain sight. This girl who has it has a soft spot for you. You could visit---"

"Who?" I almost choked on air.

"Amy Wilson," he answered as if it was the most normal thing for a psycho to fall for a regular person (me).

I looked at him like he was speaking Chinese, "Yeah, where is this coming from?"

"You know telepathy?" he asked as he paused to look at me dead in the eye. I nodded. "Well, I have that, but instead of thoughts, I can read feelings, no matter how confusing they might be. It's called telempathy.

I read Amy's feelings, and I could tell that she liked you in middle school and a little bit in high school. Then you dated one of her friends, and she got jealous, so she tried her best to break it up. When that relationship ended, she knew she had no chance, so she did her best to make your life miserable." 

Stefan had this cocky smile on when he was done speaking. I just knew there was tea to be spilt. "Go on..." I nudged him.

He smirked, "There is a hint of lust when she hears your name. Not judging, though."

Oh, come on. Of all the things...

Should I be proud of the effect I have on her or disturbed? If my heart of hearts were to answer, I would take a bit of both. 

Back to the main point, I saw the reasoning in what Stefan said, so I decided to give it a shot, but on one condition. "If we are doing this, we do it following my rules. Got it?"

Stefan grinned and gave a swift nod, "Alright. I suggest we go now," he suggested.

I looked down at my outfit, then back at him. "Yeah, no." I started to jog back to Beckham, "See you in fifteen minutes!" I called back and headed for home to take a shower and get ready to seduce a bitch.

The entire issue of my having to possess that kind of power threatened me a little, but I had a duty that I was literally raised to do. And if it meant believing in Santa, so be it.

The house was quiet when I got in. I had only ten minutes before I had to leave. I spotted Willow making a large breakfast. I ignored her and went straight to my room to fix myself.

I had on a black dress shirt, black slacks and shiny black loafers. My hair was done up, and I had to hand it to my mother. She raised one heck of a hunk. 

When I passed through the common area, Willow was setting the table. "Hi..." she greeted me awkwardly.

I nodded back and picked a bacon strip from the plate she was holding. "Are we talking now?" I asked her. Considering that she wanted nothing to do with me after Lisa jumped me the other day. Not forgetting that I did try to apologise, but then gave up when I remembered that we are not even dating.

"Kenny," she started, "I'm sorry---"

I had to interrupt her there because I really had to go, "Me too, love. Now excuse me, cos I have a date to get to." And with that, I grabbed my keys from the rack and headed for my black shiny BMW M6 that I got at sixteen and have absolutely refused to replace, and off I was to Amy's address. God bless her poor heart, she's gonna need a doctor when I'm finished.