Scouter

Chapter 14- Errands cont...

It was the same on that Theia and I overslept in or in other terms the one that led to Theia's death. I frowned at the memory but quickly cleared my mind before I got deep in thought. I rechecked the clock and big moving hands read 5:24. Time had passed quickly since I last check a clock and with it so did the food stabilizing my stomach. I could have sworn he read my mind because as soon as I turned to face him he asked, "You want to grab something to eat before we go pick up Titus."

"Yeah, that would be great." I replied happily because I mean how could I be anything but happy when food was involved.

"Okay come on, I know a place you might like." And before I could say anything he grabbed my hand and pulled me along. Since I came here I had been in a total of four fights; the ambush, in the cellar, when I "tried to escape", and when Maice and I met. In all but one the guys grabbed at me with violent hand, not caring if the broke me. But Maice held my hand with care as if I was so fragile that I would shatter if he held on too tightly. It took us fifteen minutes and forty-two seconds to get to the place he had spoken of. I knew that because all that I could focus on throughout the whole trip was his hand wrapped securely but gently around my own. After all that training he's expected to do I would assume that his hand would be callused and hard but instead they were soft and warm and for some reason, safe.

We stood in front of the small blue and whites place. I could smell the scent of home cooking from where I stood. Maice took a deep inhale thought his nose then let it out and smiled.

"I love this place, I bring Titus here sometimes. The food is great."

I didn't say anything, instead I just look down at our hand still interlocked. I felt like there was a ball of fire bouncing around inside my rib cage, searing my insides and making it impossible for me to get a word out.

"Zayla? You okay?" Maice asked peering down so that he was at the same level as my face. I took a silent breathe hoping the cool air would extinguish the fire in my lungs.

"M-my hand..." I managed. Maice looked confused for a moment as he tried to process my lack of words. When he finally figured out what I meant he dropped my hand and smiled nervously.

"Sorry, I completely forgot," He said. It might have been all in my head but for a second I thought I saw him blush. A tiny bit of my hearts sank as his warmth and security left my hand. I mentally scolded my heart for feeling like this, I mean of I wouldn't want his hand to leave mine so suddenly, the temperature change would be too drastic, actually it's a fact that if someone lets go of your hand to quickly the body reacts by sending out a hormone that makes you feel disappointed... okay I admit maybe what said just now was a lie but I'm still going to pretend it's true. Maice cleared his throat and ran his finger through his black-brown hair causing a couple hairs to stick up. His hand settled on the back of his neck for a moment before he slid it into his pocket.

"Let's go get some food, before we starve out here," He said.

"Yeah."

With the hand that wasn't in his pocket he held the door open for me. As I walked through the door I could feel my heart slow and I gave myself a chance to process why I was acting so weird a while ago, I mean I could barely even talk and all he did was hold my hand. I remember in Saldom when I'd over hear girls talking about how they would get butterflies in their stomach or lose the ability to talk whenever they got around their crush. I compared that feeling to the one a felt earlier, which was more like burning butterflies from hell than playful winged creatures. However I couldn't deny the fact that I could barely talk to him. Does that mean that I... like him?