Midale

Chapter Eighteen: There Is No Love Without Hate

There is a moment in your life when all sense of time and reality just stops to matter, and the only thing that exists is what you want right there, right then. Your skin goes numb because you're afraid to feel anything, afraid to let the overwhelming emotions take over because sometimes instead of controlling your body, it starts controlling you.

How and when didn't matter, all I knew was that I was exactly where I wanted to be at the time, wrapped in his arms. I breathed in his familiar scent of soap and deodrant, my cheek resting on his chest. I felt his hand gently stroke my hair and I pulled back from the warmth of his body, somewhat reluctantly.

His hands cupped my face and for a minute I couldn't take my eyes off him. His smile was so genuine and real, for a minute I couldn't believe it was really him. His eyes, though, had the same rebellious spark in them and reminded me of the stormy sea, even under the sunlight. Both of us opened our mouths to say something but then shut them, thinking of what to say.

The last time I saw him, he broke into my room and told me to never think about doing what I did by coming here to New York. I was just glad he wasn't mad at me. Well to be honest I had plenty of reasons to want his head on a stake but seeing him like this, after so long, it just melted my heart and along with it all the little illwill I had against him. Our mouths opened again to say something but this time before any words came out, we were rudely interrupted.

"So its fine when he calls you Princess but you give me hell when I do that." Leon chipped in from behind Miles, sulkily leaning against a tree bark.

I made the mistake of gratifying him with a look while Miles did the smarter thing and ignored him.

"I'm sorry." He blurted out and by the pain on his face, it was easy to see that the apology took a lot out of him.

"For which time?" I raised an eyebrow but there was a smile on my lips and my hands came up to cover his around my face.

"For not coming for you earlier."

"You're apologizing to the wrong person. I was the one who had to babysit her all this time." Leon complained again and Miles just sighed and his hands slid away from me.

"Who is this guy?"

"You don't wanna know." I said and shot Leon a glare who just passed me a fake smile.

"Good point." Miles muttered and turned back to me.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?"

"Will it be wrong if I assumed you're here to take me back home?"

"No, it won't be, but that is not all of it."

The ground beneath us was mostly bare of vegetation and served as a flat and firm place to sit, so that is exactly what I did.

"I'm listening." I said, tapping the space beside me that Miles took up, crossing his legs beside me. Our knees were pressed against each others and I tried not to focus on it much but it proved to be too distracting so I moved away a little. Miles didn't seem to notice and went on.

"We got here last night when a distress call came from Rogers. We still haven't been able to collect all the reinforcements but came as soon as his call came. We haven't heard from him since." There was a note in his voive that reeked of worry but it was hard to point out as Miles was so good at hiding everything under covers.

"What about the traps you set up all around this forest?" Leon asked, coming to a stand beside me.

"That was yours?" I inquired.

Miles nodded.

"So that's how to got out." I said to Leon, somewhat grudgingly.

"We were informed of attacks in this area so setting traps all over was the first thing we did. Fiona wants to know about everyone who passes through here. Good or bad. She is not in the mood to take any risks."