Eluding Emotion

Friend

"Thank you for introducing me properly to your relatives." Lehi said as soon as we entered the house. My uncle and aunt's faces were filled with joy from the moment I got out of the room until we left. Lehi seems happy too since he never stopped smiling and engaging on very happy conversations with the only family I have left. I felt glad that they're enjoying themselves--guilty as well for not making them that happy.

"That's okay. Thank you for making them happy." I thanked him back.

"You're welcome--and thanks for not introducing me as your pet."

"Pet?" why would I introduce him that way?

"You see, I overheard Ezra saying that I'm your pet." he sighed.

"You've been eavesdropping on our conversations? You know that's a very rude thing to do." I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door. I can't believe he heard that, I didn't even thought about that 'til he told me. A part of me felt guilty for making him think of himself that way. I wanted to comfort him by telling him that I don't look at him that way--that that was Ezra talking--but I can't. I don't want to let myself fall into these emotions that suddenly started to get a hold of me. I was always in control of all of the emotions that tried to get a hold of me but ever since Lehi came along, it's like something was beginning to change in me. I even blush! I never knew I'm capable of doing that, 'til the first time he said my name. What's he doing to me?

I took the box that holds my father's ring from my bedside table. I opened it and took the ring, looking at the onyx that it holds. "Why didn't you stop him?" I said, looking at the ring. "Why didn't you help my father become the master of his own fate? You should've made his mind clear before making a decision." I must be crazy, talking to my father's ring. I placed it back in its box and went to the library.

Maybe Lehi's out sitting on the sand looking at the ocean. He always does that when he wants to think about something. "It's relaxing" he says. I grabbed Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet from one of my bookshelves and sat on the window seat. I flipped the pages and began reading after I found the page I left off the last time. I've read this tragedy over and over again whenever I remember about how tragic my mother's love story was. I don't want to have the same tragic event--that's the main reason why I don't want to fall in love. I'm scared that if I fall in love and give everything that I have, I'll be left alone and get my heart broken. If that happens...will I kill myself too? I decided to close my eyes after I was done reading the last page of the book. I listened to the sweet music that the birds were singing outside...

"Olivia! Olivia wake up!" I shot up into a sitting position and scanned the area.

"Are you okay? You were having a nightmare." I looked at Lehi's eyes which are burning with concern.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine now." I didn't even notice that there were tears running down my cheeks until Lehi wiped them away using his thumbs.

"Shh...It’s okay now." Lehi hugged me as he rubbed my back. As if on reflex I stood up and took his arms away from me. I glared at him, "Why did you hug me?" I snapped at him.

"I was just comforting you" he looked straight at my eyes.

"I don't need you to comfort me." as if on cue, he snapped back at me. "What's wrong with you?!" he yelled at me. "All I wanted was to comfort you, make you feel that you're not alone! You've been crying and shouting about them--whoever they are--for leaving you alone in this cruel world. Why can't you just open up? I just want to help you, Olivia." he sighed as he ran his fingers through his dark brown hair.

"Mind your own business. Emotions are unimportant to me. I don't need your pity." I spat at him and ran out back.

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It was late when I came back inside the house. I walked and walked earlier until I decided to take a swim. Swimming always helped me take my mind off things. After changing my clothes, I went to the library to read some more, I was going to reread 50 Shades of Grey since they already announced their lead actors earlier. I can relate to Christian Grey being scared of letting other people in his life--though we have different reasons. I noticed the double doors are open and before I could react, I heard Lehi speak, "Where have you been?" I entered the room and saw that he looks like he's about to fall asleep but he's fighting it.

"I went swimming--I needed to take my mind off things." I sat beside him. "You have to go to sleep, it's late and your eyes look really heavy."

"I'm fine. I needed to make sure that you're alright." he smiled at me, "And I want to apologize. I'm so sorry for snapping at you. I just feel protective of you for whatever reason--I don't know why. I want to comfort you and make you feel that I'm here for you. It's not just Ezra who can accompany you, you know." I can't say anything since that really surprised me.

"Lehi, I-"

"No, Olivia, I will never force you to open up until you're ready. But just let me be here to comfort you if you need comforting. Just let me be your friend, okay?"

"Fine." I sighed. "Now go to sleep. We'll bond tomorrow."

"Okay, goodnight. I'm glad you're safe." he smiled at me.

"Goodnight."

**********

I know it's a short update; I just wanted to be able to publish this chapter for you guys. It's just that I have some drafting to do for my term paper so I don't have time since its late now and I gotta go start writing my draft. But I promise the next one will be really long, a'ight?

Hugs and kisses,

Cynil Dawn :))

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