Fina

Chapter Sixteen I'm Done

My father and Zilindo left, leaving me with Mazin still holding my hand. I didn’t want my dad to let me go. I told him to tell my mom I love her. I’d try and come home someday, maybe someday things would calm down. Maybe things would change one day and it would be safe to come home. Until then, I’m happy here with Mazin and Raya and their parents.

“So what now?” Mazin asks me. We sit against the back wall holding hands, his thumb rubbing the back of my hand.

“I guess…I will wait a little while, but I need to go see Volcana.” I say to Mazin. I hold my orb in my other hand and look at it, the white hot glow flickers when I look into it.

“Do you want me to come with?” Mazin ask me hesitantly. “Um…you know just because of how today has been.”

“Sure. I’ll introduce you two.” I smile at welcome the idea. “She will love to meet you.”

“Okay.” Mazin nods and gives my hand a squeeze. “Um…stay here for a bit. My dad and I are going to go check out the village see what happened.” Mazin starts to let go of my hand but I quickly hold on tighter. I don’t want him to go. “It’s okay, I’ll be back soon. It’s been a half hour they should be gone by now.”

“Oh…okay.” I agree and let go. I don’t want to, but I do. I watch him walk out of the hut with Aizor until they close the door and are out of sight.

“So…how did this happen?” Moa walks over to me. I look up at her from where I sit. I assume she means Mazin and I.

“I—I really don’t know. Um…well…hmm.” The beach, the snow storm, him finding out my secret, my brain racks to find the point when I started liking him. I can’t. It was such a gradual thing. When the feeling first started is hard to pin. “I can’t really say how…or when. It just…did.” I shrug and look up at her. I hope she’s not mad about this. She doesn’t seem mad.

“Well you know what. Sometimes that is a sign that it’s a good relationship. People who get caught up in a flurry of emotions are bound to come crashing back down. Relationships that you ease into are truly built on friendship and trust.” Moa smiles at me. “You trust him wholeheartedly.”

“I’ve never been in a relationship before…I didn’t really realize this is what it’s like.” I laugh and think back to all the guys I had going after me. I always turned them away, I didn’t want a relationship with guys who liked me only for my looks. I guess that’s how Mazin got under my armor. He didn’t go right at it full on. Mazin slowly got under my armor peeling it away one glance, one word, one sweet move at a time. I didn’t realize he was until my heart was right out in the open for him to take or crush. I’m glad he didn’t crush it. You know… I say all this in my head. Why can’t I say it out loud. Mazin can.

I’m itching to get back to Volcana, but the day is slipping away. It’s past noon, if I were to leave now I could get back before dark but if I wait much longer probably not. Something doesn’t feel right…why doesn’t this feel right. I can sense Volcana, but it feels like something is in the way. Something is interfering. I can’t stand it any longer. I have to go see her, I have to make sure she is okay. Something is wrong.

“Fina?” Moa says seeing my flustered face. “What’s wrong?”

        “Something’s not right.” I hold the orb around my neck. “Something…I…Something’s wrong. I have to go.” I stand quickly and run towards the door.

“Fina wait! It’s dangerous!” I hear Moa shout after me. I don’t listen. I can’t. Volcana is in trouble I know it. Where is she? She’s…she has to be up in the mountains right? That’s where she is. It has to be right?