Holding On

Chapter 3

I couldn't sleep that night.

I had been at the Euro of six days now, and it was driving me crazy. It was so utterly repetitive I couldn't take it.

When I was younger and couldn't sleep, my father used to take me on walks at night and the only way I could go on a walk now was in the woods, where no one could see me.

So I got up and walked down the stairs, which was a lot of flights, and found a window at the end of a long hallway.

And I left.

It's not like I could leave the Euro, there had to be a fence around here somewhere, but I just wanted some time to myself in the trees.

The air was crisp, clean and cool. I breathed in slowly and felt the goosebumps on my skin. It felt so nice to relax after all that had happened.

As I walked, I thought of my mother. Her wavy dark hair, grey-blue eyes and beautiful smile. I would like to think I looked a lot like her, but my eyes, which I got from my father, were a much less stunning color of murky brown, although my hair was extremely similar to hers. The twins were the two most adorable things I had ever seen, really. Both at the age of seven, with my father's chestnut hair and my mother's eyes.

And I was all but too soon snapped back into reality by the crack of a stick.

I stopped and my blood went cold. Oh crap. Why did I have to do this? God Alexia! You think they wouldn't come after you? Yeah right.

I tried to stand completely still, thinking they might just walk right past me, whoever 'they' were.

Then, straight ahead a couple yards away a guy's figure came into view. He had broad shoulders and a tall statue. He looked about my age, actually, maybe even sixteen?

"Well who the fuck are you?" I said, and my eyes widened immediately, I didn't not mean to say that.

He laughed, "Well you sure are a little spitfire aren't ya?"

Hey walked up to me, still laughing and shook my hand. "I'm Xander."

"Well, I'm Alexia," I said confidently.

See the thing is, though, I was completely dumbfounded. As soon as the moonlight caught this guy's face, I could finally make out what he looked like. And man oh man I liked what I saw. He was suuuuuper good-looking, but not overly like other guys. He had darker hair like mine and green eyes which made for I really good combination. I smiled subconsciously.

"What are you doing out here in the scary wilderness then, Alexia?" he asked sarcastically.

"Just getting some fresh air," I sighed as I looked down and kicked a rock.

"What building did you come from?" Xander asked.

"Astuit."

"You new?"

"Yeah, it's been about a week now," I said.

"Ah, that's why so havn't seen you around so much."

"How long have you been here?" I asked.

He looked at me and said, almost regretfully, "One year and three months."

"Sorry about that," I apologized.

"Oh but Alexia," he said sarcastically, "What's there to be sorry about when you're saving the world?"

I laughed, and it felt good. I hadn't really felt that kind of aching laughter in awhile. "So you're not to big on the whole war effort?" I asked.

"Honestly," he answered, "It's the biggest piece of crap I've ever heard."

"It is," I whispered.

A helicopter sound suddenly sounded off in the distance, lights and noises coming toward us.

Xander furrowed his brows, "how'd you get out?" He asked.

"The window."

"Well shit, we've got a lot to teach you," he said as he grabbed my hand and ran.

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AHHHHH! LIKE IT? K THE BOOK'S FINALLY GETTING SOMEWHERE!!!!!! ALRIGHT SO PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT, I WOUKD MUCH APPRECIATE IT, I JUST WANT TO GET MY BOOK NOTICED SO OTHERS CAN READ IT. YOU COULD EVEN RECOMMEND THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS???? ANYWAY HOPE YOU ENJOYED! LOVE YA XO