The Book of Arenden

❀ Sixteen ❀

❀ Sixteen ❀

She jumped at the impact and turned around so quickly that her head was swirling for a few seconds. A man who age was similar to her, or maybe older, was standing before her with his hands held up in surrender.

"I'm sorry! I really am. I didn't watch where I'm going," he said.

His voice was thick and husky. He's very tall indeed. Very tall that Raylene can barely went to his shoulder. He was taller that Nathan, she thought. His jet black hair was very fluffy and messy, pointing at every direction like he's been running his hands all over his hair that her fingers twitch to reach out a smooth them down. His jaw was sharp and he had a fine built.

His captivating eyes were the one that grabbed her attention most. His eyes were the lightest blue she had ever seen. It remind her of the blue eyes that Alexandra Daddario had.

She startled after the blue eyes were gone as he blink. She snapped to reality and realised that he was staring at her with one of his eyebrows raised in confusion while she was observing him.

As soon as he knew that Raylene had snapped to reality, his face masked with amusement after noticing that she was observing him. Heat rushed to her cheek after knowing that the guy standing before her knows that she was observing him.

She suddenly remembered on what he just said before. "Oh, I-It's fine. I am the one who didn't watch where I'm going."

He chuckled at her stuttering. "Really, I apologise," he said. He looked around before he looked back to Raylene. "I honestly didn't know where I am. I'm lost and I tried to get back but... I think I'm getting more further than where I should be going."

Raylene let out a small laugh. "Funny," she said. "I didn't know where I am too. I'm lost as well as you are."

"I didn't really go out much. So, I didn't know much about Arenden," he said as he scratched the back of his neck like he was embarrassed by that fact. "Then, something happened at home. I-I just need to get out. I was deep in thoughts and I didn't realise where I am. And then, you're here." He chuckled and it made her chuckled too.

There's a silence between them as he kept on scratching at the back of his neck. "So, umm... how do you end up here?" his deep voice made her startled.

She let out a nervous laugh. "Same reason as you are, I guess."

He raised and eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said. "Something happened and I just need some air. I was running while deep in thoughts and..." She paused, looking around her surrounding before she looked back at the man in front of her. "Here I am," she breaths out.

He smiled. And she swore that's the most charming smile she had ever seen. Then, he held out his hand to her and said, "Fred." She smiled and placed her hand in his. "Raylene."

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he said as he gave her a smirk. As they let go of each other's hand, Raylene let it drop to her side while Fred put his hand on his the pocket of his pants.

"But, do you know much of Arenden?" He asked. "Maybe, if we walk together and ended up somewhere, maybe you recognised it and you will know where we were and maybe you will be the one to, you know, get us out?" It was more of a question than a statement.

Raylene let out a nervous laugh and tuck her hair behind her ear. "Unfortunately," she said. "I, too, don't know much of Arenden. I always—uh—locked myself in my house. I didn't—um—like the—the public."

She couldn't just tell him that she was an earthen and she didn't really belong in Arenden. She always be in the palace or at their training place. She didn't know why she was keeping a secret of her being an earthen from him. She felt like it was a secret somehow and she didn't want anyone to know.