The Unseen World

Chapter 9: Jared

Chapter 9 - Jared

    I needed to think. That's why I walked away. I needed to move; to get blood circulating.

    How could I fall for her?

    Every time I thought about her, saw her, even heard her voice or name, the prophecy's words stabbed my heart like the venomous knife it was. Because of it, because of who we were, it would never work out. I didn't want to cause that heartbreak for her. The heartbreak I was enduring now was worth it if her heart was shielded in the end. I sighed and looked up at the sun. It was already noon. Why doesn everything go so much more quickly her than in the human world?

    I put my hands in my pockets and glared as the short grass by the shore of the little stream broke and crunched beneath my feet.

    'Why'd it have to be her?' My heart wailed and screamed to the sky. 'She's so innocent. She doesn't need this future.'

    'Jared,' sighed a deep, fatherly voice in my head.

    'My king?' I winced, embarrassed to be caught in a wash of emotion.

    'Don't be ridiculous. Don't be stupid.'

    'Stupid about what, Your Majesty?'

    'Don't play dumb,' he chuckled. 'You need to go to her. Don't let the fear of your future hold you back. Do what your heart tells you, because if you don't, you'll only regret it in the afterlife. You have my blessing, young warrior.' My heart swelled with joy. But what about after the prophecy? Oh, well. Like a wise book once said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

    I looked behind me surprised to see nothing in the distance. Quickly I spun around and began to run back to our "camp." It wasn't really a "camp," per-say, but we'd done what we could. We couldn't always all sleep in Gian's wings because he'd get cramped. We had made a "tent" out of palm leaves and branches. The girls were sleeping in that while us boys got to snuggle with the dragon. Probably not the most fair situation since Gian was warmer.

    Not a minute later I was stopped by the same stump I'd stormed away from not long ago. I breathed in a deep breath and look questioningly at my best friend snuggling with Bella against his dragon. He shrugged.

    "Jackie?" I asked, recollecting my breath.

    "Pool still." Bella said. I nodded and ran as fast as I could. Not long later I was at the pool. Jackie was slipping on her shoes. She looked up at me, obviously surprised. Then she seemed to realize she was still mad at me because her gaze hardened.

    "What?" She asked once I'd taken a deep breath to recollect myself... again.

    "Jackie, I have something to tell you," I said as she stood up. "I'm sorry. I was wrong."

    "I'm listening." She crossed her arms and cocked her hip, but her face was beginning to look pleased.

    "I was letting my fear get the best of me. I didn't want to break your heart and I figured getting you to hate me was the best way to get you to not be heartbroken when I... met my fate. I didn't even consider how you were feeling now." I said, glad to get that off my chest. Then she punched me in the arm.

    "That's for being a jerk. I'd slap you in the face but I like it too much to hurt it." She smirked as she spoke with her playful tone.

    "Guess I deserved it." I smiled and opened my arms. She smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist and I put my arms around her shoulders. She rested her head on my chest and I placed my chin on her head.