Star-Crossed

Chapter Twelve: She lit a fire and now she's in my every thought

I'M NOT EXACTLY sure how this happened, but somehow we are at Sean Porter's house, surrounded by Amanda's friends who are all eyeing Xerxion like he is made out of chocolate. They are making a circle around him, gushing about him and asking him all kinds of intrusive questions. He looks thoroughly uncomfortable and intensely terrified. He looks so frightened, I have to stifle my laughter. All that time on battlefields, seeing bodies-both humanoid and otherwise-littered across each other, the ground painted with bloods of reds and blues and golds, not once had he ever shown fear. He could face down the Martian bears-with their great paws and powerful jaws that could shatter our skulls-with no fear at all.

Yet, as he stands in the center of swooning girls, he looks like he is on the verge of throwing up. My lips twitch as I finally decide to take pity on him, making my way over to them. Relief seeps into his expression as I cut through the girls to stand at his side.

"Sean's sister wants us to head to the store to pick up a couple of things," I say, waving a fifty Sean's sister had given me.

Amanda glances over at Sean's sister who is setting up decorations with her "friend" who she is a lot more friendly with than anyone knows. I once caught the two of them in one of the school's closets, they were walking out, fixing their clothes as I happened to walk by. Sean's sister begged me not to say anything, saying her parents wouldn't understand her having a relationship with another girl. I told her I didn't care enough to say anything. And I didn't.

Sean, on the other hand, is watching Xerxion through narrowed eyes. Sean is generically attractive. He fits the LA vibe perfectly. Neatly styled blonde hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, a nice jawline. He's the quarterback of the football team and is used to girls and grown women alike fawning all over him. He is one of the guys that has been hopelessly chasing after me since freshman year, confused as to why none of his usual charms were working.

He seems uneasy at Xerxion's presence. He doesn't like the fact that there is a man who is more attractive than him without trying.

"Hey, Jessie," Amanda calls out to Sean's sister who turns at the sound of her name. "Can't Rania get the stuff on her own?"

Before Jessie can even open her mouth to speak, Xerxion is already speaking.

"There are a lot of things on that list," he murmurs, glancing at the list I've tucked in my pocket. "I would be half a man if I allowed my Consort to do such a tiring task herself."

All of the girls immediately swoon, the "Consort" bit apparently going over their heads as they stare at him with stars in their eyes. Amanda is looking surprised, mainly because this is the most he has spoken since we've been here. I see tendrils of displeasure unfolding in her emerald eyes. She doesn't like the fact that Xerxion is so attached to me. I can almost hear her wondering how she's supposed to get a moment alone with him if I'm always with him.

"Well, you heard the man," I say exasperatedly, grabbing Xerxion's arm and hurrying out the door before anyone can call out to us.

Once we are outside, I let out a breath of fresh air. Of course, I can still feel the eyes of the infatuated girls on us-no doubt they are watching us from the window-but it's better than being forced to be around them. With people like Sean, Amanda, and her posse, it's no wonder I prefer being a loner. They are the type of people obsessed with being beautiful and being with someone equally as beautiful or more beautiful. They don't care about personalities and they don't care about the essence of a person. As long as you're beautiful on the outside, they want you.

"Sorry about that," I apologize, sneaking a glance over at Xerxion only to find he's not looking at me, but instead he is staring fixedly at my hand which is still grasping his arm.