Star-Crossed

Chapter Thirteen: It's a long night, can I spend it with you?

THE ENTIRE WALK back to Sean's house, I am wishing it won't come to an end. We walk in silence with Xerxion carrying the bags, insisting adamantly that I should not have to carry them. I argued, of course, and in the end, he grudgingly let me carry one of the bags filled with candy while he carried the rest.

The silence that stretches between Xerxion and I is one of comfort. It's one of those silences that you can only have with someone you've known for a long time. It's one of those silences that you want to bask in.

I do not want this silence to end.

I do not want this moment to be broken.

But, like all good things, this moment comes to an end. As soon as we round the corner of Sean's house, Amanda is there along with her posse. She is tapping her silver high heel clad foot impatiently on the concrete sidewalk. Typically, Amanda is not one for standing in the sun, but she is in the sun now, seemingly uncaring of the sun's harsh rays as they beat down on her hair, turning the strands a vibrant red.

When she sees Xerxion and I coming toward them, her face lights up. There is literally no other word to describe her other than saying she looks exactly like a little kid who runs down the stairs on Christmas to discover a crapton of presents.

"Xerxion, you're back," she breathes, skipping up to us and trying to sidle her way next to Xerxion.

Xerxion cuts a look at me, his eyes betraying his fear. I stifle a laugh and raise a brow at him.

"Yes, we're back."

Amanda looks over at me, smiling a sugary smile although her eyes tell a different story.

"Rania, hey, I totally didn't see you. I've been standing in the sun and..." She trails off and shrugs.

"It's fine, Amanda, I know how hard it is for someone as ditzy as you to take note of things."

Her face in this moment is such an odd thing because I don't think I've ever seen such an expression before. She is still trying to maintain her sugary sweet smile, but at the same time her malice is showing on her face, her eyes are narrowed at me and she is clearly thinking about how she can murder me and get away with it. Sweetness and malice just don't mix well. Especially not in one expression.

"Hey, you two," Jessie calls out, coming from out of the house and jogging toward us. She looks at the bags in our hands, relief clear on her pretty face. "Thank God, you got the stuff. Okay, let me just take those off your hands." She takes the bags from Xerxion and her girlfriend takes my bag, smiling awkwardly at me. "You coming to the party tonight, Rania?" Jessie raises a brow inquisitively as she asks.

"I-"

Before I can even finish my thought, Amanda cuts in by linking her arm through mine, giving me a smile that just drips with over exaggerated sincerity.

"Of course Rania's coming. We all know a party's not a party without her."

I give her a deadpan look and say, "I don't even go to parties."

She looks at me with that same false smile. I know her intentions. She figures Xerxion will only attend this party if I do. This is true. Xerxion is not the type who liked parties, even on Niburu. He has always been stiff and concise. If I wish to attend this party, he will come along without question, but he would probably rather face the Six-Horned Beast in the deepest caves of Niburu than attend alone.

"Well, you do now, silly." Amanda giggled, trying to be all cutesy in a way that made me nauseous. "She'll be coming, Jess."

Jessie's eyebrow twitched in annoyance at being called "Jess" but she merely nodded and turned to leave, shouting out that she'd look forward to seeing me tonight at the party behind her as she left.