Finding Obsidian

09 - Dark Cloud

Rian surveyed me impassively. "Have you been drinking?"

"No, no," I said between giggles. For some reason, I just couldn't stop laughing at the situation.

"Then do you just really enjoy taking the bus?"

I waved my hands in a 'no' gesture, trying to catch my breath. "That's not it," I chuckled, rubbing my face. "It's just . . . you would not believe the day I've had."

He continued watching me quietly, that obsidian stare as unrelenting as ever. "Try me."

I paused, glancing at him in surprise. "Huh?"

He crossed his arms, leaning back against his seat. "Why don't you try telling me first, and I'll see for myself whether I believe it or not?"

I turned to him fully, still not quite sure I was hearing him right. "You . . . want me to tell you about my day?"

"I told you I don't like repeating myself, didn't I?"

I blinked and suppressed a smile. "Are you feeling alright? You don't seem like yourself today," I said amusedly.

Rian frowned and raised an eyebrow. "And what do I normally seem like?"

"Not sure you want the answer to that."

"If I asked, that means I want to know."

"Yeah, but there are kids on this bus. I can't use swear words in front of them."

His gaze darkened, and I caught a few quiet laughs from the seats behind us. Point: Hanna.

"Fine," he said smoothly, lowering his voice so we couldn't be heard. "Answer my earlier question then. We have another couple minutes left before we get to the university, so we might as well pass the time."

Grinning wickedly, I felt another wave of laughter on the horizon as I remembered the events of the day. "Where do I even start?" I mused lightly. "I guess I can start with why I was running to the bus like a crazy woman."

"Like a crazy woman?"

"Shush," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Or you won't hear the story." He smirked at me, and I tried to ignore the rush of blood to my face. So he was capable of facial expression after all, huh?

Turning my eyes away, I moved on. "See, I was literally chased out of my apartment building less than five minutes ago," I began, jerking my thumb over my shoulder in the direction we'd just come from. "By a terrifying she-demon."

"A what?"

"A she-demon!" I repeated, shuddering at the memory. "A creature of the night, with press-on nails and six-inch Prada heels. I was lucky this time, because she didn't have her sorority sisters with her, but even one of them can be deadly if they feel you're a threat."

Rian looked me up and down skeptically. "Are you sure you haven't been drinking?"

"I'm being serious!" I exclaimed earnestly. "Her name is Rikki, and she's Rokim's ex-girlfriend. She scares the bejeezus out of me."

At the mention of Rokim, the corner of Rian's mouth turned downward. "You were with Rokim?"

"Yeah," I said distractedly, still preoccupied with the story. "We live next door to each other, so we hung out all afternoon."

He leaned back, the expressionless mask back up. "All afternoon."

"Uh-huh," I continued. "Actually," I laughed slightly, "we tried meditation. I was really skeptical, but Rokim was bent on doing it. He said it might help relieve stress—"