The Stare Games (editing)

26

"Nate." I called out, my voice sounding more like a hushed whisper only he could hear. Surprise matched his eyes, as his head turned to meet mine, before turning to a cool steel gray. The girl in front of him, supposedly his sister, also met my gaze. Axel froze next to me.

I watched as Nate wrapped up the conversation with her before heading towards my direction. She went the opposite way.

The closer he came, the more anger I felt being emitted off of him. It was a burning sensation.

It felt as if I had crossed enemy territory and stepped on a bomb mine, about to explode as soon as pressure was lifted. I held my breath for the yells to come, anticipating the worse.

To my surprise, nothing happened. I was safe. In fact, I was more than safe. Nate had chosen to engulf me in a hug, rather than a daggers. Slowly, I wrapped my hands around him.

About a second later, I heard a loud cough break the beautiful moment.

"That's enough. Get away from her." Axel growled, maintaining his calm posture in such a poor manner.

Smiling, I was the first to pull away but that didn't stop my hand from cradling the side of his face as a tear slipped out of his eyes. All the anger from earlier was gone.

"You're not mad?" I asked, wiping the tear away with my thumb.

"Mad? At you? That's impossible, Aeryn." He whispered, voice cracking. I've never seen him so vulnerable before, another one of my weaknesses. "Can you help me?"

"Of course." I replied, stunned.

Giving me a weak nod, he took my hand in his and dragged me to a bench at the back of a wooden house currently being used as a haunted library. The screams of little children emanated the building. The three of us sat down, me in the middle and the two boys on each side. The word uncomfortable itself was an understatement.

Nate begun. "That girl you saw me talking to is my sister, Natalia."

Axel scoffed at her name.

"You should watch your mouth. At least I don't have Jones blood in me." Nate attacked.

I shushed the both of them, motioning with a hand for him to continue.

"Ever since my parents' divorce, she has been acting out. You know, the whole crazy girl phase? Making out with strangers, going to clubs every night, the whole package."

So the rumors were true. I nodded along to every word.

"We just had another fight because I caught her with a jackass in one of the public toilets."

"Did you beat up the cunt?" Axel suddenly asked. I was surprised he was even listening.

Nate chuckled. "The lad needs more than stitches now."

I watched as they both laughed, high-fiving each other in the process. It was nice to see them finally get along. Hopefully, become best friends again.

"Anyways, I don't know what to do. I was hoping you'd talk to her, Aeryn?"

Flattered, I choked on my saliva at such a big task. No one has ever asked me to tame their dog, nevertheless a human.