Rebel

Important News

All seven pairs of eyes flew up to meet mine as I entered the house. I swallowed heavily, my tongue feeling glued down. Heat bloomed in my face as I realized Valerya was staring at my neck. I shrugged the furs, fixing it quickly over my whole neck.

Sama stood from the table, giving me a quick smile. She grabbed my hands. "We were just going to head out. Feel free to eat whatever is in the pots." Sama said as she tugged me forward. Hussain pushed himself to his feet, sending me suspicious squint.

"Where were you? Ever since last night when you left with Eugene we never saw you." My twin asked as conversation filled the room. I gave Sama a quick smile as she led me to their kitchen and turned away.

I leaned against the wall. "You didn't see me or Eugene? We were still there, just in a different tub, talking." I told him, pinching the back of my neck. Hussain nodded slowly. "So you both talked... for the rest of the night?" He said.

I nodded. "Yes, is there something wrong with that? People talk all the time and fall asleep." I said defensively. Hussain held up his hands, chuckling. "Whoa there, I was just asking." I scratched the side of my head. "How come you didn't see us?" I asked, my heart beating fast.

Hussain shrugged. "We left through the back and took a shortcut." He answered evenly. I slid my gaze to the table a few feet beside me. Eugene was watching me with small smile, fighting to keep his happiness at bay. I bit my lips as I felt a certain giddiness inside me bubble up.

Eugene looked beautiful in the light that was streaming in from the balcony. His hair was damp and curly, gleaming as the right amount of sunlight touched him when he shifted, chuckling about something. He must have taken a shower. His strong and callous filled hands were fiddling with a loose string of his sweater. I was surprised to notice each and every reaction of his face, and understand it. Or the tiny crease near his mouth when he frowned.

He was the boy I love. And I suddenly understood the difference between him and Jako. Eugene had my heart since he kissed me the first time. I always thought of him, even when I was sure he was dead. He had changed my perspective on things, he was a part of me I knew I could never let go of.

But Jako was the polar opposite. He challenged me. He was a hard person to understand and work with and live with. It took me some time to learn how to adjust to people who had different mindsets as mine. I thought I loved him because I needed any excuse to get over a dead boy.

I inhaled sharply. But Eugene wasn't dead, nor was my feelings for him. In reality, a small part of me knew Jako never loved me either. He loved how he was around me, how I needed him in the countless of nights when nightmares ran wild in my sleep. Jako probably liked feeling like a hero around me because of what he did to me before we met.

"Zaila?" Hussain asked softly, placing a hand on my arm. I blinked, dragging myself out of my own harsh thoughts. My eyes trailed back to my brother. "Yes?" Hussain gave me a small squeeze of reassurance. "Is everything alright? You don't seem so well." He told me.

I exhaled profoundly. "Yeah, it's just some stuff I was thinking about. What happened with the Assembly, you know." I lied. Hussain didn't look convinced but he let it drop.

I risked taking another glance at Eugene. He was talking with Dothon and Asenka. He poked and teased them, earning loud giggles. I swallowed. I loved him. I wasn't sure what I would do with myself if I lost him again.

"You must really like him, huh?"

My eyes snapped back to Hussain once again. "What?" I straightened, clearing my throat. My brother watched me carefully with a smirk tugging at his lips. Discomfort grew within me as I realized how openly my face must show the emotions I was feeling for Eugene.