Celestial Gardens(The Last Star Trilogy #2)

Chapter 2

"Good morning" he greeted, still grinning.

I kept quiet and lowered my head. Alfred noticed my uneasiness and asked, "Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "Where's Raelynn?"

"Inside" I said pointing at the door.

"Can you call her?" he asked.

"I think she wants to be alone." I mumbled.

"Why?"

I shrugged and I was about to walk away from this awkward situation but I can't seem to get any privacy here.

"Is she alright?"

I rolled my eyes and huffed, "I don't know."

"Annabelle," he started "I know this is hard for you but we couldn't just leave you to the Hydras"

"Why not?" I snapped. "Why did you bring me here?"

"You're safe here" he promised.

"How can I trust you?" I raged, "I don't even know who you are"

"You know who I am" he reminded.

"That's not what I meant," I said. I didn't want to stay here, I had no idea what this place was or who these people were, they had no idea who I was. It wasn't much different from staying in the dungeon.

"Why did you bring me here?" I repeated, this time my voice was a bit calmer.

"Didn't you want to come?" he asked.

I hesitated at the question, I wanted to run away from home but I didn't want to come to a place like this. I thought it would be better here, but I'm not even comfortable here.

"You'll get used to it" Alfred said, as if he could read my mind.

I cleared my throat, "Where's Nathan?" I asked.

"He's training"

I hadn't seen Nathan since I arrived at Crimsyn State, he could've at least asked me how I was.

"Come with me," Alfred offered. "I want to talk to you"

"No, thanks." I shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Because," I started "I just lost everything"

Alfred opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off.

"My home, my friends," I continued. "And whatever family that was left. Not to mention, my whole life is a mess."

"I know how you feel" he comforted.

"No, you don't" I protested. "You left us. You left me alone my whole life and now all of a sudden you're interested in my safety."

I can't believe I even listened to him the first time I met him. The day he came to my house, I wondered why he came after all these years. Granny never spoke of him and neither did Dad, we had no pictures of him, I assumed he was dead and years later Granny gave me confirmation that he was. But clearly she was lying.

"I had to leave." he said through gritted teeth. "I couldn't just sit around and do nothing while the Hydras took away everything and made themselves more powerful."

I rolled my eyes, "Well, what are you doing now?"

Alfred raised his eyebrows, surprised at my cluelessness. "You have no idea." he replied. He kind of sounded like Dad when he said that but considering that they didn't really get along at all, I preferred to not say that to him.