Dark Aura (under editing)

Part 1 The village: Lead Astray

In the morning, I wander around the courtyard, and take in the sights of my surroundings. Nothing out of sorts...

"We meet again." A boy calls out. I search for the owner of the familiar voice, I turn to see the arrogant prick behind me. His dark brown, wavy, curls sway over his brown eyes. His skin tone was a caramel color. An unusual shade from around here.

"Unfortunately, yes." I retort. He gives me a small dimpled smile.

"Oh, come now, don't tell me you're still bitter because of the match we played?" I should've won!

"Of course not! It's nothing more than a trivial game." I spat. He chuckles.

"I would figure you would hate that fact. I went easy on you." He teases.

"NO! I'm more infuriated that you- ". I realize what I'm about to say and that it won't make his claim any less valid.

"That I?" He asks with an irritatingly, knowing smirk! Anticipating me to continue my last phrase!

"Tsk, just forget about it!" He laughs once more.

"How about we start over?" I turn my eyes away from him. Still, he proceeds... "I'm Ethan, Ethan Harvey." He held out his hand towards me, I looked away from him, and breathed out in a huff.

"Natalie..."

"Natalie?..." Argh! He inches his hand closer.

"Reynold." I say while unwillingly shaking his hand. His eyes meet up to mine and he smiles.

"Is it settled then?"

"Merely." I shot.

"Merely? But why?" His face forms a frown.

"Oh, please, you can't be that incompetent! You insulted me and my life in front of your buddies and you expect a mere name exchange to settle it?"

"Well, now that you put in that way..." I breathe out once more. "I see, I didn't I think I would offend you in any way honestly, I was just trying to give an excuse to spend time with you." He smiles sheepishly at me while rubbing his neck. That's a bit bold. I eye him weary, was he really? He outsmarted me once, I won't allow him to succeed once again!

"You're expecting me? To believe that you? Did all of that! For a friendship with me?" He grins uneasily.

"Is that so hard to believe?" He says while scratching his neck. I can't get a read on him!

"Yes, actually." And like that, I walk away. This time I head to the markets. Nothing really goes on here. Besides thief's and drunks picking fights. But it rarely happens. If my suspicions are right, he should follow me right about now. I head towards a booth and gaze intensely at their items. Once they notice me, they try to persuade me about their products. Which I do all I can to seem like I'm intrigued. Really, I couldn't care less. I wonder to the booth with gems and jewelry. Perfect! I gaze longingly at gems, big enough to be unfit for a necklace. There's a green one, blue one and a red one. I stop at the red one, which casts a deeper hue within that shimmers. Almost appearing for it to be glowing.

"Find anything worth interest?" I spun around.

"It's you once again." I groan. Take a hint imbecile! "Are you stalking me now?" This time I pay even more close attention to his reaction. To see if he gives off any clues of his abnormal behavior.

"Oh, I'd never do something so indecent!" He remarks in an offensive matter.

"Is that so? Then what do you call watching someone constantly without their knowledge about it?"