The Hunter and The Prey

Same Courtesy

Chapter Twenty One

Same Courtesy

But would she extend the same courtesy like he was showing right now? The man was changing dramatically and he was showing his remorse to her. He already proven he can change his horrible personality. Now, he was starting to show the best in him.

            "Will you please drop the bugging stare?" he mumbled as he slows down again. Exhaustion finally took its toll on him. He put her down to relax a bit his arms. But her hands were still clinging around his neck. He stared at her, raised his left eyebrow and grits his teeth. "Don't you have any plans releasing your hold?" he asks in annoyance; he was bending forward as Natalie clings around his neck.

            "Oh," she mumbled, finally dropping her observation of him. She was waiting for his grumbling but nothing came. He was unusually quiet and stationary while looking around the place, expecting some of the Frishads. The face still held the hopelessness of her rejections. He sat on the fallen branch of the tree –his back on her. He never did that before –he always faces her every time they stay motionless to rest. Is he afraid getting caught breaking down in front of the person he almost killed?

Natalie could see his hands balled into fists as it crushes the wood he was sitting. She really did hurt him. That would be the first time she notices him hurting in front of her. She never thought the guy will transform to this person she was looking now. There was kindness in him that's for sure and still in the process of showing he can be a gentleman too.

 So what is his advantage then against Nate and the others who seems to like her? She was blank at the moment thinking another soft side she witness so far. But the events before were persuading her not to give him chances and let him suffer the way she suffered in his hands. Is that really justice for his tormenting? Torment him in return? She will be horrible as he is if she let that happen. Her parents would never like her to do that and she was never been that person who take grudges and let someone suffer. That's the old Chasen not her.

Old Chasen –the past Chasen? How about the brand new –the change Chasen?

He was caring for her like Nate did when she needed someone to comfort her. He saved her yesterday, feed her today and still in the course to transfer her to safety.

            What else?

            She saw him stood up and walks nearer. Her heart accelerated in alarm as he pulled his gun, checks the magazine, counted the bullets, put back the magazine and hold it for a second. Her thoughts keep running in every wild direction when he did that. She keeps thinking the rejection finally pissed him off and decided to kill her now. He secured the gun on his waist and offered his hand for her to take it. The sorrowed eyes were still intact, but the face was hard as stone as he clenches his jaw tightly.

            "Are we close now?" she asks to break the silence between the two of them. For the past twenty minutes he never uttered words at her.

            He was not still in the mood for chit chat that he didn't bother to answer her inquiries. A vengeance when she refused to tell her new address. It doesn't mean he promised her she will never see him again –that doesn't mean he can't spy on her. Investigate if the Barry girl had someone else already. If she is happy with the mystery guy then he will leave her for good –he hopes. He just hopes he wasn't the guy who will wait for his opportunity and snatch her in an instant. Try to win her trust and never let her go again. But it made him realized he was absolutely that man now. He can wait for her and he will always wait for her even if he ends up in vain.

            "You don't want to talk to me?" she asks again.

            Well you don't want me anyway, he thought, just giving you the same courtesy you did to me. Mean girl. He wondered if physical pain is more painful than emotional pain. He had been shot before on his shoulder and stab by knife with poison on it. His trainings in SEAL beat the hell out of him that he almost thought of quitting. Yet this pain isn't incapacitating, miserable and dooming like the Barry girl inflicted to him. So emotional pain wins and he gets to suffer with it as his price for being the world biggest idiot. If he could really take back everything he inflicted to her maybe then she will give him a chance. But the mistakes he committed were making his life miserable. What can he do to change her mind?  

            "Are you angry at me?" she asks when his eyes burned in heavy laments. She knew Chasen was thinking of his past actions.

            "Not you," he gritted at last.

            "Not you it's me, right?" she replied, glad that he breaks his silence.

             "Why do you even bother to talk to me when I am your enemy?" he snaps. "You consider me sadistic and monster."

            She almost smiled at his childish response. "Do you always think of those descriptions?" she wonders.

            Chasen glared at her. "I am not like you."

            "I know, but do you?" she pressed her lips hard not to laughs at his reply.

            He panted heavily as he ignore her inquiries and resume implementing the silence. The cave is near and Chasen was thinking if he will prolong their stay in the region for a while –just to be with her for a longer time, because after they reach civilization –guarantee that Natalie will scraper immediately and never bother to say her thanks to him. She would even shout bye Chasen with delights and hope she will never see him again. Don't bother to keep in touch and get lost. He scowls for thinking that.

            "I know what's happening here –you are returning the same courtesy I displayed earlier when I refused to say where I live for five years hiding away from you," she muttered and observes him keenly when the eyes flickers in sadness then instantly switch to the fierceness he always wear.

            "Don't you ever get tired trying to make a sound out of me?" he fumes.

            "Don't you ever want to confess what's happening with you and why you persist to know where I lived?" she retorted back.

            He opened his mouth but close it in an instance. Indecisive if he will blurt his obsession to be with her from now on. "I stopped persisting did I when you say no –rejecting me like that?" he gritted.

              "I know but why would you want to know from the first place?" she muttered.

            He closed his eyes for a second to beat off his desperation of begging her to forgive him and asks if they can start a new beginning. That's all what he wanted at the moment –some hope with her.