Some Wings Must Bleed

Chapter 16 - Jealousy

Paya followed Kurapika and I out the door and down the path to our stables, and when I say she wouldn't stop talking, I mean it. The worst part about the situation was that she was talking directly to Kurapika.

It's not like I'm jealous or something, but does she really have to talk over me? It's like I'm not even here!

"-Anyways, that's the reason I came here today. I mean, what kind of father wouldn't let his daughter go to York New with her best friend's cousin's brother! It just doesn't make sense... Where are you from, Kurapika?" Paya asked, finishing with her third story of the hour.

I don't actually think I know where Kurapika was born...

"I was born in the Lukso Province." Kurapika said dryly.

I couldn't help but smile at his formality as it discouraged Paya. Unfortunately her dissatisfaction lasted only but a moment before she was back to ranting about nothing specific. I sighed quietly and began to walk just a bit slower than Paya, my eyes trailing around until they planted themselves on the girl. She had bright green hair that swirled around in tight curls, and her nail polish matched her dress perfectly.

She's quite pretty, I wonder if Kurapika likes girls like her...

Thinking about it made my eyes trail to Kurapika, who was beginning to walk a bit slower now that we were almost to the barn. His eyes met mine for a brief moment before I looked away, pretending to focus on the stables. "Paya, do you know how to ride a horse?" Kurapika asked, opening the large barn doors and allowing Paya and I to enter the building.

"I can ride just fine, but I prefer to ride with someone else, it makes me feel safer." She said, insincerity ringing through her voice.

Yeah, right...

"Well, we can probably get you someone to ride wi-"

"I want to ride with Kurapika! I trust him, so I'll feel safe riding with him." Paya insisted, grabbing onto Kurapika's arm.

I cleared my throat and mounted Katashi. "Kurapika, do you wish to ride Rod? He's a bit small for the both of you, but we don't have any other ride-able Clydesdales right now." I explained, touching my hand to Katashi and making sure it was alright to ride him.

"Why can't Kurapika and I ride the horse you're on, (y/n)?" Paya questioned, her head resting on Kurapika's shoulder.

"Katashi doesn't want to be ridden by anyone but me today. He's had a bit of a hard week, but he needs to get out of the stables so I'm taking him nonetheless." I said, my eyes wanting to glare at the girl but my brain telling them not to.

"What, did you ask him or something? (Y/n), you sure are curious." Paya responded rather dryly, walking to Rod and mounting her. "Well, she's the boss. Come on Pika!"

Did she just call him... Pika?

Kurapika mounted Rod so that he was in front of Paya and grabbed onto the reins, leading Rod to follow Katashi. I clenched my jaw when I saw Paya's arms snake around Kurapika, my heart tightening at the sight.

Come on (y/n), you and Kurapika are barely even friends, you just get jealous too easily.

This isn't even jealousy! She's just annoying and probably making Kurapika uncomfortable.

Katashi snorted and shocked me out of my thoughts, but I giggled, silently relating to his seemingly discontent behavior. Paya was talking about something else now, but I was tuning her out, I mean, it's not like she was talking to me anyways. We got to the school right around when class ended, so the village's children surrounded the horses like usual, waiting in anticipation for the attention they knew they would receive. I looked over so see Kurapika helping Paya down from the horse, her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands on her waist.