I was still holding onto Xavier as my nerves calmed down. As soon as I was feeling well enough to have a sense of thinking I stepped far away from him.
Xavier looked at me confused before stepping forward and trying to reach out to me. I held my hand in front of me making him stop. The confusion on his face increased but I ignored it.
I looked down at Nathaniel who was still moaning in pain. I hurried over to him and helped him get up,
"I am so sorry." I said apologetically.
He tried to get up slowly with his hands still on his head before leaning on me a little, "You have quite a strength."
I looked at him guiltily before looking down a little embarrassed. I felt bad for Nathaniel. I really hit him hard. Really really hard.
"I am so sorry." I repeated.
He tried to shake his head before wincing in pain and holding onto his head tightly, "I totally get it. You were just trying to protect yourself....besides," he looked in the front. I followed his gaze and found him looking at Xavier, "it is better to have a little concussion knowing that you are safe than dying through someone's hands."
Xavier clenched his jaw tight, "What do you mean?"
"Don't act so naive now." Nathaniel said before turning towards me, "Liya, I swear to god you should have seen Xavier. He was this whole another person. Angry. Terrified. Willing to do anything. What can be a better example than us standing in the middle of forest for you?!"
"You are exaggerating." Xavier snapped at Nathaniel.
Nathaniel winced before shaking his head, "If anything, it is not even the portion of how you acted. You were about to kill everyone and anyone Xavier."
"Do you want me to hit you again?" Xavier grinded his teeth.
Nathaniel waved his hands bored at Xavier. He wasn't afraid of him. Now when I think about it why would he be? They have been good friends for so long now. He turned towards me, "Thanks to you Liya."
I looked at him dumbfounded. Why is he thanking me? I almost gave him a concussion.
Nath grinned at me, "Thanks for letting me know this side of Xavier. The side I didn't know existed."
"Shut up Nathaniel!" Xavier glared at him.
Nathaniel rolled his eyes before starting to walk.
"I'll help you." I said taking him by his shoulders.
"I can walk. Believe me. It's bad. But not that bad." Nathaniel said grinning.
I was about to say something else when Xavier came and took hold of my hands dragging me away with him, "You heard him. He said he can walk. Now, let's go."
I stared at his hand which was wrapped around my hand. I took my hand away from him, "I can walk too."
Xavier turned around to look at his empty hand. He looked back at me before holding my hand again, "I know. I am letting you walk."
I stopped before snatching my hand away from him again. He seemed frustrated as he asked,
"What is wrong with you? Why don't you just hold my hand?"
I looked at him unbelievably. I was glad that he found me. I was glad that I was safe. But I was so emersed in my joy that I almost forgot that he kissed a girl in front of me. And it hurt me.
"What good will it do holding hands with you? You are gonna go back to sucking faces with Olivia again anyhow."
I heard someone taking a sharp intake of breath. I looked back and saw Nathaniel holding his hands up, "I just didn't hear that."
"Are you bothered by that?" Xavier asked.
I clenched my jaw tight, "No."
Lie. It was a lie. And I knew that. I was very much bothered by it.
"You were, weren't you?" He asked with a smile playing on his lips.
"No. Why would I? She is your girlfriend." I said nonchalantly.
The smile vanished from his face while he stood there silent. When he spoke again-- his voice was very low, "I pulled back."
My eyes snapped upto his face. What did he just say? Did I hear him right? Did he really pull away?
As much as I felt a ray of happiness inside me. I gulped down, "As I said, I don't care."
"But you should." He said shaking me by my shoulders.
He was bothered. I could see he was bothered that I didn't care. And it was making him go insane. This just a fraction of what he makes me feel.
"Why?" I asked slyly enjoying this a little way too much.
"Because I-" He stopped mid sentence. He seemed a little surprised before he took a step back and cleared his throat, "Never mind."
What was that about?
°°°°
I finally reached where the tents were set up. Everyone was waiting for us. You could see them tensed up. Brian and Evie were the first one to run towards me and hug me tight.
"Thank God liya! We almost thought that..." they both said in unison before shutting up and continuing to hug me. I hugged them back-- closing my eyes. They stepped away from me and tried to inspect me for any harm.
I looked up and noticed Alec coming towards me. He came and stood in front of me looking into my eyes. I stared back at him. He didn't seem to be in a good condition. He clenched his hands into a fist before coming and hugging me--tight.
"It's all my fault. All of it. I should have stayed with you. I shouldn't have taken you away. I should have gone with you." He continued blabbing while I was in his arms.
I wrapped my arms around him before comforting him, "Alec. Alec. Listen to me. It wasn't your fault. It was no one's fault. Okay? Calm down. Everyone is fine now. That is what matters, right?"
He looked down at me while still hugging me. He nodded his head pursing his lips, "I am glad you are fine. I tried to searche for you everywhere Liya."
I smiled at him thankfully before Xavier peeled Alec away from me,
"I forgive you too." Xavier said.
"I didn't ask for your forgiveness." Alec commented.
"But you want to."
"No. Why would I?"
"Anything related to Liya concerns me. So yes, as I said I forgive you." Xavier smiled contently.
Alec rolled his eyes before smiling softly. It was good to see them both smiling and happy.
"Luke?" I said as he came towards me.
"Did you hit an animal or two?" He asked trying to lighten up my mood.
"She definitely hit me." Nathaniel made a face as he remembered the pain he went through.
Luke grinned at me, "You aimed for the better option then."
I couldn't help but laugh. He looked at me contently before coming and kissing me on my cheek, "Stop landing yourself in trouble already, will you?"
I agreed at him before looking down a little flushed. He laughed before going away.
"We even put up the fire when you were gone." Olivia said kindly.
It was the first time that I noticed her since I was found. I couldn't help but avert my eyes away from her. Just thinking the way she kissed Xavier. I am sorry but all she will see is not kindness in my eyes right now.
Brian clapped his hands, getting everyone's attention, "Let's put this behind us and enjoy the rest of the night, okay?"
°°°°
"We will all tell a horror or a creepy story." Brian said ecstatically.
Everyone seemed to agree as we all sat around the bonfire they all lit up.
"But why? Why creepy stories?" Olivia asked.
"You are here. Camping. What can be a better timing than this to talk all about it." Evie replied.
"Alright," Nathaniel said getting our attention, "I'll start, okay?"
Everyone nodded their head as they waited for him to continue, "Okay, listen what I am going to tell now is a true story. So hold your breaths and don't get disturbed after listening to it...cause it will be creepy."
"Just already tell us the story, Nath." Alec said getting impatient.
Nathaniel took a deep breath while looking at all of us with a face expression that was meant to keep the aura. You could see everyone's face orange due to the flames. We were all ready to engross ourselves as he continued, "In the year 1526 the Messiah came down to Earth. She performed miracles and cured the sick. All believed. All worshipped her.
Some time later, after this period of history known as the Age of Peace, She dropped a bombshell on the people. She warned them that Heaven was almost full. Nobody had gone to Hell during this Age. There were a fixed amount of spots left. Paradise would be closed to all who died after the Gates close.
That is when the Mass Suicides began. Taking your own life, She had told them, was not a sin if you died a pious man. The race was on!
She looked on and was pleased. She returned to her home, to her throne of fire and flames, and greeted all with a nod of her wicked horns."
He finished.
What the hell did I just hear? Why? Why am I doing this to myself?
"That...that was disturbing." Luke acknowledged.
There was a pin drop silence as we all stared at each other. I could see everyone felt the same.
Alec cleared his throat, "I'll go next."
I got up from my seat making everyone stop. Brian and Evie who were beside me looked up at me in confusion, "Where are you going now?"
"I don't think I want to listen to these creepy stories..." I started,
"We can stop if you want." Alec said.
I shook my head in denial, "No! Don't stop because of me. You guys continue. I will be just here watching the stars."
Xavier shook his head, "You are not going anywhere. Don't know when you will land yourself in trouble."
"Seriously I am just here. I am not going anywhere!"
They all looked at me unsure. I gave them the most puppy eyes I could make. Finally, they sighed before letting me go.
I went and sat away from everyone. I wasn't that far away. It wasn't that I didn't like sitting with them. It's just that I love sitting here. I want to sit here while gazing at the stars. I am not really a fan of creepy stories. I would much rather sit here and watch stars the whole night than listen to some stories that will make me stay up whole night anyway.
I brought my knees near my chest as I wrapped my arms around them and looked up. I love it. I can't even describe how much I love sitting here just gazing at the stars.
Some say when people die they become stars. As a child everyone would believe that but once they grow up they don't anymore. But I want to. I still do. When we die we become a star. Shining brightly and providing warmth to the ones who miss you.
I felt a presence beside me as I saw a pair of legs stretch out in front of me. I turned my head around and found Xavier sitting there while supporting his body weight on both of his hands. He had his head held up high, looking at the stars.
I stared at him a little taken aback from the fact that he came and sat here beside me. And he didn't seem like he was compelled to do so. You could see he wanted to be here.
I cleared my throat before trying to move away from him. He held onto my wrist tightly making me stop as he saw me moving away from him.
"Stay." He whispered still not looking at me.
I tried to get out of his hold, "Xavier, you have a girlfriend. I can't."
"All I am asking is for you to sit next to me."
I could see his side profile as his head was tilted upwards. He looked beautiful as always. Flawless as always. But was Xavier really that flawless as he seemed?
"Olivia. I'll find Olivia and send her to sit next to you." I said trying to get up.
Xavier pulled me back with him as my back hit his chest. He put his head on my shoulder from behind me and said, "Don't you understand? I want to be here with you. Not Olivia."
I wanted to melt into his arms right now. This was the moment I always wanted. I wanted him to hold me into his arms and whisper sweet things into my ear. And yet when this moment was here I couldn't feel the way I wanted to. Something was still missing.
"It didn't seem like that when you were kissing Olivia." I muttered rolling my eyes.
He exhaled loudly. Taking this advantage to myself I moved away from him. And sat away from him. Facing him.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I pulled back Liya! I didn't kiss her." He looked frustrated as he ran his hands through his hair.
I wanted to believe him. Maybe I even did. But that doesn't change the fact that he was someone else's boyfriend.
"Come on, we are just gazing at the stars together. What is wrong in that?" He tried to sound persuasive.
I looked at him and stared into his eyes. It was dark so you couldn't see their natural color from this distance but you could still tell the intensity they held.
I got up and went to sit there beside him. He observed my every movement as I kept a distance between us.
He patted the distance between us asking me to get closer.
"This distance stays here, else I leave."
He made a face before nodding his head and looking back at the stars. I went to look back at them too, resting my head on my knees.
After a few moments I heard him ask, "Why are you so amazed by them?"
I thought for a while of how to answer to that question. Why am I amazed by them? Because I see myself between them. With them.
"I just think I want to be one of them. A part of them. I want people to be mesmerized and feel warm. I want to witness every couple they have seen getting closer under their light. I want people to remember me." I finished smiling to myself.
Xavier was quiet for this whole while listening to me. When I was done he whispered a single sentence, "I don't want you to be a star."
I turned to him confused, "Why?" I asked.
He went to look up at the sky while I continued looking at him, "When the night goes away, people forget all about it. No one remembers them. They don't matter anymore." His eyes found their way back to mine, "You do. You matter. I cannot not remember you."
My breathing hitched as I looked at him. My heart was pounding so fast that you could hear it from a mile away. I gazed into his eyes. To see if he was lying. My eyes made their way to his ears, he noticed them too. He turned his ear towards me,
"I am not lying. See for yourself."
I couldn't help but chuckle at him. He actually wasn't lying. But why? Why is Xavier being so nice? Why isn't he being his usual self? Did he mean this when he said 'good side'.
I didn't realize it but he was still staring at me in the eyes, "I never realized it but you have beautiful eyes."
I opened my mouth to say something before shutting it. Beautiful eyes? Mine? Are you kidding me? If two balls of black holes could be called beautiful.
"They are the darkest brown they can be. You can say they are almost black. What is so beautiful about that?" I asked with a hint of smile on my face.
I will tell you who had beautiful eyes.
Xavier Reed did.
Hazel eyes. Green around the corners and brown around the pupils. They were beautiful eyes. Not mine.
He looked into both my eyes as if trying to contemplate something. At last, he smiled softly before softly shaking his head,
"What is so beautiful about them, you ask? The fact that I can almost see everything in your eyes...You haven't seen yourself looking at the stars. The way your eyes shine. I can see the reflections of the stars in your eyes. And black colour just makes it even more beautiful. It's like a whole night sky in your eyes. Just better."
Just better?
I looked at him to realize that he meant everything he said. I bit my lip looking down.
Has he said the same things to Olivia? Or is it just me? But why will he just compliment me? All of a sudden?
Can it be that Xavier is finally letting his walls down? Can it be that he is realizing that
...he likes me?
___