Chapter: He

corching gaze almost draws me in and for the long long moment I feel bare - as if my s

a husky lilt in his voice that makes me want to tremble. But I hold on strong -

d, and brimming with scrutiny and concern. But I don't miss out the undertone of sharp suspicion. Why does all he

ing orbs focus on me, they are clear with resolution. Trouble

. It's an holiday, you know. We can hang

tainly don't miss the announcement of his coronation. I'm not sure, though, if I really want to witness eith

y should I not want to 'hang out' with Andre? More than

s me to say no. Honestly, I don't want to say no to Andre, yet again. Not with how

that can win a hundred hearts and dazzle

if only as a really good frien

totally as he lifts my hand up to his lips and places a soft kiss at the centre of my palm. It makes me

school hours, he keeps touchi

g if I and the 'yes' after all the 'no's were real. But, as my eyes coincide

inning and soon enough, his shifter will

I turn around to spot a smug expression on Andre

o be won in a tu

would never love the shifter whose howls rip the peace of the night into shreds. I can only ever lo

y possible to carry out this 'love' in real life

re, I a

I swallow and immediately feel the warmth of Sheroa's posture right next to me. I turn to look at him warily

even his shifter is

me, his voice naturally gen

- eye-to-eye interaction - in the morning. But, as I deliberate it further, s

ad a weird off-moment with Melinda err... Mom.", I rush through the words, stutter

for the first time in my seventeen years of life, my father's any gesture is giving me a

ng in a tight voice, "You should follow the

oors closed with Melinda and my brothers inside, probably st

ost exclaim, yet somehow man

ain?", but then he notices the shaky and slightly

ds so pensive that it multiplies my guilt my leaps and bounds. "I did.", I whisper

y and incredulously, as if trying to

like I am starting to see him every day now on and this is the inception. I just didn't want

ky - thing to do, but how much downhill can it possibly go? S

oa anything but roars and I want

y, sounding a little more confident that before and

a mask of disgust and ange

I try. How could their tendency of going against the norms not flow in this girl's veins?!", he exclaims in pure rage, before s

explanation, and tears of anguish roll down my cheeks. I

e two words. Reje

or gesture of whatever of mine, I am all the more determined to go out

wet, hot path and very certainly leaving behind salty-stains. I slowly wal

even locking the door, for that matter. Looks like

o the comfort of the bed, when I hear

or

nto my face. Another person tha

anding and this is not the first time that he's here to support me through

seat right beside me. It's almost dark and the reddish hue in his clear brown eyes is more prominen

t this great secret is, but he'll do absolutely anything to make sure that it's never leaked. He just wants you safe, that's all. And for some reason, he is extremely sure that spending time with Andre is th

, something else lurks beneath that too. Hunger. The same as Melind

he ignorant are often spar

a question of basic survival arises. Maybe because I

kind of monsters all of them have within

mean it. I just needed to hear this. This reassuranc

even leave out the mandatory bed-time book. I am in a hurry tonight. In a hurry to fall asleep befor

onder what his howl wo

te to meet him. I need him after a

red tree-trunks. It's whistle thickens till it sounds a bit haunting, and then it weaves an enchanting spell, almost dragging me into its net of

sight of his crisp white shirt - the fabric stretching into a smooth perfection over his sculpted body. I follow th

is undoubtedly my

determination, rage, anguish, devotion, longing and so many more emotions tha

ection, and wonder who or what he is. He is just too perf

rm in his eyes and his touch rais

n these people you live with? Tell me, can you yourself imagine anything or anyone more da

wly cracking, till the floodg

her side of this forest and these mountains. I don't know how to love and hate my friends and family, at the same time. I don't even

eam. I want to know all of

ch and gaze. He sighs. "The answer to all these question

speaks in such short and

, I ask, withdrawing

om

and his oh-so-kissable lips, to double-check. His eyes follow mine and the corner

ly look

ally? Where did th

ves me a sad smile in response and I

slowly starts dissolving away into

ly answer. And, I have to admit this, that I've started to feel this strange tug

I can no longer see him and then the soothing da

de my head, brings me out of the last traces of sleep and I groggily

ept this late in my whole life. I jump up on

r my pillow on the edge of the bed, is

I notice that she's standing there with clear brown

, lingeries and a pink floral printed summer-dress - my best and thus

.", Sheroa, having finally recovered from the solid laughter-session,

sper, as I sprint to the washroom. I hear their amus

anks to him - and the traces of the night's peace is visible on

red hair-wash, and then start towel-drying my hair vigorously. It takes a while, and t

gh the tangles, getting irritated out of

is was the one day of the week when we could forget the morning norms - because they were only vali

essing counter and run to the

with chicken filling,

help but think about the day that I a

question is - shall

_____

ion C

not me - Should sh

Andre or

d and grab his hand, or

zea's picture up there

____