"Well, it's a guy," I blurted out, "and I don't want Mila to know because of the whole, 'stay emotionally strong' and if I get attached I don't think I'll be able to do that, I mean, who knows? One day I'll be on cloud nine and than the next I'll be crying my eyes out and I really don't want to do that, but I feel super guilty for keeping it from her but what am I supposed to do? She yelled at you when you started going out with Ben and you know that I don't like people yelling at me because I start to cry right after and-" Sheelin grabbed my shoulders and shook me gently. Again, people shaking me, they don't have to do that.
"Calm yourself," she demanded and her emerald eyes locked onto mine. They reminded me of the Earth. Bright and green and keeping me tethered to reality. They also took on people's problems and tried to help. That wasn't the greatest analogy, but give me some credit, The Earth, well, gravity, keeps us from going into space and we humans do mess up the Earth, but it just takes it in stride and keeps taking all our abuse. On second thought, that was a horrible analogy.
"But," I said miserably.
"But nothing. Just go and say it," Sheelin said firmly.
"Tell who what?" a voice said from the doorway. A male voice. Dan. He and Ben were walking in through the front door and had heard what Sheelin had said. My eyes widened and the feeling of being a cornered cat came back. I slowly edged away from Sheelin and escaped out the back door.
"Lamai!" Dan shouted, but I pretended not to hear. I ran down the deck and towards the park that was right behind the Rourke's house. If I wanted to leave with style, I would've vaulted myself over the deck railing and made a break for the park, but gravity loves me so much that I wouldn't have been able to make it over. I heard a soft thump in the grass behind me and something told me that Dan stole my idea and was chasing after me. He reached me and grabbed my arm. After spinning me around to face him, he grabbed my other arm.
"No!" I screamed. I panicked and fell to the ground. It was lousy defense, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Suddenly I was yanked out of his grip and thrown backwards. A streak of black hair was all I saw and Dan was on the ground.
"Just what the hell were you doing?" Mila spat. She was furious and it dawned on me that she had only him grab me. I knew what she'd do next; make him talk and punch the shit out of him. Dan was stunned and couldn't reply. Mila's blue eyes took on an icy glare and she wound up to punch him.
I screamed a mixture of 'no' and 'don't' and launched myself between them. Mila had already started punching and I could see her try to slow her fist down. It was too late. The punch connected with my cheekbone which would've hit Dan's stomach. Mila stared in horror and slowly backed up. I laid on top of Dan and held my face. I'd have a lovely black eye if I didn't put ice on it. Mila ran in the house and I was kind of pissed. She just punched me and now she's running away? But she came back out with the ice drawer from the freezer and a handfull of towels.
"Calm yourself," she demanded and her emerald eyes locked onto mine. They reminded me of the Earth. Bright and green and keeping me tethered to reality. They also took on people's problems and tried to help. That wasn't the greatest analogy, but give me some credit, The Earth, well, gravity, keeps us from going into space and we humans do mess up the Earth, but it just takes it in stride and keeps taking all our abuse. On second thought, that was a horrible analogy.
"But," I said miserably.
"But nothing. Just go and say it," Sheelin said firmly.
"Tell who what?" a voice said from the doorway. A male voice. Dan. He and Ben were walking in through the front door and had heard what Sheelin had said. My eyes widened and the feeling of being a cornered cat came back. I slowly edged away from Sheelin and escaped out the back door.
"Lamai!" Dan shouted, but I pretended not to hear. I ran down the deck and towards the park that was right behind the Rourke's house. If I wanted to leave with style, I would've vaulted myself over the deck railing and made a break for the park, but gravity loves me so much that I wouldn't have been able to make it over. I heard a soft thump in the grass behind me and something told me that Dan stole my idea and was chasing after me. He reached me and grabbed my arm. After spinning me around to face him, he grabbed my other arm.
"No!" I screamed. I panicked and fell to the ground. It was lousy defense, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Suddenly I was yanked out of his grip and thrown backwards. A streak of black hair was all I saw and Dan was on the ground.
"Just what the hell were you doing?" Mila spat. She was furious and it dawned on me that she had only him grab me. I knew what she'd do next; make him talk and punch the shit out of him. Dan was stunned and couldn't reply. Mila's blue eyes took on an icy glare and she wound up to punch him.
I screamed a mixture of 'no' and 'don't' and launched myself between them. Mila had already started punching and I could see her try to slow her fist down. It was too late. The punch connected with my cheekbone which would've hit Dan's stomach. Mila stared in horror and slowly backed up. I laid on top of Dan and held my face. I'd have a lovely black eye if I didn't put ice on it. Mila ran in the house and I was kind of pissed. She just punched me and now she's running away? But she came back out with the ice drawer from the freezer and a handfull of towels.
