• Being watched. Doesn’t everyone hate that feeling? I do. I get nervous up inside and I just want to run. I don’t know where, but away. Somewhere where they’ll lose track of me and can never find me again. That time is now.
    Roy told me to run. Run through the woods as fast as I could and hide. He never told me where to hide, but he said to keep running till I see a house. Well, not a house, more like a mansion. He had given a picture of it and described every feature. He said it quick too, probably because the Mahre was close by.
    Christian ran too, but in another direction. Roy said he would meet up with me at the mansion, which wasn’t a bad plan. Christian would know the girl there and I wouldn’t have to explain anything. Perfect.
    Roy had stayed behind and said he would catch up. I looked back after the first step and Roy was already gone. Jeez, they made me feel like I ran slow. I don’t, and to make my point, I ran the 100 meter in about 12 seconds, which is pretty fast if you haven’t seen the Olympics. (I think).
    The house that I tried to picture without the snow was pretty descent, accounting its old age. But something in the real image was different, something missing inside it.
    As I cleared the shady woods and stepped over the berry bushes, I found Christian’s body collapsed at the side of the building. I stopped my progress. Was he dead? Was it a trap of some sort?
    I looked around the woods that had encircled the whole area. I didn’t see anybody, but I knew someone had to be here.
    Something grabbed my shoulder, jerked me back, and held its hand over my mouth. It pulled me back into the darkness of the woods, myself struggling to get free.
    “Shhh, stop making unnecessary noises. They’re here.” The voice was a silent whisper, was it Christian? It let go of me and I backed away, turning around to see who my capturer was.
    “Christian, what were you doing?”
    “They’re trying to lure you, so they can question you. This place isn’t safe. I don’t think Aya’s here anymore. Unless she’s inside, but I highly doubt that.”
    “Where’s Roy?” I suddenly asked, keeping my heart from throbbing out of my chest.
    He paused and looked to the ground, “I don’t know.”
    I looked up. Through the trees I could see the sky turning its shade of midnight blue. The sun was setting, and it was slowly becoming colder each second. If Roy wasn’t here, where was he? Did he get captured, or did he escape?
    “Here,” Roy handed me his jacket. “You probably need it more than me.”
    I stared at it then declined his offer. “You’re as much human as I am…at least, almost. You deserve it.”
    “No, trust me, my planet is cold for most of the year, your planets’ cold is nothing compared to mine.”
    I looked at him, and then grabbed his jacket. I put it on and snuggled inside it, trying to keep my body heat. I couldn’t deny his answer deny his answer, he was telling the truth.
    “So what are we gonna do? Sit here like some random and do nothing?”
    He changed the subject. “What do you mean when you say…‘random’? It’s always been a problem for me.”
    I sighed, “Instead of saying ‘random people’ I just say ‘random’ it works a lot better.”
    ‘Oh’ was all he said.
    “So Christian, have you…” I paused to think of a question, “dated before?” I know it was a dumb question and all, but I needed something to pass the time.
    “Where are you getting to?” he asked, playing with the stick beside him.
    “Oh nothing!”I said abruptly, “I was just wondering…”
    “I don’t think you’re wondering.” He looked up at me, his face barely visible in the shadows.
    “Yes I am! You had to have a girlfriend already!”
    “Um…why would I? I mean, you say I’m supposed to have had a girlfriend already. Why would you think that?”
    I didn’t answer. Christian had caught me again and I had no clue how to change the question.
    “Oh come on, don’t change the subject Tai, I really wanna know.”
    His pleading voice was so delicate and soft, almost like a little boy begging for candy. And I fell for it.
    I sighed. “Christian, you and Roy are…”I paused, trying to think of a word.
    “You mean to say that you think me and my brother are…what’s that word? Um…handsome?” he sighed. “Too many girls say that. They only like us because how we look, not by how we are. You’re like that aren’t you?”
    “No Christian, no. Don’t think that. Yes, you two are very lovely,” I tried to find his eyes, “in fact, more than lovely. But I like your personality most of all.”
    That kept him quiet for a few seconds. But it was so dark now, and I couldn’t see him anymore. His outline had disappeared and I no longer felt the company of someone being beside me.
    “Christian?” I called out, trying to see into the dark forest. “Christian, are you there?”
    “Of course, I can’t think for a few seconds?”
    “Well, it was quiet, and I didn’t hear you.”
    “Fine.”
    I heard him slide across the ground towards me. He was amazingly warm for someone who wasn’t wearing a jacket. I kind of felt bad at first; my body was shredding his body heat away from him, but, then I realized that he would just get it back after a few seconds of not moving.
    “So you like me and Roy?”
    “What do you mean?” I asked, my heartbeat racing.
    “As friends, I won’t bother you with ‘if you like us’ questions.”
    “Oh, well, you guys are my friends. You two are the only ones that actually like me for who I am.”
    “Really?”He chuckled a little, and then I heard him drop to the ground..
    “How can you just lay on the ground like that? You’re not worried about the little creatures crawling around on the ground?”
    He laughed, “I’m listening for footsteps. You actually think I enjoy doing this?”
    “Sure, why not?” I said, sliding down to his level.
    I was too close to him, and I knew I should’ve backed away, but it was so arduous, and I soon fell for him. My lips were on his, and I kissed him passionately until I was breathless. Once I regained my breath, I did it again, then abruptly let him go. He stared at me in amazement for a quick glance, and then altered to his expressionless face.
    “I’m sorry Christian,” I whispered, rising up to lean against the tree again. “I didn’t mean to. You were so close and…”
    “Don’t be, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have let you do that, as well myself.”

    I heard a loud obnoxious laugh, then steps.
    “I can’t believe it…You, of all people…fell for him...my brother that can go all psycho-kid in all of one second? Gosh Tai, you’re desperate.”