Proven part II
As I was yanked into the apartment, I reached for the rigging knife hidden in my sock. The cool iron was enclosed in my hand as the door was slammed shut behind me and I turned on my attacker. My heart dropped as I was pulled into a tight hug, strong arms wrapped around me.
I immediately recognized my captor as he bent his head to me, his golden-blonde hair falling in his eyes.
"Alek," I exclaimed as I returned the hug. A relieved feeling rushed through me, making me forget for a moment the news I would have to deliver.
Finally we pulled apart. "What are you doing here?" we both asked at the same time.
"This is my apartment," I reminded him, "What are you doing here?"
"The guys and I were looking for you," Alek said, "Were have you been..." His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on my right hand, the blade still in my grasp. "Were you going to stab me?" he asked, sounding confused. .
"Alek, you nearly gave me a heart attack when you pulled me in here," I said. His eyed widened as if he had remembered something of great importance. Alek reached around me, locked the door, and slid in the dead bolt. "What are you doing?"
"Were you followed?" he said suddenly.
"What?"
"Were you followed here?" he grasped my shoulders and forced me to focus on his gleaming green eyes.
Before I could answer, a voice called from the kitchen, "Thirteen, who's at the door?" A tall redhead appeared in the entrance to the hall.
"What Jazz, you don't recognize me?" I teased. His face lit up with relief and I rushed past Alek to him, giving him a quick hug. He breathed in my scent, one that he had once told me reminded him of old books and coconut.
"Yes," Jasper said as I pulled away, "tease the blind guy."
I smiled widely at the old joke. Just like always. Of course, one thing was missing.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked again.
Alek answered by walking past us and down the hall short hall. Jasper offered me his arm. I grinned again and took it, leading us down the corridor. It wasn't like he actually needed me to lead him. It was more for my benefit than for my own. He had felt my anxiety.
We followed Alek to the last room on the right. The door opened to a room of bright purple walls, soft carpeting, and a twin bed in the corner. In one corner was a bookcase full of precious treasures. A bean bag chair sat next to it. Across the room and under the window was a white-painted mahogany desk and, sitting in front of a laptop, sat yet another boy.
"Alek," he said without turning, "I told you to watch the door." His accent was enhanced with his frustration as he stabbed at the keys."Can you get past this bloody firewall?" He turned when no response came.
"Jazz I thought you were..." his eyes landed on me.
"Hi, Nic," I said meekly. His face betrayed nothing before he stood. Alek stood aside as our leader gazed at me cooly. Our team was back together. My team. 'My other team,' I reminded myself.
As I was yanked into the apartment, I reached for the rigging knife hidden in my sock. The cool iron was enclosed in my hand as the door was slammed shut behind me and I turned on my attacker. My heart dropped as I was pulled into a tight hug, strong arms wrapped around me.
I immediately recognized my captor as he bent his head to me, his golden-blonde hair falling in his eyes.
"Alek," I exclaimed as I returned the hug. A relieved feeling rushed through me, making me forget for a moment the news I would have to deliver.
Finally we pulled apart. "What are you doing here?" we both asked at the same time.
"This is my apartment," I reminded him, "What are you doing here?"
"The guys and I were looking for you," Alek said, "Were have you been..." His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on my right hand, the blade still in my grasp. "Were you going to stab me?" he asked, sounding confused. .
"Alek, you nearly gave me a heart attack when you pulled me in here," I said. His eyed widened as if he had remembered something of great importance. Alek reached around me, locked the door, and slid in the dead bolt. "What are you doing?"
"Were you followed?" he said suddenly.
"What?"
"Were you followed here?" he grasped my shoulders and forced me to focus on his gleaming green eyes.
Before I could answer, a voice called from the kitchen, "Thirteen, who's at the door?" A tall redhead appeared in the entrance to the hall.
"What Jazz, you don't recognize me?" I teased. His face lit up with relief and I rushed past Alek to him, giving him a quick hug. He breathed in my scent, one that he had once told me reminded him of old books and coconut.
"Yes," Jasper said as I pulled away, "tease the blind guy."
I smiled widely at the old joke. Just like always. Of course, one thing was missing.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked again.
Alek answered by walking past us and down the hall short hall. Jasper offered me his arm. I grinned again and took it, leading us down the corridor. It wasn't like he actually needed me to lead him. It was more for my benefit than for my own. He had felt my anxiety.
We followed Alek to the last room on the right. The door opened to a room of bright purple walls, soft carpeting, and a twin bed in the corner. In one corner was a bookcase full of precious treasures. A bean bag chair sat next to it. Across the room and under the window was a white-painted mahogany desk and, sitting in front of a laptop, sat yet another boy.
"Alek," he said without turning, "I told you to watch the door." His accent was enhanced with his frustration as he stabbed at the keys."Can you get past this bloody firewall?" He turned when no response came.
"Jazz I thought you were..." his eyes landed on me.
"Hi, Nic," I said meekly. His face betrayed nothing before he stood. Alek stood aside as our leader gazed at me cooly. Our team was back together. My team. 'My other team,' I reminded myself.
