Ocean Desert

CHAPTER THREE

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C H A P T E R  T H R E E

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        THE NEXT morning, I decide I need to go visit Axis since he didn't visit yesterday like he normally does. I'm fearful he might still be upset at me, and I know I need to go make things right. I'm still not going to promise him I'll go with him to ALLICO, though. That's just one thing I won't do.

I slip on some clothes and exit my room, heading right for the kitchen. I quickly grab some dried grapes for breakfast before saying goodbye to my mom and heading for the door.

The walk to Ms. Jenkins apothecary is a lengthy one as it's all the way on the other side of the village, but I make my strides quick and get there in no time. Before I know it, I'm taking a deep breath outside the door of the old stone building and already panicking about what I'm going to say to Axis.

I don't get the chance to even knock when Ms. Jenkins—a rather older woman with white hair—opens the door and smiles widely at me. "I thought that was you I heard. Come join the party, Nyssa."

I'm confused as to how she knew I was outside as I made absolutely no noise, but Ms. Jenkins has always been like that, seemingly hearing things when nobody else could. I guess you could consider it a superpower if you wanted to.

"Wait...party?" I mutter to myself, wondering what she's talking about.

She leads me through her entryway and into the dining room—where Axis and Jax sit talking and laughing away. I narrow my eyes in confusion, shifting my gaze back and forth between the two guys. They eventually notice my presence, and Jax immediately stands up in greeting—which I find quite odd—while Axis sends me a nod. That lets me know he's still a bit upset about what I said.

"Well, don't let me stop your banter," I state, though it comes out a bit snarky. Sometimes I don't even mean things in that way, it just comes out.

"Why don't you join us?" Jax suggests, his eyes twinkling as he stares up at me with a wide smile. He is so kind, but not in a good way like Axis is in my opinion. "I was telling Axis here a bit about ALLICO's new program."

I roll my eyes, yet I sit down in the chair beside Axis anyways. "I have no interest in what ALLICO is doing."

"And why not?" Jax pushes further, tilting his head to the side out of genuine curiosity. It seems as though I'm a puzzle to him, and he just can't figure me out. I don't blame him. The only one that can really figure me out is Axis.

I don't grace him with a response, and instead snack on the dried grapes I took from my kitchen. I have no interest in communicating any further with Jax. He'd never get the reason why I don't worship ALLICO like the masses do.

It's not that I hate ALLICO, don't get me wrong. I suppose they do some good, but I just don't see the big deal about them. Plus, I don't get a good feeling about them in general. All my life I've been trusting my gut, and it's never steered me wrong before. I don't think it's going to start now.

"Let me guess. You think we're just some rich fools who use people to make a profit and don't care what or who we crush who gets in our way?" Jax asks in a sarcastic tone.

I roll my eyes again. This dude will never get it. "I don't hate rich people or organizations if that's what you're implying. I don't think it's bad to want to make a profit. What do you think I'm trying to do right now, huh? Just because I'm poor doesn't mean I envy and despise the more fortunate."