Anomalies ✔

Chapter Thirty-Eight

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: BLUSH

All joy...emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire. Our best havings are wantings. 
-C.S. Lewis

Eventually we actually were able to give the bags to Bar, who sends me one nod before hugging each of his kids, and it's soon time to actually get on the plane.

Just like when we came here, everyone's in massive groups.

Not bothering with it, just flicking through my phone while Jasper keeps me tucked against his side and decide to listen to some music.

I don't realize we're about to get into the plane until two large hands lift me onto the platform.

Because he didn't warn me, at least in a way I didn't notice, it surprises me enough that I grab his wrists, pushing my body back into his for support as we both stop on the top platform.

"Sorry," I say, straightening out and threading my fingers through his as I glance back at him. "I didn't know we were moving."

For a moment, as we walk down the plane aisle, he's silent until we get to our seats and then he asks "How much do you weigh?" as his arm snakes around me, hand pressing into my stomach making my body jolt.

How much do I weigh?

Oh...

Especially during the first years of high school, when I was tall but even skinner, my family was worried about my weight sometimes -as if I was sick.

To them, I was the size of a child with the face and height of an adult. For some reason, that just didn't sit well with them.

Papa tells me he thinks sometimes he made mistakes, that he should have paid more attention to me or helped me more on a physical level because I was nothing compared to Adonis or Atlas when they were my age.

Even Triton is bigger than I am and an inch shorter, and he's only fourteen.

But I have to keep reminding them that even if I share the classic male Rex face, I'm not made like them. I'm shorter and lean just like my mom, like Nemesis.

I'm strong, I know that, but most of the things I can do come from experience, endurace, from my stamina, not from any brute strength I have. I've always been a little underweight for my height, but not in any worrying way.

Apparently Jasper is starting to realize that.

"Like...one twenty-five?" I answer, turning back to him. "It's not bad."

My boyfriend holds me closer, his large hand coming up to my cheek. "Isn't that underweight?"

"It's not bad." Repeating this, I huff at him. "You don't have to look so worried. It's not-" I growl. "-like I shrunk any during the time I've known you."

Letting him think, I turn back to our seats and have to stand on the edge to put something away, but this time Jasper actually tries to help me.

"Jitterbug," I groan, dropping back down to the floor. "I'm not fragile. Don't treat me like I am." He just pouts but drops his hands from my sides. "I can literally pick you up, and I've beaten Axel in a fight. And I play football. And- -not, not, not- -hockey. What are you worried about exactly?"

"Probably that you'll blow away in the wind." Fly snickers, butting into the conversation as he comes down the aisle bumps into my side -making Jasper actually pick me up like I'm going to break from him.

Seriously?

He literally tackles me for sport.

"I am not that small." I tell them, but Jasper just holds me tighter like he's trying to protect me. "Jasper, please, I'm almost average."