Astrid is the crown princess of Atlantis, but she barely has time to worry about the kingdom with six younger sisters to watch over, especially with the youngest coming into her powers as a daughter of the sea to navigate time. When Astrid fears tha...
Then, in another second, Astrid is back to her perfectly emotionless expression, pushing hair off her shoulders that are the color of porcelain where her gown is slowly slipping down. "Your home, that is."
"Astrid, where is your home?" I clear my throat, suddenly feeling like I've gone too far. "That is, if you don't mind my asking..."
Looking far away, Astrid sighs deeply. "Someplace I can't get to right now."
"How come?"
Astrid turns back to me, blinking back tears. "I can't tell you."
Reaching to take her cold hands in mine, I give them a squeeze. "Can you try?"
She opens her mouth. Gurgles and coughs, and then turns away, ducking her head in shame. "I... still... can't."
Astrid tugs her hands away from me, and then turns her back.
Almost against my will, one of my newly freed hands goes to gently rub her soft skin peeking out from between the folds of the hospital gown. "Astrid, why not? I thought we were friends."
"We are friends." Astrid continues to not look at me. "But we are not, apparently, lovers."
I feel like my head has been spun around with a well-placed slap. "What on earth do you mean, Astrid?"
She turns to me, and I see angry tears in her red-rimmed eyes. "Because, if you loved me, things would be different."
"If I... loved you?" Her explanation- if it can be called that- doesn't stop my head from spinning. Actually, it makes it worse. "Astrid, we've only known each other for, what, 'three' days?"
Astrid purses her lips. "How long does it take?"
"Um, I don't know... I think it's different for everyone?"
She cocks her head to one side, her long hair sweeping over one shoulder as her sleeve slips off more on her other. "Then why can't it be three days for us? Or at least four?"
"Um, I don't know." I shake my head. "Why are you even so into this? I mean, I know we kissed, but that's all-"
Astrid lunges at me, and I grasp her shoulders to hold her still to prevent her from hurting herself. "That's all?!"
I clear my throat, and try not to think about the soft skin under my hands. "Look, Astrid, you've had a trying evening. We still don't know what's wrong with you-"
"Nothing is wrong with me! Where's James?"
"Right here."
We both startle to find James standing solemnly in the doorway. His expression is silently scolding. Then he decides to put words to it. "Brandon, why are you upsetting Astrid?"
"Me?" I gasp. "I'm the one doing the upsetting? I don't even know why we're arguing-"
"That is the way it is with women," James says, as if that explains everything.
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