Without The Grace

Visits and Surprises

I walked through the campground. When Mama Lily wanted things done, she got them done.

The forces they'd thrown together were amazing. Large warships decked with cannons and huge missiles. A bunch of contraptions I didn't understand.

The president was reluctant at first but in the end he concluded that if we won, we would have relations with another country. Well actually, they would have relations with my country.

The president wasn't the only one who kept using the word if. The only confident individual was Mama Lily.

She was a great asset since she knew the island like the back of her hand.
We were supposedly taking a secret route.

I tried not to pay attention too much. I didn't want all of it to be real. I was still getting over leaving...Kenneth's face when I made my decision literally broke my heart into pieces.

But I had to go. I was curious. And I felt like it was...my duty.

It bewildered me because if someone would have told me three days ago where I was going, I would have laughed in their face.

But here I was.

"There you are Panda."

I turned to see Alex running to me. He had persuaded my da-Raul to let him be my bodyguard.

Raul said I could still call him dad but it was just too weird. Calling him Raul was just as weird, but I didn't know which one I preferred.

"We leave bright and early tomorrow. It's going to be a few days travel." He informed me.

I sat on a large rock nearby. I still found it hard to speak to Alex, it was weird that he'd been protecting me for years and I never knew, and he never once hinted about it.

I felt like I was speaking to a different person now that I knew the truth. But I knew that he was the same Alex I had always known. Now he was just more...enhanced.

"Why?" I asked still looking at the grass.

He knelt in front of me coming into my line of view.

He took my hands in his. "Aaliyah, it doesn't have to be like this. I'm still me. Just Alex. Please don't distance yourself."

I still wasn't looking at him.

"We were friends before I was recruited. Remember? In first grade we used to compete to be the teachers best student. You were like the perfect class pet. But I thought you were cute so I tried to be better than you. Even if we were arguing I was happy because I was talking to you...one day we both got to pick out of the treasure box and we wanted the same prize. It was a panda. We were best friends ever since." He said. "Are you really gonna leave me stranded?" he asked me.

I finally looked at him. His face was drawn.

"Alex..." I wrapped my arms around his neck squeezing him tight.
"I love you Alex. I just wish...you would have told me."

"You know I couldn't." He said sighing.

"You could have hinted at it. You know...bow every time you saw me and kissed my hand." I joked.

He laughed and I knew we were back to normal.

"I guess I could call you my knight in shining armor." I squeezed his cheek.

He shrugged. Then he took my hand and kissed it. "M'Lady," he held out his hand. "May I escort you to your living quarters for the night?" he asked.