Faen's Child

Chapter 16

[Chapter 16]

“Tell me about your childhood. I told you mine, now it’s your turn.” I demanded.

“With your short story about you and Raun? Not enough, Ashe.” Noel smiled, fiddling with my soft plushy dog that Dru had given me a few months ago.

“Seriously, my life was just that dull. I had only Dad, Mum and Raun. Dad and Mum went to work, leaving me with Raun. You can’t see me making time to go shopping with my friends or making out with some guy in school, since I was practically forever tied up with Raun.” I explained with a sigh. Noel just wouldn’t believe me that my routine before I became a Faen was just school, and babysitting Raun.

“I would really like to meet your kid brother. He sounds adorable.” He replied, still smiling, like he was genuinely interested in meeting Raun, aka The Troublemaker.

I wrinkled my nose. “Don’t bet on it, Mister. Raun is as adorable as my butt. He jumps on my nerves like skipping rope. And that’s when he’s feeling nice.”

Noel laughed. “Surely he isn’t that bad?”

“Trust me. He is that bad. Do you know that Raun ruined the dress I prepared for Prom? He didn’t do it anytime, Noel. He spilled ketchup and orange juice all over my dress! And it was white! I had to turn up there with T-shirt and jeans! It was soooo embarrassing!”

“Perhaps he didn’t do it on accident.”

“Oh yeah? Tell that to the kid at my house who shouted at me, ‘Hey, Sis, watch this!’ and then sprayed the entire bottle of ketchup down my dress.”

This time, Noel did laugh. “Okay, maybe he’s a little over mischievous?”

“You bet. But enough about Raun. What about you and Jacob?”

I had met Noel’s brother on a few occasions where the guy walked in on our training sessions. For some reason, Jacob always seemed to bring out the kid-side of Noel, but nevertheless, the brotherly brawl and joked between them both had been a good source of humor for me.

“Actually, when we were young, we used to spend our time with the Kriens. Dad and Lance were close friends, so it wasn’t a surprise when we often played with Lindy and Zane.” Noel confessed, and I nodded.

“You know about it?” Noel sounded a little surprised.

“Zane told me.”

“Figures.” He sounded a little miffed that Zane had told me that little piece of information, and it got me curious.

I walked over and sat by his side on my bed, cuddling up right next to him. I loved the fact that Noel was always so warm, always so cuddly; like my personal teddy bear. Man, I loved him.

“Why so jealous? It’s just something Zane and you shared when you guys were young.” I asked sweetly, knowing that my trick was working. Noel just couldn’t resist when I acted all cuddly with him.

“I don’t like the fact that of all the Faens here, you’re the only one he talks to.” Noel pouted like a child, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Two days into this relationship, and you’re already jealous, Noel? Zane and I have nothing between us. Sure, I don’t know why I’m the only one he’s trying to talk to, but I’m sure I feel nothing for him. So… how was it like between you guys? Competitive?” I asked, resting my head on Noel’s chest, hearing his slow heartbeats as his arm covered over mine, taking me in his warm embrace.

“Yeah. I was born one year before him, but Zane seemed to take that as a personal challenge against him. He was determined to outdo me. When I began to walk, he was also walking, even though he was one year younger. When Dad got me a new toy car, Zane begged his dad to do the same. We were always challenging each other. Never ending. I used to hate Zane for being such an ass, and we did end up in many fights. In a way, those fights brought us closer. We attended schools together. We competed over every test, every examination. And then Zane’s mother died.”