In Between

Chapter Twenty: After the Fire

First, he never sat in a room chatting and laughing without a care in the world—especially not with people like Mel and the twins. Second, he never let himself care enough about anything or anyone to risk putting his life in danger, and third, he never ever cried.

I nearly violated all of my rules tonight. I guess it's back to plan A, Draven thought bitterly. This meant deliberately getting on everyone's nerves until they could no longer stand being around him. Draven had been using this tactic ever since he'd been orphaned. Contrary to what his friends assumed, he could still remember things about his life before his mother had abandoned him, but he had taught himself not to think about her.

Instead, he focused on every hateful thing that Mel and the twins had ever said to him. He even tossed in some choice phrases from Bri for good measure. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and the easier it would be to distance himself in the future. The next time he saw Kieran's friends, they would once again be unwanted thorns in his side.

Apryl was the problem, because Draven couldn't remember her ever saying anything truly hateful toward him. She wasn't a thorn at all, and the fact that he had almost run into a burning building to save her meant that he was in deep trouble. He didn't want to care about her, so he would have to push her away. I don't want to do that...The thought came to him, unbidden, but it only made his resolve stronger.

A part of him worried that he wouldn't be able to do it. She understood him, and no one besides Kieran had ever tried so hard to connect with him. That was why no one but Kieran could really be considered a friend. Apryl had come to mean something to him without him even noticing, and that was a scary thought. She's leaving. She's going back to Earth, he reminded himself. Suddenly, Draven knew what he could do.

He didn't have to push Apryl away. He could care about her if he wanted to, because if he really cared about her than he would make sure that she and her sister returned home where they would be safe. They would constantly be hunted in the Inbetween, and the royals would never show them mercy, so they could never stay. She only wants to stay because of Kieran...Draven knew that this was true and couldn't help but feel hollow inside. The way she'd gone straight into Kieran's arms confirmed everything that Draven suspected. Apryl's feelings for him were blinding her to the danger she was in. She doesn't want to leave, Draven thought, but I have to make her.

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They caught up to Draven halfway to the Kittson's, because he had left the carriage behind and gone on foot. Kieran had convinced Apryl to come along while the others continued walking, and Bri decided to join her sister and drive the carriage. Apryl had gotten into the back seat by herself without considering the prospect of sitting beside Draven for the rest of the way, so she was suddenly feeling less than enthusiastic about picking him up.

"Don't talk to me unless you're going to apologize," she said the second he was inside.

"I'm sorry," Draven answered quickly which ruined everything she had prepared to shout at him. "I shouldn't have said those things to you. It wouldn't be better if you had died in the fire. That would have been..."

"What?" Apryl pressed when his sentence trailed off.

"Not good," Draven answered simply.

She crossed her arms and let the car fill with silence. During this time, Apryl caught Bri locking gazes with Draven in the rearview mirror. She watched him swallow nervously and then crack a smile. What did you say to him? she asked Bri privately.

Her sister shrugged and said, I told him that if he ever said anything like that to you again, he would have to go through me. Then I explained how I wouldn't hesitate to remove a certain body part that he might need if he ever wants to have children.