Artemis

6

"Ready?" I nodded as he began to push, walking quickly before escalating to running. He lifted himself up and let the cart drift, speeding down the aisle as I screamed with laughter.  My hair flew around me as I looked around, making eye contact with a wide smiled Jaxon.

My heart was racing as I stared at him, his eyes suddenly turning ten years younger right before my own. I swore he must be able to hear my racing heart, I could practically feel it in my throats as we slid to a stop at the end of the aisle.

"One more time." He looked down at me after he straightened up, his eyes glittering and shining as he grinned. I smiled and nodded as he spun us around, looking down at me with an expression, an emotion, that I couldn't come close to naming. I suddenly felt warm, my blood rushing through my veins and my bones inflaming right under my skin.

He rushed forward and jumped as the buggy spun, the wind blowing my hair around as I laughed a huge boisterous laugh. It was like slow motion, like a stupid romcom movie with perfect lighting and some indie band playing in the background. His shaggy hair was flying around his head as he leaned over and was a foot away from my face, but it felt like inches.

I wanted to close the distance and slam my lips onto his, kiss him until he couldn't breath and my lips were red and swollen. I wanted so badly to love him, to let him love me. But call me stupid, call me an idiot or a stubborn asshole, I couldn't get over the fact he rejected me. It was a wound to my heart, a bullet hole right in my chest.

We came to a stop and he looked down at me as he straightened up his back, his eyes boring into me and seeing every crevice in my soul. I felt naked, even with layers of clothes to protect me from the cold wind outside. I inched closer, my fingers itching to touch his skin and get it over with, just so later on I could run my hands through his hair without any objections.

"Guys!" I jolted at Rileys voice, pushing myself back to the edge of the buggy, farthest away from Jaxon. I cursed myself, looking up to Jaxon's fallen face as they rounded the corner and found us.

"We going grocery shopping or not?" Mona asked, making me force a smile onto my face as I stood in the shaky buggy before hoping out. I smiled and adjusted my crouch I had landed in before making my way to the produce department, smiling back at the group behind me.

"Come on slow pokes!"

-

I sat at my piano, hours after the grocery store. I had fought Jaxon against paying for the groceries, but he was a stubborn asshole and made Mona distract me while he slid his black credit card. I could help the nervous feeling I got when he came around me, the way my skin tingled when ever he was within three feet.

It was the bond, and I was selfish, but I wanted it gone.

I sat at my books for hours trying to find something to completely eradicate it, but I had no luck. I felt stupid and naive to think he would ever love me if the bond wasn't there, but the bond was incredibly strong and still intact, since I didn't formally reject him back.

I didn't know whether to do it or not, but I had even heard stories that the rejection won't go through. The Goddess herself decides whether or not the rejection has merit, and I highly doubt she'd let ours through.

I pulled my lip in between my teeth as I heard the rustling of the wolves surrounding my house, the smell of pine and rain just as it hits the ground practically attacking my senses. They had been on patrol, and it seems Jaxon has enlisted my home in a new loop for them to watch over.

I began to press the keys on the piano, Brahms Lullaby passing through my arms, down my wrists to my fingers. Electricity began to fly through the oxygen surrounding me, notes flying out of my piano keys and into the wind I created.