Between Gates (The Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 16: Falling Hard

Greene’s eyes took on a murderous glint, and he bellowed, charging Chenn and attracting the attention of all the other soldiers.

Chenn ducked under the first blow, bringing a tight, clean punch up into Greene’s chest and knocking him off course. He lost his balance and fell face first into the concrete while Chenn stood out of reach, unharmed.

Greene pushed himself up, his face bloodied, the red blood spurting thick and virulent out of his broken nose. His eyes were full of rage.

Chenn was beginning to second-guess the decision to teach Greene a lesson he wouldn’t forget. Greene was a higher ranking soldier, and he could tell Amory that Chenn had provoked it. He hadn’t done so – Greene had been obvious in his antagonistic behavior – but Greene and Amory wouldn’t see it that way, and Chenn hadn’t been discreet about teasing and taunting the other man.

Greene knelt on the concrete runway, glaring at Chenn. “You little brat. You are going to pay for this!” He spat, blood flooding down his face and splattering everywhere as he exhaled.

Chenn stared the other man down, silent.

No one around them spoke.

Greene got to his feet, swiping his hand across his face and smearing a bright red streak across his cheek and the back of his hand. It glistened in the sharp sunlight – an unusual thing for East Base – a stark reminder of the lesson Chenn had taught the other man.

“I’m going to get you back for this!” He spluttered, words slurring due to the blood dripping down his face and into his mouth.

Chenn crossed his arms, still not saying anything.

Greene stomped off, muttering the whole way.

Chenn stared after him, then went back to his post, ignoring the stares he was garnering from the other men.

After a while, they dispersed, and he was left with his thoughts.

At first, they centered on what Greene might do to exact revenge, but they began a gradual, subtle shift back to his dilemma with Nari. That seemed to be a common occurrence the last week or so. He sighed, running his fingers through his blond hair and staring at the grey landscape of concrete and iron in moody silence. Why was it always him?

***

Nari stared at the stack of dishes waiting to be washed. She hated kitchen duty.

Sighing, she turned to the sink, beginning to work through the stack of soiled dishes, the hot, sudsy water covering her hands and lower arms in seconds.

Kallie sidled up beside her. “Hey, Nari!” She greeted, beginning to dry the clean dishes as Nari set them on the towel spread on the counter.

“Hey, Kallie…” Nari smiled at the younger woman. “How’s it going with Ali?”

She beamed, eyes lighting up. “Wonderful. He’s amazing, Nari. I never thought a guy would like me – especially not a guy like him – but he’s been so sweet and kind. And I can tell it’s not fake too. He’s so cute when he’s embarrassed too… He admitted to me the other day that he’s never actually been in a relationship with anyone…” She blushed. “I haven’t either… But that’s because I’m a nerd and no one wanted me around… But he’s so good-looking that it’s hard to believe he hasn’t had this sort of experience with anyone before…”

Nari smiled at Kallie, holding up her soap-covered hands to ward off the stream of words. “Kallie, I can tell you two are in love… And it’s obvious that you two work well together. You don’t need to explain to me…”

Kallie gave her a mischievous grin. “So… You’ve been updated on me and Ali… What about you and Chenn? Anything new?”

“No!” Nari’s response was a little too quick, and her treacherous mind kept whispering yes.

As soon as Chenn’s name was mentioned, tingles shot up and down her spine, and she felt a blush coming on. She had been spending her energy on keeping thoughts of him out of her mind all day, and Allie’s comment brought all the thoughts back full force. She wanted to moan. Why, oh why, did she have to fall for him, of all people?

She was destined to break his heart, or else he would break hers. It wasn’t a good situation – they were going to ruin each other, she was sure of it.

Kallie’s grin widened. “There is something new!”

“I told you, Kallie… We’re just friends…” Nari protested.

Kallie nodded. “Well, we’re friends too, and you’re my best friend aside from Ali – but he isn’t the same ‘cause he’s a guy – so you can tell me everything… You know, he really does like you.”

Nari shook her head. “Now… That’s a stretch. Some days, I’m not sure I’m even friends with him. He teases me far too much, and he seems to take delight in doing things to irritate me or see me blush.” She mumbled, face crimson.

Kallie waved a wooden spoon in the air, grinning with that mad expression she always got when they discussed Nari’s relationship with Chenn. “See! I knew it! Men are very strange creatures, you know… They tease women because they like them.” She whispered.

“Ali doesn’t tease you…” Nari huffed, pointing a soaking wet, black plastic ladle at her friend.

“Because he’s not normal, the dear man…” Kallie sighed.

Nari shook her head. “Kallie, you never cease to amaze me. How I ever thought you were quiet or shy, I will never know.”

“I’m mysterious…” Kallie smiled, laughing.

Nari rolled her eyes. “Confusing more like it.”

The two women continued washing and drying in silence.

A half-hour of good-natured silence later, the two were done. They fled the kitchen, pleased to be done, fingers like prunes.

“Finally, that torment is over.” Kallie sighed, giggling.

Just as they rounded the corner, Chenn came into sight.

Kallie gave him a wide smile, and then winked at Nari. “I’ve got to go meet Ali at the library… See you two later.”

Nari smiled back, letting Kallie know she knew what was going on. But, knowing Kallie, she hadn’t lied about meeting Ali. She had just left before she needed to. She and Ali had been conspiring together for a week since their teasing at breakfast, and their scheming to leave her and Chenn alone together was beginning to tire her.

She stared at Chenn, shifting from foot to foot. “Umm… Well…”

“You want to do something?” Chenn asked without blinking.

“I… What?” She looked up, her thought train and the words she’d been preparing fleeing her mind.

“Do you want to do something together?” Chenn repeated his words slower.

She  blinked at him. “I… I… I guess?” She hesitated. “I mean… Sure…” She tried to recover and seem cool and composed, but her attempts were transparent at best – pathetic at worst.

He grinned at her, and his grin melted her insides.

What are you? Some love sick girl? Her conscience teased. Shut up! He’s been in my thoughts for weeks now, and I am sick of not doing anything about it. He just asked me to hang out with him, I said yes, and now I am going to enjoy the time we spend together. Without worrying. She snapped back at her conscience. If you say so… That section of her murmured.

With an imperceptible shake of her head, she turned her attention back to Chenn. “What did you have in mind?”