The Temple Run

CHAPTER SEVEN| Love and Hate

"This- all this... this is entirely your fault!" Pacy snapped angrily as she pointed at the twelve-year-old. "If it weren't for you and your stupidity, this wouldn't happen-"

     James, who was trying to hold his emotions back, finally burst out, cutting her short. "My fault? It was your lies that got you into this-"

     But, cutting him short, she retorted, "My lies? My... lies?"

      "Yes, your lies! You're a liar!"

     "I'm a liar? How am I a..." She stopped, and the volume of her voice drastically fell. "Why am I even bothering to argue with a kid?"

     James' eyes narrowed, and his rage rose. "A kid? A kid? Who are you calling a kid; dad warned you against calling me that. And besides, I'm eleven years old."

     "Ugh, this is nonsense." And Pacy turned, trotting away.

     James, not feeling satisfied, raced after her. "Hey, don't just walk away from me! I'm talking to you! Don't just walk away from me!"

     She ignored and he felt angry... He grabbed her by the back of her shirt and threw her forward, nearly making her trip.

     She turned back angrily and glared at him. To him, her look was no stranger than a monster's from a Rick Riordan novel. The way her face folded, just as her fists, and her lips lengthened, and her eyes which seemed to crawl slowly toward him...

     As he stepped back as she drew her talon-eyes, and cast them to the ground, telling him softly, "Don't try me, James."

     And she turned away, walking- leaving James behind upset. He thinking about the promise, which he'd just broken- the one thing that reminded him of his Pa most.

+ + + + +

"James," she said, breathing lightly, "I'm sorry for... getting... mad at you earlier."

     James looked up, opening up from the ball his body had made at the steps by the door, outside.

     "It's alright," he told her quickly. "I'm actually... the one who should apologize."

     "No. You shouldn't; I lied to you. I shouldn't have underestimated your intelligence, because... well, you're a really intelligent kid."

     "Don't call me a kid; I'm not an animal!"

      "Alright, alright. Boy, then. You're a really intelligent boy."

     He smiled.

     She sat next to him.

     "Oh jeez, the teacher who taught you that," she said, laughing. And she quickly pushed him. "Oh, you're heavy now!"

     And he complained lightly, "Don't push me!"

     He pushed her back as revenge.

     But she pushed him, and he laughed.

     And a game sprouted. Laughter broke out from both of them, and the tension was gone.

     "Come here, you boy! Stop running away!" And she jumped up, grabbing him and lifted him into the air so that he soared high in the air. And in the sun's nice warmth, he saw the clouds up above, shaped like bundles of wool. Then, he closed his eyes as memories of Pa flooded back into his mind.

+ + + + +

There was a faint sound of a running siren.

     Pacy's eyes widened in panic. And her joy disappeared. She'd forgotten all about it and dropped the brother. "Shit!"

     She abruptly ran into the living room, and then quickly turned back, looking at her in the same state as he was- confusion.

     She was now trying to collect her thoughts... Trying to buy herself time to think of a good lie.

     And she quickly said to him, "Please don't tell the officer that dad disappeared, okay? Tell him that... he went to France last week... for a business week or something..., and he will be back in a month's time, okay?"

     He nodded swiftly, and she turned around when she remembered something else. She turned back to James and said, "Oh, and... um, I know you're intelligent, but just to make sure you are- please don't tell him that I told you to say that, okay?"

      His face darkened. "How stupid do you think I am?"

     But she had already vanished- dashed off upstairs to what was obviously either Pa's room or the attic. The only two options. He looked up at the balcony wondering what she was up to.