Forgetting

Chapter 29- Hopeful For Today

" Naomi? Did you stay awake the whole night?"

I turned around and spotted Krishna approaching me, wearing a cute pair of shorts with kittens imprinted on them. It was the crack of dawn and the sun was finally peeking up from the horizon, enveloping the entire camp in its ethereal glow.

Krishna walked over and settled down on the ground beside me. She seemed unusually nervous, but now I understood why.

I smiled at her," I'm not going to go all psycho on you guys and kill everything I come across, so don't worry. You're safe around me."

She visibly relaxed, and a small grin appeared on her face.

" We were right, then," She said, turning towards me," The darkness is trapped in the small part of your brain which is still Akira. It can't consume you."

" So that means it's manageable?" I said, feeling a surge of relief.

She shrugged," You'll still have moments of unusual anger and frustration but, for the most part, it is manageable. And it gets better with time."

" Doesn't everything?" I murmured.

She must have seen the heartache in my eyes, because her expression softened immensely.

" I'm sorry," She said hesitantly," I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry."

Tears burned my eyes and I looked away. I hated the idea of someone pitying me, even if that someone was my friend. I hated the fact that I had to say goodbye to the person who I loved most in the world. My heart felt cracked, split into a kaleidoscopic mess.

"How did you know something was wrong?" I asked," I didn't say anything."

" You didn't have to," She replied," It's written all over your face."

I took in a deep breath," He left."

She paused for barely a fraction of a second before leaning forward and enveloping me in a bear hug.

" I'm sorry," She said again," So, are you guys completely done, or on a break? Like Ross and Rachel from Friends?"

I couldn't help but laugh. " You watch Friends?"

She frowned," Who doesn't?"

I saved her the trouble of explaining how exactly an undead creature from a magical kingdom was familiar with an American sitcom. We sat there in comfortable silence, each of us wrapped in our own thoughts. I knew I'd have to face reality soon, but until then I was content to just watch the sun climb higher and higher into the sky, basking me in its warmth.

Sometime later, Aidan showed up, sporting a bandaged nose.

I grinned," Sexy."

He scowled ferociously at me," Watch your tongue, young lady. I still haven't forgiven you. I can't believe you ruined my pretty face."

He flopped down beside Krishna, who covered her mouth with her hand to stifle her giggles.

" You look awful," She commented, her eyes scanning the bruises on his cheeks and the large bandage strapped across his nose.

I expected Aidan to shoot back at her with some witty remark, but what he did next nearly caused me to faint on the spot.

He blushed.

Oh my god.

My gaze flew between the two of them. Krishna seemed giddier than usual, and Aidan was wearing an unconscious smile on his face as he stared at her, almost like he couldn't believe his own feelings. They argued all the freaking time, so how on Earth did this end up happening? I was going to have to dig the information out of one of them later.