My Magic Stuffed Animals

My Magic Stuffed Animals - Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

"Nivek?" I stared at his black eyes. I couldn't stop looking; hypnotized. I've seen them before. I know I have. His name repeated in my head, over and over. A peculiar name I have not heard of before. "Nivek."

"Trinie. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you," he said as he started to walk toward me.

"Protect me? Who are you to protect me?" I asked, watching closely at his every move.

Nivek reached the edge of the bed and sat down. He extended his hand over to my face. I couldn't help but flinch and turn my head away. He froze for a second and reached for my hair, sliding his hand from the middle of the length of my hair to the tip as gently as he could. He raised the tip of my hair to his lips and closed his eyes. Then he opened his eyes and let go.

"I just wanted you to be happy," he whispered.

There was a long pause. I didn't know what to say. I didn't feel awkward by his side at all. I really don't know why, but it felt normal to be with him. His slightly slumped shoulders seemed defeated. Nivek returned his gaze toward me.

"I'm sorry." He lifted his hand again, but this time, toward my chest. His warm hand briefly brushed my collar bone as he followed the chain down unto the moon and star. His eyes shone with sadness and restlessness. It was like he had something to say.

There was a shuffling of feet in the hallway. Nivek dropped his hand from my necklace as Tom and Kit stepped inside the room. Tom glanced at me, then to Nivek.

Kit cleared her throat. "If you don't mind us interrupting your private session, there are people hunting Trinie somewhere outside, you know."

Nivek looked away from me and I sighed, which was weird because I wasn't hit with a little pang of hurt that he looked away. I just sighed because again, it felt... normal, like I've done it a million times before.

Maybe I have.

I continued to look at Nivek. "Who are you, really?"

He didn't look back. "You wouldn't understand."

"Well, frankly, I don't understand most of what is happening in my life right now. It wouldn't hurt to say another thing that I wouldn't understand," I replied with a hint of anger. I felt my eyebrows narrow. I didn't know why I was so angry.

Nivek stood up abruptly, pursed his lips and bent his head down, his chocolate brown hair covering his eyes as he fixed them on the floor. He turned and started to walk out of the room. Without thinking, my hand extended out in front of me, toward the stranger.

Don't go. Please.

"Ke-- Nivek!" Kit called. She ran after him, her ears high and alert.

Tom rubbed the back of his neck, looking at my extended hand. He closed his eyes, dropped his hand, and turned toward the door.

Flustered, I dropped my arm and jumped out of the bed. "Wait--"

Tom looked at me over his shoulder and I automatically froze. This person, who bullied me for as long as I can remember, seemed like a different person. His gaze toward me was dead serious, not like the Tom I know who always had life in his eyes which contained many quite hurtful jokes. He turned and walked out of the room.

Everyone felt off and different all of a sudden. Maybe even Kit was different from what she seems. The way she hides secrets from me; the way she avoids important topics. Then this random stranger pops up and Tom is not being Tom.

Everything felt like a lie.

I stood there, my vision getting blurry. It felt like a fog swept through me, sweeping me away from this life and into another. No, maybe it was just me wishing I was in another life. A life without these fakes and these lies and these secrets.