By the time we got to the carnival, it was around 6:00 and I had about 100threats from my employer who I nicknamed Type. This is because he only slaughters and takes blood from O- and AB-. His texts included torture threats to me, which I disregard; threats about Reyna, which I disregard; threats against my brother, which bothered me a little bit. I really don't like Aero. Actually, I kind of hate him. But we're still related and Dad and I are all he has. His mom died a few years back and he doesn't like my mom. He hardly tolerates Dad. He can't stand me. But he's still blood. I could try to block Type's number, but he or she gets through any firewalls that any the device puts up, so I'd be wasting my time.
You: I've got plans, trust me. I hurt Makai if I hurt Reyna.
Type: I asked you to torture her in front of the boy.
You: And I said no because this causes more pain. Trust me.
Type: With every inch, your hand slides down her back, I trust you less and less.
Of course, Type is watching me – I've stored away my assigned project at the SpringCarnival and strayed from his plans. It's not my fault that I'm the visionary who understands the things that hurt people the most. If only there was a way to make someone psychopathic. I look around for a camera, knowing that that's how he sees everything at once – hacking technology.
Finally, I spot one attached to the corner of a tent. Smirking at it, I drop my hand to the small of Reyna's back. I wink at it.
Type: You've just buried a grave. But not your own.
You: I'm terrified.
Reyna and I pass a couple of booths – the classics. Kissing booth, guessing booth, the old "I can guess your weight" booth. Strings of lights glide over our heads, giving the carnival an energetic atmosphere. I don't really know what to say to Reyna besides cheesy pickup lines and things relating to "killing Freddie was justified." As a consequence of that fault, we walk in silence until we see Aero and Allister – but if anyone asks, it's Aero and his date. I'm not supposed to know Hanzo, Della, Allister, Maren, or any of these kids.
I have to say, the stupefied look on Aero's face makes me swell with pride. I knew he kind of had a thing for Reyna – I'm not stupid – and it was a double win when Makaireally cared for her. I was tearing apart two birds with one girl. "Hey, little brother," I greet.
I look down at Reyna who looks unsure of the whole situation. "Hey, Allister," she says. To Aero, she gives a nod. Oh, did she like Aero, too?
This just gets better and better. "Hi, Enzo," Aero grudgingly returns my greeting. To Reyna, he gives her the same icy nod she gave him.
Allister smiles, but I see the fear behind it. Geez, did Aero tell everyone at the school that I wasn't half-brother of the year? I can't go anywhere without getting a vigil from some people I've never met.
"Where to first, baby brother?" I ask him, putting on my best "I've never sinned in my whole life" face to put everyone at ease because I know that by the end of today, someone is bound to die. It was supposed to be Makai because I refused to torture Reyna in front of him. But considering that I've decided to spare him, who knows who it'll be? The type could target me for all I know.
After a dark look from Aero, he speaks. "Anyone hungry?"
"Not particularly," Reyna admits.
"I'm starving," Allister says at the same time.
Mentally, I roll my eyes. If this is how the whole night is going to go, I might as well just drown myself at the bottom of Destiny's lake. "Let's go grab a quick bite, then," I grumble with an eye roll.
I lead the group to the food booths; where medieval-sized chicken legs, ice cream, nachos, hotdogs and hamburgers, kabobs, and funnel cakes are sold. Aero meets me side while Allister and Reyna talk behind us. As we walk, I try to find all the cameras for funsies...kidding, I find them because Type is watching me and probably deciding who to kill first.
"What's up, kid?" I ask Aero without looking at him. When I see him, I fill up with guilt and envy and hate. I'll never be the golden boy with the bright features – he's basically the sun. There's a real part of me that says I should've been there with him instead of getting wasted. But it's shrouded in the anger I feel knowing that I can never be as perfect as him. Either way, there's all these emotions happening that cancel each other out.
"Why'd you bring Reyna?" he asks. "You're a cop, you know she killed Freddie."
I stop short. "How do you know she killed that guy?" Aero tries to shrug it off, but his mind goes somewhere else. His blue eyes cloud with nostalgia as if he's revisiting a memory. "You're in on all of this? All the Destiny murder crap? Since when?"
Aero snorts. "I'm not telling you crap, Enzo. We both know you'll just twist it and make me feel like shit."
I place a hand on my chest and gape, outwardly acting like I'm surprised. "Aero, I would never!"
"Whatever. Just..." he casts a look behind himself. "Don't go psycho and hurt my friends."
"Who says that some of them aren't my friends, too?" I challenge.
"I do," Aero argues. "You never make friends. You create toys for your sick games." He turns on his heels and asks Allister what she wants. She asks if there's salad as if she's a one-dimensional comic book damsel in distress character. Eventually, she goes with nachos to "keep her figure."
A cold hand grabs mine and squeezes it. "You okay?" Reyna gravely inquires, grey eyes a couple of puddles of worry.
"Yeah," I shrug. "Why?"
"Your hands were shaking," she justifies.
I shake my head in opposition. Reyna lets go of my hand, and before I can stop it, I grab her hand. Confused, she flashes me a look. "Just because they weren't shaking, it doesn't mean I don't want to hold your hand."
Reyna fakes being misconstrued. "Who says I don't want to hold your hand unless you need me to?"
I smirk and place my free hand on her hip. Lowering my voice, I say, "I can think of a few reasons why you'd want to hold my hands." I let my eyes do this weird twinkling thing, knowing that it captivates people. Slowly, I draw Reyna closer to me, head leaning down.
"A funnel cake for the enamoured couple?" a booth man calls out to Reyna and me.
"Do you want one?" I question Reyna.
"No, I'm good."
"No thank you," I call out to the man. I lean back down to Aero's little crush, trying to convince myself that I'm doing this to spite my little brother and not for alternative reasons. "Anyways..." I resume.
Reyna casts a look over her shoulder at Aero and Allister. "Not now," she dismisses."Not here."
"Then when?" I question, a smile inching its way on my face. "And please tell me where."
Reyna pulls me towards the kabob booth. "You'll see." She asks for the steak kabob: vegetables separating hunks of smoky, juicy steaks. I order the same thing. I steal empty kabob sticks so that way we fool Allister and my brother that we've already eaten so we can evacuate the awkward situation.
Today...or tonight, I should say...Reyna seems open. The weight of Freddie's death seems to have slid off her shoulders for now, at least. She's brighter. Happier. I watch her eyes, light when talking to the "sweet old grandma" giving her food. There's a receptive smile on her face and she throws a look over at me. It wasn't meant to be charming or intriguing – it was just a look. But still, it seemed like sunshine. I tell myself it's because I'm probably playing a charming expression or standing in a way that stretches my shirt or something.
Reyna returns her attention to the old woman and I tune into her conversation. The woman talks about "when she first fell in love" and I suddenly become very uncomfortable. I want to walk away and just act like there was never even a SpringCarnival to attend. But I stay and curse myself for blushing. Why am I blushing?
I watch Reyna finish up her conversation, still finding it odd why I'm standing here. I could be taunting Aero, or hitting on Allister, or finding some other people to play with around here. Normally, I'd be doing these things anyway as a hobby. So again: why am I standing here?
She comes up to me with a kabob. "Eat fast then break the double date?" she proposes.
"Way ahead of you," I cockily say, pulling out the empty kabob stick.
Reyna smiles and takes one.
"Let's speed this up," I say, walking to Aero and his lady friend.
Somewhere along the way, one of my arms wraps around her shoulders. I don remember if she leaned into me or if I pulled her closer, but I do remember my chin resting on top of her head for an instant.
Suddenly, I started to wonder if I was doing this because it pissed everyone off, or if it was because I have a more personal interest.
My next question actually scares me because it's sadly come to these terms:
Am I doing all of this because I don't care at all? Or because I care too much?