Soleil
I miss Fray, and I'm determined to rectify that loneliness. The sun is setting outside, and I can't find it in me to wait until midnight to see Fray. I'm looking beyond midnight, I want so much more than those stolen moments in the dark.
What I don't account for is the fact that I'm not invisible while I storm down the hallway. Elodie spots me in a moment, and she knows something is up. She smells trouble. She knows me too well.
"What are you doing, Soleil?" She presses, falling into line next to me and dodging all the people we pass as she keeps pace with my quickness. I cringe, wishing I would have approached this in a better way. I should have been more conspicuous.
I grab her hand, pulling her along with me. I drag her behind me, needing to have this conversation away from prying eyes and gossiping sister wives.
Elodie doesn't complain, she simply goes along with it. I knew I would have to have to tell her eventually. I'm actually kind of surprised I lasted this long without spilling my guts. We spend so much time together, and there's hardly anything else to talk about.
"You've been avoiding me." She accuses me as soon as we're alone in my secret alcove, and I don't disagree with her. I nod, pursing my lips. Elodie frowns when I confirm her suspicions. "Why?" She breathes.
I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck.
"I'm going to sound crazy, but I'm not, okay?"
Elodie laughs at that.
"You are crazy, but I believe every word out of your mouth. We're best friends, remember?" She reminds me, and I sigh, relenting.
I guess its time to tell my story.
"Those dudes out there? They're aliens. I met one of them through the window." I gesture to the wall of glass beside us that displays the pinks and oranges of the dawning sunset that lights the sky. "And, I don't know, El, we had a connection. Even if I can't understand a word he says, even if I don't know why he's here, I feel something for Fray. I don't know what it is, but I'm determined to find out."
I take a deep breath in after my long speech, and Elodie has gone completely pale by the end of it. She stares at me for a few long, painful seconds of complete silence. Then, she bursts out with questions.
"Aliens? Are you sure? How do you know they're aliens? What are they like?" I'm bombarded by her words and I throw my hands up as if to stop the syllables and they're attack on me. I don't know what I was expecting from her, but it certainly wasn't that. This girl is insane. That's exactly why I love her so much.
"What, so you actually believe me?" I ask, completely dumbfounded. She nods vigorously, her eyes flashing to my precious window wall with anxiousness clouding her features.
"Yeah. I knew there was something odd going on. I felt it. It actually kind of makes sense." My best friend admits awkwardly, tracing the back of her hand with her fingertips. "Where are you going now? Are you going to meet him? Can I come with you?"
I blank, and a protective urge to hide Fray from her bubbles up inside of me. A little jealously makes itself known, and I don't know where it comes from. This is Elodie. She doesn't mean any harm. She's sweet, and loves me like I love her, she would never do anything to hurt me. I just know it. So why do I have the urge to keep her away from him like she'll steal him away?
What's wrong with me?
"I am, but you can't come." I manage, and my wish for her to not join me isn't because of my foolishly possessive nature, but because I know it's not safe to be sneaking out like I've been doing.
I can't let Elodie get in trouble too. It wouldn't be right. We would both have to pay for our actions, and it would be all my fault.
My best friend's freckled face scrunches up in protest.
"But you can't go alone, and I want to come too." She insists, and I clench my jaw. I may love her to death, but she's stubborn sometimes. It might be the death of me.
"No, you can't come, okay? The idiots here already give you a hard time, I won't give them another reason to hate you, Elodie." I demand, anger fresh in my tone. I'm too protective of her to let her do this to herself.
Elodie's face falls, and I whirl around before her puppy dog eyes can convince me to change my mind.
"Don't follow me." I insist over my shoulder, walking away quickly to find the one way out of here that no one else knows about. The place I've snuck out since I was a kid.
I haven't used it in years, up until a few days ago. I haven't had the need to sneak around in order to get outside. It became less strict around here, and I used to be able to go whenever I wanted to.
That is until the robust alien men showed up. Now everything is under complete lockdown.
I slide under the fence, my hips getting stuck a little on the way out of the hole. I'm shocked that I can still fit through the tear in the wire fencing, I've grown some major curves throughout the years. I can't help the rush of endorphins that flood my system at all the memories of my childhood mischief. I got so much joy out of escaping this prison.
It's as if I forgot how good it feels to be bad.
I don't see any aliens around, its not like last time I came out here. When I came to see Fray after Paul's attack, we were surrounded by several other enormous guys that I later discovered were aliens. Now, the valley is barren. I raise my eyebrows in question, but quickly recover when I remember my mission. I'm here to find Fray. I can't just stand around, I need to start looking for him.
Rushing into the woods, I almost trip over the tangled foliage, but I push onward. Through the humidity and the heat, even through the fading light of the day, I keep going. I know I'm running out of daylight, and time. If I don't hurry, I wont be able to find my way home.
Home. I scoff. Some home that is.
I force myself to remember the direction that the spaceship is in. I think I'm going the right way, but I reckon that I'll find out soon.
I'm forced to stop when a heart stopping scream splits the air. My feet freeze where they are. My head whips around as terror sparks.
Elodie. That was Elodie. I just know it.
The shout of fear came from behind, and not too far away either. Dammit, she followed me. She should have listened to me, I should have known that she wouldn't. I curse myself before delving back the way I came with my heart hammering in my throat. My legs burn as I sprint.
I'm not in great shape, but I have to pretend like I am to save my best friend.
My blood pressure rises, my breath wheezing out of my throat. I can't go fast enough as another scream launches, completely haunting me. It has to be Elodie. What's happening to her?
The sight that I encounter is shocking. It's another enormous alien man that towers over me like a tree. He has Elodie slung over his giant shoulder easily, his hand encompassing half her butt, keeping her firmly in place, even though I can hear her crying softly as she struggles against him.
"Let her go, you asshole."
He turns to look down at me, a look of surprise on his face. His expression turns menacing. Fear grips me. I have never been afraid around Fray, but my alien is a stark contrast to this one. I always know that Fray is respectful and sweet, that he would never hurt me. The vibes I'm getting from this guy are not the same.
"Soleil?" Elodie sniffles, trying to wiggle around to see me. Herr voice is so little, so terrified. The alien warrior won't let her move, his hand clamping down tight on her until she sobs in pain. Fury ignites inside of me like a wildfire, and I rush forward, my fear gone the moment he decided to hurt my best friend.
I slam my fist on his chest, beating his stomach with as much force as I can muster. I glare up at his face to see that I have absolutely no effect on him whatsoever. He simply stares down at me with an inquisitive look. How infuriating!
"Let her go, you stupid brute!" I scream, slamming into him with all of my weight. He doesn't even budge.
"Arlectayis palashooka?" He rumbles, his voice amused. It only makes me more mad. I raise another fist, but before I can make contact again, the douche grabs my wrist in his giant hand. I yell in fury, trying to rip my hand free and failing. All I do is hurt myself in the process. His grip is like steel, but he doesn't seem determined to hurt me, just to stop my rampage.
He doesn't loosen his grip. Tears flood my eyes. I can't get him to let her go, and he seems determined to keep her. Elodie is helpless to stop him, and so am I. My tears spill over. Not tears of fear, but tears of anger.
What am I supposed to do?
"Locanas." A deep voice says behind me, and I look around to see the alien man that is here to save the day.
"Fray." I choke in relief. He flicks his gaze down at me, his eyes softening for a split second before he looks back up to the evil alien holding my best friend hostage. Those amazing golden eyes harden, and Fray's jaw clenches.
He takes a dangerous step forward, and how I'm stuck in between two volatile beasts. I feel so tiny and helpless compared to them. It's definitely unsettling.
"Shracana ehj morohnys." Fray growls, the words sounding like a command, and the mean alien lets go of my hand immediately. The sudden motion has me stumbling backwards, but I'm caught by hands I trust before I can take a tumble to the forest floor.
My back hits Fray's stomach, and I crane my neck up to see him behind me. His face is upside down from this angle, and so incredibly high in the air, but he's still strikingly handsome.
He holds me tight, but in a secure, safe way, not like the other guy who definitely left a bruise or two.
"Regullas, dejuis ii dery mistiiss." The asshole says, motioning to Elodie who is still on his shoulder. I never knew how small we were in comparison to these guys until I saw my friend in the hands of one of them. She looks like a child draped over him.
She struggles, and the alien slaps her butt in response, she cries out. My anger returns.
"Put her down!" I try to wrench myself free of Fray so I can attack, but I'm held back firmly. I wiggle and struggle against his strong hands, but it's no use. He won't let me be free.
"Let me go!" I yell, looking at Fray, but he simply shakes his head, still staring angrily at the other guy. I've never seen him so dangerous looking. He appears like a Greek warrior.
"Replo triyam, Soleil. Locanas desijie mesinta mestoo." He says softly, his fingers coming up to pet my hair. He's trying to soothe me.
It actually works. I stop my struggle, and now it's Fray's turn to attack this stranger.
"Locanas, alijita relinkas!" Fray roars. The asshole glowers at him. He's definitely pissed off too.
With one simple movement, the giant drops Elodie. He doesn't even set her down gently, he just lets go. And then she's falling 7 feet to the ground. I wrench myself free from Fray, not quite sure how I'm going to help her. There's no way I could catch her, even if I got to her in time, which I don't.
My best friend hits the unforgiving ground with a sickening thump, she cries out in agony. I let out a sob as I fall to the ground beside her, pushing her fiery locks out of the way to see her pretty face. Her features are clouded with pain, and she whimpers when the salty drops fall off of my face, mixing with her own tears.
"Elodie." I murmur, cupping her cheek in my hand and gripping her fingers to show her that I'm here.
The aliens have a conversation in deep, angry tones that show that they're not exactly feeling friendly towards each other.
Elodie's eyes shut as she goes unconscious, whether from fear or pain I don't know, but I need to get her away from here to somewhere she will be safe. I look over my shoulder to Fray.
"We need to help her, she's hurt." I tell him, and his eyes gleam in the sunset. He gives one quick nod, a simple but profound action to show his dedication.
No matter what, I know that he's a reliable, kind person. I don't ever want to be separated from him. The mere idea of going back to the Group has my stomach turning. There's no time to think about that now, not when Elodie is hurt.
She comes first right now, I have to make sure she's okay.
Double update, keep reading :)