Chapter 13
"Did that guy just mistake Ara for me?" I asked overwhelmed by what I just witnessed.
"Yes, which is good, right?" answered Aunt Laila quizzically, waiting for my uncle to rea.s.sure her that the death of her daughter was not for nothing. Ara was her favourite and will continue to be her favourite, dead or alive. No one else can ever take that place in her heart, not even Luisa.
"Yeah, this means it's over, we don't have to run or hide, we are free-"
"Yeah about that, we are not yet free."
"What do you mean Luisa, didn't you hear-"
"I kinda told that guy's son, that Ara is not the girl they were looking for and he's bound to tell his dad if he hasn't already."
"What? " bellowed Uncle Eduardo while trying to comfort my aunt has she burst into tears.
"I didn't know that this was going to happen, he wanted to kill me because he thought I was Yna and I kinda told him I wasn't and showed him who Yna was, which was why he tried to kill her before he was stopped by his father. I'm so sorry I didn't intend for this to happen," she rushed like she was being timed.
"How could you, you sold us out to save yourself which led to your sister's death. This is all your fault and you think sorry can just fix everything," Aunt Laila shouted at Luisa who had also started crying.
"I don't think she deliberately did this, it just slipped out while she was trying to stop herself from being killed, don't you care about the fact she could have died if she didn't tell him." I could feel the steam radiating off me, instead of being happy she didn't loose both of them she's too busy putting blame on Luisa.
"Yna's right, and shouldn't we be packing and thinking of our next plan instead of pa.s.sing around blames." At least grandma agrees with me. It's nice to have someone who agrees with you on everything no matter how crazy it sounds.
"Yes of course, and I think I have somewhere we can go we leave tonight, when the sun sets."
***
"Hey Luisa stop crying it's not your fault."
"Yeah, but mum doesn't think so-"
"She was just upset and shocked, she doesn't mean any of that."
Really? that's all you got, even a stranger can tell you're lying. Great job Yna.
"We both know that's not true Yna, it's not just shock, Ara was always mum's favourite. She's very ladylike, responsible, always follows the rules and beautiful and basically everything I'm not."
I knew she wouldn't buy that.
"Well, you know what, you're my favourite. Ara was just too perfect for my liking, you on the other hand are quirky, cheerful and have the ability to make anyone smile by just looking them in the eye and giving them your beautiful smile. And the best part is you don't have to be perfect or ladylike to do that. But one thing is definite, you are beautiful, inside and out."
"She's right deary," said grandma who must have overheard our conversation. That's one thing about grandma, she might be old but her hearing was quite exquisite. She had been bestowed with the ability to hear even the tiniest whisper. It comes with age she says, however, I am certain it simply more than that.
"Dad how long will it take us to get there, wherever there is, you till haven't told us where exactly we are going."
"Good, we don't need any more information getting to the 'hybrids'."
"Laila, stop this nonsense!"
"It's not nonsense, it's just stating the facts, dear."
"Stop, you sound like a child, remember you are not the only person who lost someone, we all did. She was my granddaughter, Yna's cousin, Eduardo's child and Luisa's sister, she's in so much grief already and doesn't need you to add to it."
Did I mention how much I love grandma, she's
"What grandma is saying in the nicest way possible is, cut the c.r.a.p, tiya."
"Yna, language," Uncle Eduardo chastised. I must say Uncle Eduardo should be a English teacher with all the time he has to care about language.
"Here we are, our new home for the time being. Let's just hope it will take our enemies a long time to track us."
"I doubt that, with the new information, they won't waste a minute-"
"Laila, stop the sarcasm, you're hurting the child."
"Sorry I can't help it, the pain is just too much," whined my aunt like a child as me and grandma to rolled our eyes. She is acting like she lost all her family and has to stay with some strangers. So childish.
"I'm going to take a walk and admire the woods."
"Me and Luisa will tag along," suggested grandma almost running towards me.
***
"Good morning, Lui did you sleep well."
"Yeah cuz, and can you stop calling me Lui, the way you say it, it sounds like loo wee, Luisa is just fine, oh and gran wants to speak to you," said Lui shooting me a das.h.i.+ng smile which seems a bit out of place with her dressed in black instead her quirky clothes. I take another glance at her clothes before walking into my grandma's room.
"Good morning grandma," I said shooting her my best smile.
"Good morning dear, I see you dressed up," referring to the dress I was wearing, I guessed she's shocked to see me wearing a dress. It's not really new, Uncle Eduardo bought it for two years ago, I just never wore it, one because it was oversized two years ago and also because I am not into dresses.
"Oh this, I just thought I should looked ladylike in respect to Ara and anyway I need to get used to wearing dresses."
"You look beautiful dear, anyways we need to talk about your powers-" she paused searching my eyes for some kind of emotion before continuing.
"We still don't know how strong you are, what you can do, apart from the weather reflecting your emotions, which is bad because that means we can't teach how to control it. The hybrids will keep attacking till you're dead, so it's important they don't know anything about your powers in case they decide to use it against you. One fault with not knowing your powers is anything can happen anytime, even in battle-" pausing again to make sure I was listening.
"So I need you to learn how to control your emotions in drastic situations, remember what you do as a natural mirrors your emotions, therefore if can control your emotions, even in the worst of the worsts, you will be able to control your powers."
"Let me guess, I will be having lessons with Uncle Eduardo to control my emotions in drastic situations," I said sighing.
"You will be having lessons but not with Eduardo, Laila and I will be teaching you, I think it will help her get over her loss. Now go on and eat your breakfast we have work to do, in the mean time you will stop every other lessons so we can focus on this."
"Fine, but can Luisa join?" I moaned.
"Of course, now off you -," she started but was suddenly interrupted by the loud siren.
"Wow. That was quicker than we expected. You got to be kidding me, another attack, I haven't had my breakfast yet."
"Oh no, its another attack, they didn't even give me enough time to mourn my daughter or time to recover from my loss."
"Mom, I don't think those cruel monsters care that Ara died-"
"How dare you say that about your sister?" shouted aunt Laila.
"We are under attack people, this is not the time for a family showdown, besides she's only saying the truth, the hybrids don't care."
"We give you ten seconds to come out before we blow this house apart!"
"Yeah, yeah we're coming," I muttered under my breath.
***
I really do hate fighting in the woods. It pains me to see a once blanket of green turn to into a b.l.o.o.d.y nightmare. However, discretion is important, we don't want the other humans come to know of our existence. I will just have to live with my suffering and sorrow till 'the hybrids' are wiped out.
I am so dramatic, and I really must concentrate before I am turned into jelly by this ugliness of person. We can't have me dead, can we, who will save my people if I am dead.
"It's not your lucky day, princess," said the thing in front of me while slipping my lint gun out of my hands and pointing it at me ready to pull the trigger.
Really killing me with my own weapon, how incredibly cliche, I thought with an exaggerated eyeroll. I probably should focus, my life is about to end in a blink of an eye.
I heard the trigger being pulled but the wrong person died. I stood there dumbfounded by my saviour.
"You could say thanks, I just saved your life by the way."
"I didn't need saving."
"Yeah, whatever makes you sleep at night b.u.t.terfly, but you could still say thanks whether or not you will admit you need saving."
"I didn't need you to save me. And do not call me b.u.t.terfly."
"Oh, we don't like being a damsel in distress, do we. Didn't your mother ever tell pride leads to destruction? Oh yeah, she's dead. Oops," he chuckled.
"I don't need a murderer to save me," I screamed furiously.
"Don't jump to conclusions b.u.t.terfly, I'll have you know I haven't killed a soul in my entire life."
"You murdered my freaking cousin."
"Who?"
"My cousin, the girl you killed just two days ago," I explained shocked he doesn't remember.
"Oh her, well you see b.u.t.terfly that was a mistake, I don't care about her I was only trying to prove to a certain miss quirkiness, the one with the flowery personality, quite short about this height, I wasn't head over heels for her. It's not my fault really, it was quite inevitable, you see. Think of it as collateral damage. But now you that's who we care about, " he rambled
"Ara isn't collateral damage and why did you save me if you want me dead?" I screamed as I lunged at him with all my strength only to blocked and pushed into a tree. My body tensed, my blood boiled and the wind raged as we blown into the trees.
"Long story short, if you are going to die, I would prefer it if you were killed by me. Now isn't that such a honour. You should be quite grateful."
"You do not tell me when I should be grateful or not?" I spat as I swirled the dirt beneath his feet and conjured a sand storm. I smirked as I watched him fight the sand surrounding him, filled with pride.
The raging storm slowed, the wind calmed as my blood and the anger in me cooled. His eyes met mine. They were dark and mysterious. His lashes fluttered as he strongly held my gaze. I was sent into an inner turmoil and couldn't help but stare back. I searched his eyes. I looked just as confused as I was.