him.
Damn, I thought. I sighed. “Darren.”
I finally looked into his eyes, having no choice. They were hurt.
“Lizzie…please talk to me,” he pleaded.
I knew he was angry that I had avoided him but I was also angry that he was accusing me of not doing my fair share of the work. Something had to give and it wasn’t going to be me.
“Ok, fine,” I relinquished. “Five minutes.”
He took my hand and led me into a vacant building not far away. I let go of his hand when we entered and turned to face him.
“I know you are angry with me,” he admitted.
Gee, what clued you into that? I thought. Duh.
“Yes, you didn’t listen to what I had to say at all. Doesn’t a good leader listen to his people?”
His eyes narrowed, flashing fire briefly. “I am a good leader Lizzie.”
His voice was dangerously low. Instantly angry. It surprised me. Wasn’t he supposed to be talking this through with me?
“Why are you angry? I’m the one that should be angry,” I yelled in my defense.
He folded his arms across his chest. “You are behaving childish. I didn’t mean it that way. You didn’t let me explain.”
I didn’t miss the fact that he hadn’t answered my question. He was avoiding it by focusing on me. Great. Nice tactic.
“What is your problem Darren?” I blurted, unable to contain my frustration.
He sighed and dropped his arms. “I feel like I’m losing you…and it scares me.”
My eyes widened. I wasn’t expecting that answer. It deflated some of my anger.
“Darren…that’s ridiculous,” I told him, opening my arms wide.
He moved closer to me. “Is it? I don’t think so.”
I looked up at his face. He seemed genuine. “You aren’t losing me.”
He seemed relieved. “Good, because you know how I feel about you.”
I nodded. Yes, yes, yes already. I knew. I knew . “I know Darren.”
He slipped his arms around me, holding me close. I let him hug me. He needed to believe everything was all right between us. For now, I played the game. The effort of it all was starting to really grind on my nerves. My own feelings seemed to be irrelevant. He never asked how I felt at all. I would have a difficult time if I wasn’t playing my part to keep Darren happy. Word had spread fast through the refugees. I didn’t need any additional stress or pressure.
The last thing I wanted to do was kiss him. It gave him the wrong impression. It encouraged him but I felt like I had no choice. I raised my lips and kissed him softly on the cheek before I left quietly. Damage control was now a daily chore of mine with Darren. I was becoming increasingly upset about it. And increasingly agitated.
Things did not improve after that.
Chapter Seven
For the next four months we met Alec and gathered supplies from the militia, always on the last Friday of the month. It was too easy with his help. Every time we approached the base I would scan the area, hoping for a glimpse of him.
Our trips never lasted long. Quick. In and out. I never got a chance to see him more than a few minutes. I think Darren engineered the visit that way. He didn’t like it when Alec was around. He refused to stay longer than necessary. It bothered me but I didn’t say anything to him, knowing my opinion would only be ignored.
It was early June now, the hot air and bright sunshine a welcome reprieve from the harsh and cold winter. The days were warm. The temperatures reached into the eighties often. I loved it, spending most of my time outdoors. My skin had developed a nice tan. I felt carefree for the first time in years, a complete contradiction to how I felt only months ago.
I knew the reason for my change. It was Alec. I daydreamed about him often, remembering the feel of his lips against mine, the strong muscles of his arms, and the warmth of his embrace. Not that he had kissed me since the day he revealed himself. He was a gentleman. I knew he wanted to, I could feel it. But he never pushed himself on me.
I genuinely
Damn, I thought. I sighed. “Darren.”
I finally looked into his eyes, having no choice. They were hurt.
“Lizzie…please talk to me,” he pleaded.
I knew he was angry that I had avoided him but I was also angry that he was accusing me of not doing my fair share of the work. Something had to give and it wasn’t going to be me.
“Ok, fine,” I relinquished. “Five minutes.”
He took my hand and led me into a vacant building not far away. I let go of his hand when we entered and turned to face him.
“I know you are angry with me,” he admitted.
Gee, what clued you into that? I thought. Duh.
“Yes, you didn’t listen to what I had to say at all. Doesn’t a good leader listen to his people?”
His eyes narrowed, flashing fire briefly. “I am a good leader Lizzie.”
His voice was dangerously low. Instantly angry. It surprised me. Wasn’t he supposed to be talking this through with me?
“Why are you angry? I’m the one that should be angry,” I yelled in my defense.
He folded his arms across his chest. “You are behaving childish. I didn’t mean it that way. You didn’t let me explain.”
I didn’t miss the fact that he hadn’t answered my question. He was avoiding it by focusing on me. Great. Nice tactic.
“What is your problem Darren?” I blurted, unable to contain my frustration.
He sighed and dropped his arms. “I feel like I’m losing you…and it scares me.”
My eyes widened. I wasn’t expecting that answer. It deflated some of my anger.
“Darren…that’s ridiculous,” I told him, opening my arms wide.
He moved closer to me. “Is it? I don’t think so.”
I looked up at his face. He seemed genuine. “You aren’t losing me.”
He seemed relieved. “Good, because you know how I feel about you.”
I nodded. Yes, yes, yes already. I knew. I knew . “I know Darren.”
He slipped his arms around me, holding me close. I let him hug me. He needed to believe everything was all right between us. For now, I played the game. The effort of it all was starting to really grind on my nerves. My own feelings seemed to be irrelevant. He never asked how I felt at all. I would have a difficult time if I wasn’t playing my part to keep Darren happy. Word had spread fast through the refugees. I didn’t need any additional stress or pressure.
The last thing I wanted to do was kiss him. It gave him the wrong impression. It encouraged him but I felt like I had no choice. I raised my lips and kissed him softly on the cheek before I left quietly. Damage control was now a daily chore of mine with Darren. I was becoming increasingly upset about it. And increasingly agitated.
Things did not improve after that.
Chapter Seven
For the next four months we met Alec and gathered supplies from the militia, always on the last Friday of the month. It was too easy with his help. Every time we approached the base I would scan the area, hoping for a glimpse of him.
Our trips never lasted long. Quick. In and out. I never got a chance to see him more than a few minutes. I think Darren engineered the visit that way. He didn’t like it when Alec was around. He refused to stay longer than necessary. It bothered me but I didn’t say anything to him, knowing my opinion would only be ignored.
It was early June now, the hot air and bright sunshine a welcome reprieve from the harsh and cold winter. The days were warm. The temperatures reached into the eighties often. I loved it, spending most of my time outdoors. My skin had developed a nice tan. I felt carefree for the first time in years, a complete contradiction to how I felt only months ago.
I knew the reason for my change. It was Alec. I daydreamed about him often, remembering the feel of his lips against mine, the strong muscles of his arms, and the warmth of his embrace. Not that he had kissed me since the day he revealed himself. He was a gentleman. I knew he wanted to, I could feel it. But he never pushed himself on me.
I genuinely
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