Page 5 of All Hallows' Maze
I pretended that my hope didn’t rise as I wished for him to make a detour to see me first.
I pretended that when I heard them arguing and laughing over the video game it didn’t crush me just a fraction.
No longer distracted by the character’s sexual tension as mine increased, I tossed my book onto the side table and walked onto the balcony. Climbing onto the thick ledge, I eyed the large oak tree in the yard. Memories flooded me of how Dakota and I climbed that tree many times to come and go. If my parents knew, they never said anything. The thought of them letting us be kids warmed me. They loved Dakota, and to a known degree trusted him with me always.
This late in the season not many fireflies were out, but the odd groupings of green lights lit up over the grass. Another summer was ending. We all deferred the winter semester, opting for spring. Another reminder that the season was fast approaching, and the chance of romance was slowing.
Long fingers and slim hands rested on either side of me, alerting me to a presence at my back. My eyes widened, Dakota’s ability to sneak up on me never failing.
“Found you,” he whispered. I felt it move through my hair by my ear. How he managed to get this close without me knowing remained baffling.
“You were looking for me?” I laughed it off. “It’s your guy’s night with Vic.” I kept my attention on the yard as the fireflies danced. He rested on my shoulder and his cheek brushed mine.
“I’m always searching for you, bunny. Purple hair makes it easy to find you.” I didn’t have an answer for that. How could I when I didn’t know the place it came from? He didn’t press the topic, but he waited a beat before continuing. “Vic and I were gonna play some party games and it’s not much of a party without someone else.”
He tipped his head into mine, marginally pushing me over. I felt his hand at my elbow, steadying me and keeping me upright.
“Yeah, I can come down later.”
“You feeling okay?” He couldn’t read my face, but I didn’t give him an enthusiastic answer which wasn’t hard to pick up on.
“Just thinking about leaving this place in the spring. I’m good, I promise.” Half-truths and shallow promises were frequently leaving my mouth with Dakota. His arms wrapped around me in his signature tight hug, temporarily chasing away the negative thoughts.
“Don’t be too long,” he said, kissing my temple and I wished he’d just kiss me. “Love you, girl.”
“Dakota?” Bravery must have swirled in the air as the question for why we hadn’t was poised and ready to fly free.
“Hmm?” His nose brushed my skin as he leaned in.
“Cody!” Victor was a champion mood killer. His interruptions had scary accuracy, but tonight I was thankful that this one stopped me from looking like an idiot.
“The Lord beckons thee,” I said, mocking the accent he hid from everyone but me.
Laughing, he gave me that small taste once more. “Don’t keep me waiting, princess.” The man’s voice could melt anyone, and I coveted the fact that it was all mine in these small moments.
He left and I busied myself to keep from appearing eager. The group chat with Aimee and Sienna was quiet, but I tried to message them anyway. I eyed my bookcase, but it didn’t offer anything more interesting thanhim. I flipped through pages of a tattered and well-loved book.
“Bunny!” Dakota’s voice boomed from downstairs. He’d drawn my name out with a singsong tone, and I caved. Resolving the book, I made final adjustments to my shirt and shook the anxiety from my hands. The absolute fact of it all was that even I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to hide from him.
I pulled the mask on for tonight and hit the stairs with as much sass in my steps I could muster. Entering the living room, Dakota’s absence was prominent as Victor sat alone on the giant couch. Looking around, you couldn’t even tell he’d been down here, and I questioned if I actually heard his call for me. Victor looked up at me with mischief.
“Where’s Dakota?” He shrugged and smirked, intimately knowing how to irritate his twin.
“I don’t know,” he mused. He pressed the colorful buttons on his controller without even looking at the screen. “But you know, he said something before he walked out.”
There we were, on the precipice of pissing me off for the night as a sinister grin spread over his stupid face. The thought of having siblings was very different from the reality of having an older brother who lived to make you stressed. Even if I pointed out that it was only by a minute, he claimed it was his brotherly duty to get under my skin. I crossed my arms over my chest and braced for it.
“He said you told him about your little crush, and that you couldn’t wait to kiss him.” I saw red. I’d told no one that, least of Dakota himself. The girls knew, but they wouldn’t break my trust by blabbing to Vic.
“Excuse me?” My body was tense and the whole night was fucked. I felt the heat in my cheeks and if Vic had looked at me in that moment, he’d know that his wild assumption was fact.
“Is it true, V?” He asked the TV since he didn’t have the decency to face me. “Do you wanna kiss him?” Vic pitched voice as though he was talking to a baby and followed it with childish kissy noises.
“What’s your fucking problem dude?” He faced me then and looked me up and down. I realized I was ready for a physical fight with my fists balled at my side. A frustrated noise was all I could manage before turning around and storming out.
Only, my tantrum was thwarted when I ran face-first into a chest I shouldn’t have known that well. Dakota had been there for God knows how long.
“So, is it true?” Vic yelled from behind me. I was locked in a stare with Dakota and couldn’t form a quip to save my life.
