Page 21 of Fallen Thorns
Rani shuffled her sheets again, zipping something into her pencil case.
“So, you like literature then, Mars? You never answered before,” she asked.
Mars leaned forward so that their elbows rested on the table. “I like my fair share of Shakespeare, ‘If music be the food of love, play on’.Although that probably sounds really generic to you guys.”
“Not at all. Who doesn’t love a bit of Shakespeare? Though you’ll have to learn more quotes if you’re going to be hanging around with us more often,” Rani joked.
“Oh, I won’t bother you both too much, I didn’t expect to find myself in such good company today. I was coincidently passing by and just wanted to check in on Arlo. He wasn’t feeling too well the last time we met.”
“Oh really? When was this?” Rani gave me a worried look.
I was going to have to go along with this gibberish, wasn’t I. “Not long ago. Just a headache, nothing too bad. Felt a bit faint, you know what I’m like. Mars got me something to drink and we sat down and talked for a bit. Honestly, nothing to worry about!”
“Oh.”
I must not have convinced her enough. I sometimes forgot how much about my health Rani was aware of.
“Nothing like last time,” I promised. “Really.”
Rani clearly didn’t want to embarrass me by declaring my medical history in front of Mars, who, despite their confidence, was still a stranger to her — to us. She took the ‘we’ll talk about this later’ route and shifted her tone. “Well, I’m glad you were there because Arlo here could lose a limb, be lying on his death bed and still declare‘ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch.’”
“Romeo and Juliet,” Mars interjected, receiving a slow and proud nod from my friend.
“You would think I’m always in the wars if I complained every time I felt off,” I continued, feeling the need to defend myself.
“Ah, but that is why we are friends, Arlo. I would sew you back limb to limb if I had to. You know that, though.”
“And I you.” I smiled sheepishly.
The three ofus ended up talking for a while longer. My mind somewhat eased but not entirely. I very much wished to leave my seat and run home to comfortable surroundings, but Mars and Rani got along like they’d known each other years. I’ll never understand how people can interact with such ease, to not let their minds over dramatise every scenario and create panic out of such situations.
The afternoon turned to early evening and the café had long since emptied, sounds dulling. I drifted into a state of numb consciousness, as if nothing felt real anymore, and it was starting to frighten me. Then finally, Mars announced they needed to leave.
“Oh, it was such a pleasure to meet you, Mars. We will have to talk again soon,” Rani said, standing with them and going in for a hug. I took that as the signal we would all be leaving together.
“Yes, indeed! Hopefully, I’ll see you both around soon!”
Rani leavingin the opposite direction prompted me to catch up with Mars and finally confront them.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked, tugging them into a side alley.
“I’m just trying to make things normal.”
“There was nothing normal about that. Why did you follow me?”
“You probably won’t believe me when I say Ididn’t.I genuinely was passing.”
I raised a brow in disbelief.
Mars didn’t flinch. “I was going to leave you alone, but I asked you to call and when the afternoon passed, I figured you weren’t going to. You’re going to need my help, Arlo, so I’m integrating myself into your life so you don’t need to come looking for me. We’re giving you space, but youwillneed support.”
“I... Mars, I’m fine as things are. I can deal.”
“Can you?”
I nodded. I wasn’t going to let myself be controlled. Monitored.
“You have no idea what it’s like for us to find our feet in the first few months. You think you can manage it now but just wait until the hungerreallysets in and takes you over in ways you will never expect. No matter how strong you think you are, nothing can prepare you for what is to come. You need me, Arlo. I’m not going to take over your life, but I’m trying to make this as easy as possible for you. A time will come where youwillneed me. Need us.”
