Notice Me Chapter 2

Me: Back with the next chapter! And before I let you guys read I have a special guest. It's—

Kenji: Me! Hold the applause, I know you love me.

Me: …

Kenji: Why are you not clapping?

Me: You told me not to!

Kenji: Oh… I take it back then. Clap for me! Clap for me!

Me: *comes closer and slaps his two cheeks with my hands repeatedly* There, I clapped.

Kenji: I really hate you.

Me: Oh really? Alright… *grabs laptop and starts typing furiously* There. Now you'll be miserable in this chapter. And probably the next one too.

Kenji: WHAT?! That's so unfair! Give me that! *reaches for my laptop*

Me: *dodges and tucks the laptop in my bag* That's all the space we can take. To everyone, happy reading!

I don't own the Shatter Me Trilogy.

o-o-o

Kenji's POV

~I bet my life that I love you much more than that dumbass evercould!~

What the hell is wrong with me?

~I love you much more than that dumbass evercould!~

I'm an idiot.

~I love you~

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" I scream my lungs out as I lie down on the edge of the metal roof. I wanted to run away from Juliette and here I am attracting as much attention to me as possible. Yes, really smart Kenji.

The roof makes my back feel cold as I lie on it and I'm staring at the gray, polluted sky. A sigh escapes my lips and I run a hand through my face.

It's always been obvious I felt something for the girl and it took me a few weeks before I realized I wasn't satisfied with being her best friend anymore, as much as it flatters me. And I can't believe how relieved I was the first time Juliette and Kent broke up. I had no idea why I brightened up but when I saw her tears; I wanted to mentally slap myself.

At first, I just thought that this was what protective friends would feel. Then all those times I flirted with her back at the base, they weren't real then. I wish I hadn't been so damn annoying and kept telling her I liked her. Maybe now she'd actually think I'm serious.

I bury my face in my hands and let out a groan.

"Kenji! Are you here?"

Juliette.

My heart leaps inside my chest yet I don't look up. Of course she'd be able to find me. Who wouldn't with all my screaming?

Her voice is relieved as she says my name once more. "Kenji, thank God. Listen I—"

"Answer me." Those two words come out unplanned and it surprises both of us.

"H-Huh?"

I glance at her for a few seconds and I instantly regret what I said. I take in a deep breath and keep my head in my hands. "I'm sorry. I know that you're dealing with a lot of **** now— Kent just broke up with you less than an hour ago and we still have this war to fix – I didn't— I didn't want to make things so damn complicated for you but… I couldn't— I couldn't take it anymore."

"You couldn't take what anymore?"

Tears shine in my eyes and I wipe them off the second they're there. "I can't take denying my love for you anymore," I answer. "I've been in love with you since we were back at the base. Even though I knew I couldn't touch you." My cheeks burn and I'm glad my face is hidden.

"I'm not contented with being your best friend," I continue, saying the last few words coldly. "I just dread watching you making out with Adam and you flirting with Warner. I get so jealous I'm ready to rip my head off, but usually, I'd rather rip both their heads off. For claiming you. Because… I want you to be mine.

"I kept all these feelings and crap inside me for so long because I didn't want to ruin our friendship. It's the most precious thing I have left. I'm such an idiot." I laugh and it pains me so much. "I already lost my home, my family and right now… I'm about to lose you as well."

She argues with me. "No, you're not going to lose me, Kenji. I-I'm here for… you…"

Juliette remains quiet and I hear a loud crash. Standing up quickly, I turn to see Juliette, her body lying on the roof. She collapsed.

I run towards her and shake her shoulders. "Juliette?" I call her name and she doesn't respond. I shake her more vigorously. "Hey J, this isn't funny! Wake up dammit!" The way her chest rises and falls, shows that she has trouble breathing.

I lift her up in my arms and I go climb down the stairs, shouting for help from inside the house.

I kick the door instead of knocking it and it falls off the hinges. Sorry Kent.

The first one to approach me was Warner. Of course. He comes up to me with an angered expression. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" He demanded. My eyes bulged in shock before they narrowed.

"Don't blame me!" I yelled. "She collapsed on her own! Now would you please shut up and let me in?!"

He hesitates for a moment and lets me in but I know perfectly well he isn't convinced of my innocence. I lay her down on a blanket and I hear Warner mumble on why we didn't even have one proper bed. I'm sorry but your father bombed all our supplies back at the base, including our soft beds, you bastard.

Warner feels Juliette's sweaty forehead and I grit my teeth. I hate it when he touches her.

"She's hot," Warner says.

"Yeah," I smirk at the most inappropriate time. "I think I got that."

He almost rolls his eyes at me. "No, you imbecile… She's burning up." He cups her cheek with his palm. "I think she's running down with a fever."

"But how can that be? She was perfectly healthy a minute ago."

Brendan walks up to us. "It's probably because you guys stressed her out too much. Being broken up with and getting confessed to in the same day is not really good for one's emotional health."

"Stress won't just magically give her a fever in a few minutes, idiot." Warner replies.

A new voice joins in. "Well, you touching her won't help feel any better." Castle. I almost collapse like Juliette. He's not a lifeless statue anymore.

Ian and Winston support him as he stands up. Once he gets to Juliette, he thanks them and faces Warner instead.

"What are you saying?" Warner asks, his voice firm.

Castle's eyes trail from Juliette to Warner. "I'm saying that Juliette's ill condition is caused by you."

Everyone in the room reacts. My ears perk up, interested by every word.

Warner's eyes widen. "What?"

Castle nods. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I was going to tell you this the day after you escaped but I might as well tell you now." His expression darkens.

"It is true that when you touch Miss Ferrars," he continues, "there are no consequences for you. However, that does not go the same way for her. For normal humans, there is only one kind of energy inside of them, the life force. For us, with unnatural abilities, we have two: The natural life force and the energy from our powers.

"You are capable of tapping into our abilities and returning the energy back to us, but… there is a catch. Your powers are like a threat to us, and our bodies, not capable of defending your powers using the energy from our supernatural abilities, resort to using our life force. And that is a force that cannot be returned to us. In Miss Ferrars' case, it's much worse. As I was examining Miss Ferrars slept—"

Warner cuts him off. "You examined Juliette in her sleep?"

"Yes," Castle answers simply. "Don't worry; I am not lustful like you."

Warner is taken back. "L-Lustful—?!"

"Now, going back to the topic at hand," Castle's firm voice shuts him up. "I have found out that she has been weakening ever since you started practicing your powers with her. Her life force has been dropping and I noticed that even on days when you don't absorb her powers, it is still being drained. Then I have come up with this conclusion: Whenever you simply touch her, even though you don't take her powers, her life force is slowly being drained. It turns out that you do not only absorb her life force, but with every touch you drain 28% of the supernatural energy you absorb and return to her, that gravely exhausts her. Thus, the more you make physical contact with her, the closer she is to death. So unless you want her to die, one thing is clear:

"You are not allowed to touch her."

We all stare at Juliette's feverish state and then at Warner, who was in such a massive state of shock he fell to his knees. Castle just stands there, amused by the situation.

Three men fell in love with Juliette and as of now… none of them can touch her.

What the hell is going to happen now?

o-o-o

Me: Yes Kenji, what the hell is going to happen now? I'm sorry but I just HAD to give Warner a flaw in his powers. He can't just tap into one's abilities like that with any consequence. That's, that's just unfair! And perfect powers for a perfect guy is just too… boring. And besides, this will make the plot much more complicated and now, each boy is equal. None of them can touch her but meh, they still love her.

Warner will probably go mega-insane in the next chapter so wait for me 'kay?

RnR! BYE-BYE!