Not All is Fair in Love and War
Chapter 10
She comes back and it's raining- hard. She comes over to the pool and sees Lomi taking a nap. She shakes her head and starts to walk away and then she sees him talking in his sleep and she sticks the side of her head in to hear what he's saying in his sleep.
"Don't hurt her! I will do anything just don't hurt her- just let her go- let her fly away." Hailey gets her head out of the water and she wonders if he's dreaming about her, he would have to be- he said 'let her fly away' who else would he possible know that is capable of such a thing? She then does something some would consider a bit stupid- she climbs in the pool with him and she is hovering over him and her hair just grazes him and he wakes up with a start.
"Lomi? Are you ok? I think you were having a bad dream." She tries to explain while backing away to give him some space.
"Why are you in here?" He asks slightly confused to see her right next to him.
"I was… worried… about you- I wanted to make sure you weren't experiencing too much pain- that and it's raining and I figured if I'm going to be wet I might as well just…be wet I guess. Sorry- I didn't mean to scare you…I'll get out- it doesn't make sense that I have the whole island and you have this little space yet I'm hogging it. I'm sorry; I'm going to get out now." She says quickly.
"No, wait." Lomi reaches up and gently takes hold of her arm.
"Please- stay for a little bit." Lomi asks- his eyes imploring, begging her to stay.
"Well if you insist." Hailey slowly replies, sitting down and doing her best to stay as far away from him as possible in the small space.
"Please just stay." Lomi replies, inching forward.
"Ok. How are you feeling?" She asks, trying to keep the conversation light.
"Sore but I'm better." He replies, a small but brilliant smile making it's appearance.
"Good, I found the camp and informed Commander Riley of your whereabouts, I told him you needed to stay where you are for at least a week to heal up." Hailey replies, suddenly finding one of the rocks in the wall very interesting, just really anything to pull her away from the sweet, sexy, gorgeous man that was smiling at her now.
"Oh, thanks." Lomi replied, looking at her curiously, wondering why she was avoiding him.
"Your brother was worried about you and Commander Riley seemed a bit disappointed that you got into the mess you did." Lomi looked down and messed with his bandages not wanting to look in her eyes all of a sudden. She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes and smiled, knowing she got him but she changed the subject.
"So did you get to read my notes?"
"Yeah- you have great handwriting." He replied, feeling the pressure ease off.
"Thanks, but I was more interested in knowing what you thought about what I wrote." She replied with a slight roll to her eyes.
"Oh- that's some great insights on the enemy; you have a lot of valuable information." He said with a nod.
"Good, I'm glad you think so." Hailey's mind raced on what they could find to talk about.
"So did you sleep well?" Hailey tried to change the subject again, trying to ease her nervousness.
"Yeah- thanks for the sponges they're really comfortable." Lomi replied, wondering why she was still acting awkward.
"So... you were just having a bad dream right?" Hailey couldn't help it, she just really wanted to know if her suspicions were right...damn her and her curiosity.
"Yeah, I was...or it was...an exceptionally...intense dream, I'll just leave it at that." Lomi said, hoping Hailey wouldn't pry further because how else can you say 'Hey, I had a dream that we were on our honeymoon, got captured and I gave my life for you?' and NOT have it sound like all you are falling in love.
"I've had my fair share of those...they can leave me pretty shaken up, I'm sorry." Hailey sympathized, starting to feel more at ease.
"Besides- it could be worse- you could be living your worst nightmare..." Hailey added.
"Of losing you?" Lomi said bravely, cutting her off. Hailey's mouth hung open for a moment- her brain not believing her ears.
"W-what?" Hailey asked, shaking her head out of it's stupor.
"Losing you- it's my worst nightmare." Lomi explained, his eyes searching hers, needing to see some kind of reaction.
"Oh...so, it's not dying or losing your sanity or losing your brother or your family, it's losing me...?" Hailey asked, needing clarification.
"Yeah, of course, you're my best friend, I would be completely lost without you...wait is your worst nightmare losing your sanity?" Lomi asked, striking him as odd that she would mention it.
"It's more like a constant worry for me. Because I've done A LOT of things in my short lifetime that any other 'normal' girl wouldn't do." Hailey replied with a blush as the moments came to mind.
"Like what?" Lomi asked.
"Oh...like pouring your heart out to the worst merman on the planet while the girl he's cheating on you with is hiding in a nearby curtain and then proceeds to fall out of said curtain to laugh and make fun of you for being so stupid and naïve AND if that wasn't bad enough, he joins in and proceeds to tell you explicitly how you're...worthless." Hailey bit out, the memory still pissing her off to no end. It was Lomi's jaw that now hung open in disbelief.
"You're kidding me." Lomi replied, feeling so sad for her and angry at whoever did this to her.
"No, and that's not even the worst part...the worst part was that he spread the rumor that he took my virginity and I had to go to THREE fucking doctors to 'inspect me' to kill the rumors, it was the most embarrassing and humiliating thing I ever did...I mean I was 15, what...how else could you possibly hurt and ruin and outright DEVESTATE a girl?" Hailey said, angry tears running down her cheeks as she fisted her hands, wanting to hit SOMETHING.
"Who would do such a thing?" Lomi asks, feeling his own temper flair.
"Valen..." Hailey spit out, the very name feeling like poison in her mouth. Lomi clenched his jaw- there was only one Valen- he had the worst reputation of being a player who preyed on innocent girls- like Hailey. He was a pitiful excuse for a prince let alone a life form. Lomi didn't think twice before he was next to her, pulling her in for a hug and rubbing small, soft circles in her back, doing everything in his power to be as comforting as he could to her. She hugged him back, so grateful to have her closest friend with her, but why did a part of her wish it wasn't Lomi comforting her? Why did deep down, her head wishes it was resting on Ishmael's shoulder? Her nose still searching for his scent? Her body wishing, wanting, needing Ishmael's natural electricity to course through her veins, charging her up and making her feel more alive then should be physically possible.
But Ishmael wasn't here, he probably would never know how much he still meant to her. The relationship had completely surprised her, taken off so fast it made her head spin. But while in real time- the relationship seemed to be over before it began. She had really only known him for 2-not quite 3 days. But it didn't explain why she had been drawn to him beyond explanation, why she felt as if she had known him all her life and why she just knew he was hers and she was his. But she pushed him away nonetheless. Her heart broke when he had just accepted the fact that she was dumping him. She was secretly hoping he would throw a fit and refuse or at least make her tell him to his face. But he didn't, he simply mailed back her necklace, saying he wished her the best and that if her feelings ever changed- to let him know and that he hoped that they could at least be friends. But what she 'read' was that he was ok with it, that he obviously didn't care as much she did and that he had most likely found someone else and had moved on, probably the day after her accident.
Hailey cried harder now, her unfortunate run in with Valen forgotten, replaced with the all too recent heartbreak with Ishmael.
"Why did he let me go?" Hailey sobbed, Lomi froze before pushing away just far enough to lean down and look her in the eye because she couldn't be talking about Valen, at least not like that.
"What?" Lomi asks, confused.
"Ishmael- he let me go so easily..." Hailey replied, fresh tears streaking her face.
"Who?" Lomi asks further, now holding her face so she looks at him in the eye.
"Ugh, like 6, almost 7 months ago I met this...prince at a ball...his name was Ishmael from Tezrah and he was gorgeous and he liked me and I fell for him harder then bedrock. And we got to 'date' for a whole day. Then my 'accident' or 'incident' or whatever we are calling it- happened and I dumped him via a letter and he just...accepted it. He didn't fight, he didn't argue, he just...was ok with it.." Hailey explained with a bit of arm flailing for emphasis.
Lomi just stared in disbelief.
"Why?" Was all Lomi could think to ask, anyone even lucky enough to have Hailey as an acquaintance let alone have her be romantically interested in them should thank their lucky starfish and be eternally grateful. They would have to be certifiably INSANE to let her go.
"Because he's the Crown Prince of Tezrah- he needs a bride that's beautiful that can produce heirs, things I can no longer do..." Hailey replied, feeling more broken then ever.
"He's crazy, you are the most beautiful girl in the world..." Lomi said softly, barely above a whisper, then did the only thing he could do- he kissed her.
Their lips meet and the sun breaks forth from the clouds and encircles them with its warm bright light. It was a perfect moment.