Tala crossed his arms. " I ain't gonna lie to you, Kai. I didn't sign it."
" And why the hell not! Tala, is it possible for you to not be stubborn, for once in your life time" Kai growled.
" No." Alex mumbled, earning a glare from the two men.
" Don't put your nose in where it doesn't belong." Tala glared.
Alex smirked to herself and put on her best innocent smile. " Oh, but that's where your very wrong, my friend. It's ever bit as much my buisness as it is yours."
Tala didn't answer. He knew Alex would just come up with some smart-ass remark anyways.
(A/N: She's like the Energizer Bunny, she just keeps goin' and goin' and goin' XD)
Kai rubbed his temples, his hands trembling from fury. " Tala, I don't think you want this speech anymore then I want to give it, but you need this job more then I do right now and I'm willing to give it up to help you out. So why can't you accept that!" The last part came out as a deep, angered bark.
.:V Alex's POV V:.
Again, Tala didn't respond and the argument carried on. I blinked at him, glanced towards the bed, focused on the pillow then cringed.
How could I think of something like that in this situation! But it smelt so good ... GAH! ALEX! STOP THINKING THAT! Obsesion is so not the key to anything! Yes, it can! Obsesion is one of the first sign of- SHUT UP! I don't wanna hear you right now! HELLO! Then why are you arguing with me! You can shut me out anytime you please. I mean seriously, you've been doing it for years! That's because you don't know when to stop. Hmm, geeze, I wonder where I got that from. HELLO! I'm that little voice in the back of your mind. You know, the one your always beating on? Am I ringing any bells here? No, your just really annoying me. GAH! I give up! Thank god ...
... You like him. I do not! He's annoying! Oh, I see ... you REALLY like him Do you plan on living to see tommorow? The only way you can kill me is by suicide, and even in the Underworld, you still can't get rid of me. ... Oh great ... Just admit it, you like him. I don't, so shut up already! Fine, fine, you don't like him, I'm just teasing ... but you love the way he smells.
.:V End V:.
" SHUT UP" Alex screamed.
The men were silent instantly, both looking at Alex with confused expressions.
When Alex realized she had her eyes squeazed shut, she pealed them open slowly. Alex cocked a brow at the men, who were staring at her.
" Uhh ... staring problem came back" She questioned.
" What are you talking about? You just told us to shut up" Tala snapped with a growl hinting in his voice.
Alex blinked, totally lost. " I did"
Kai nodded, eyebrow raised as he watched Alex bury herself into her mind again.
' Oh god, I just said that out loud again, didn't I?' She groaned, pushing back any comments that would have gladly been given from her 'little voice'.
" False alarm." Alex sweatdropped, not realizing how stupid that made her sound. " Go ahead, back to your bickering."
Kai cleared his throat. " Actually Alex, I'd like you get your word on this situation."
Alex slumped back in the chair. " Like you can't guess it already."
Kai folded his arms across his chest. " Until I or we get Tala to sign that form, I'm still your boss."
Alex groaned. " Oh goody." She looked towards the wall and stared at it. " Well personally, I have to agree with you, Kai."
" See..."
" But, at the same time, I'm kinda on Tala's side." She turned to face Kai, staring deep into his eyes. " You can't just force somebody to take a job they don't want." She let out a sigh, rollnig her eyes at her own situation. " Even if that somebody is stubborn, short tempered and has his hormones flying everywhere."
Tala rolled his eyes, hands on hips. " Thanks for the support."
" You should be, I could easily take Kai's side completly on this." Alex stated in a matter-of-fact tone. " But I'm feeling gifted today, so take it of leave it, bub." She waved at him in a dismissing manner.
" Gifted" Tala snorted and turned away to look at Kai. Alex just glared.
.:VWV:.
Alex never did return to her room that night, and this was getting Amber really worried. She never slept a wink, tossing and turning, jumping at any creaking sound or sudden rattle. Amber was having a horrible night.
Her mind was set and going in every direction possible! First her thoughts were set on everything that happened in her life before she winded up in this castle. It wasn't the best life she could have given herself, but she got by and that's all she really needed. Right!
Amber couldn't fool herself anymore. Her life before any of this happened was ... trashy. She was alone, her only companion was her thoughts and the critters that scampered into her house every now and then. Of course when she did go to town, she knew a few people, but none of them were close friends. Just people she saw often.
And her mother ... wow, it had been a long time since Amber had actually sat down to ponder on her mother. Amber wasn't even sure where she was, all she knew was who she was with and why. For all she knew, her mom could have been three kingdoms over! Having not seen her in a while was really starting to tear Amber apart. It wasn't that she was attached to her, Amber loved being independant and really didn't like it when choices were made for her.
She missed her mother's advice and comforting touch. She could have really used it right now. Everything was confusing and if Amber was to start working things out piece by piece, she didn't know where to start. Amber tried so hard to think of the wise words she would be given in this rough time, but all's she got was a fuzzy outline of the woman.
" I need help ..." Amber mumbled and sat up, crossing her legs.
A rustle in the corner made Amber jump and let out a whimpered yelp. A single chuckle later and Amber remembered that she was sharing a room with Ray.
" You know you shouldn't talk to yourself in the middle of the night. Not only for your own piece of mind but for others around you. I thought a ghost was in the room or something" Ray laughed quiet.
" A ghost" Amber raised a brow and spoke in a whisper.
Ray nodded then remembered Amber had terrible sight in the dark. " Yeah, don't you believe in them"
" Spirits, yes; Ghosts, no."
Ray got up and walked silently over to Amber's side, sitting down besides her. Amber could barely make out a faded black outline of him, but he was so close that Amber could feel his body heat.
" So ... what do you need help with" He questioned with the same hushed voice.
" Everything." Amber groaned and her shoulders hunched.
Ray wanted to roll his eyes, but found that he could only laugh. " Well that gives me a whole list of things."
Amber didn't laugh, she didn't even smile; she was deep into her thoughts again. Ray let out a sigh before commenting" Your doing it again."
" W-what" Amber shock her head and looked to the side, hoping she was looknig at his face.
" Blanking out. There's something that's really bugging you, Amber, you can't lie to me now." Ray spoke sternly.
' That's what mom would say ...' Amber let out a struggled whimper before a tear fell down her cheek.
Ray blinked as he watched the expression on Amber's face change. He reached out a hand and wiped away the tear, the contact made Amber jump. " Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm sorry."
Amber reached and pressed Ray's hand against her cheek, enjoying the feeling. " It's not you, just me being weak."
Ray's eyes went dead soft and he used his hand to make her look up into his eyes. " Don't beat yourself up over it."
Amber tried to look away but Ray forced her too keep her gaze locked. " I'm serious, Amber. Life has a really deranged path for each of us, and even though sometimes, things might seem harder to get across, you just have to hold on and be strong. Nothing to it."
Another tear. " Easy for you to say."
" No, not easy for me to say when my good friend is crying over something that I have no idea of." Ray replied softly and leaned in closer, touching forheads with the now trembling girl.
" I can't, I can't do it." Amber cried and collapsed into Ray's chest, sobing.
Ray didn't hesitate to put a comforting arm around Amber and let her soak his shirt in painful tears. Ray didn't know how long he'd sat there, but with time, Amber stopped shaking, the whimpering halted and her breathing was back to normal. Amber had fallen asleep in Ray's arms.
When Ray finally realised it, he let his mind groan. He'd missed it, he'd walked right by his window of opportunity.
.:VWV:.
After that arguement, Alex was really ready to go back to the room she called her own; but of course, her legs didn't have the same thought in mind. The argument was buzzing in her ears, and had lasted through half the night before Kai got so fustrated that he just left, cursing.
Tala was just staring blankly at the floor. He took one glance at the sheet beside the chair and sighed.
" Why is it such a big deal that I have to sign that"
Alex wasn't really expecting Tala to talk at all after Kai left, so naturally the question surprised her.
" Kai's just ... looking out for you. Like a big brother, I guess." Alex looked at him and cursed mentally at how stupid that sounded coming from her.
Tala let out another sigh, shock his head and walked over to the bed. As he walked around it, he pulled off his shirt and threw it in the corner. Alex froze completly as Tala turned around to face her.
" Do you really think I should sign it"
" I- I- I- ah" Alex fumbled with her words and a bright pink blush flew over her cheeks as she tried not to stare.
It only took Tala a few seconds to realize why Alex was lost for words. " You can't tell me you've never seen a man without his shirt before" He smirked.
Alex closed her eyes tightly and hesitated before mumbling a quick" No, I have."
' But none of them like you.' Alex practically fell over at that little voice's comment, followed by a seductive whistle. Alex went red, though glad only she could hear it.
Tala just laughed as he curled up in the covers, flipping over so he could look at Alex.
" Do you plan on sleeping tonight or what" He stated, his smirk growing wider as he patted the unoccupied side of the bed.
Alex didn't know how he was making her completly freeze up like this, but it was driving her insane.
" I- I was
planing on returning to my own room." She managed to say, without opening her eyes.
Tala shrugged and snuggled into his pillow. " If you can walk the three steps to the door without falling over, then I'll help you go there, if not, you stay here."
Alex wasn't really thinking when she started walking, she was still clammed up when she took her first step and nearly fell. Tala's muffled chuckle rung through out the room as Alex took a second step and managed to stay on her feet. But guess it wasn't good enough because Alex feel over trying to make the third one. Once again, she never hit the floor.
" Quit doing that" Alex whined then yawned.
Tala picked her up bridal style and placed her lightly on the bed, throwing the blanket over her and then curling up on his own side.
" 'Night, Alex." Tala spoke in a teasing voice.
" Shut the fuck up." Alex growled and snuggled in the pillow, breathing through her mouth.
.:VWV:.
Author's Note: Did you guys like this chapter! I hope you did, it was fun to write! Ok one of my reviewers pointed out something that I never even noticed.
When your a servant, you get payed for your job and you can quit, which is true but not in this story! Servant is just a nice way to say 'Your-mine-and-there's-nothing-you-can-do-about-it!' A.K.A Slave. So no, Ray CAN'T quit, even though you were right! Another thing is I know I made Oliver evil seeming, but he was the first person that poped into my head when I thought of the kitchen. So try and think of it this way: This. Kingdom. Is. De-oranged! Hope that helps out!
I'd also like to thank Twilight Poet for all the reviews! Been with be for a while and I appreciate every one! 'gives Twilight Poet a cookie
RR! THANKIES!
