SORRY GUYS! I'VE BEEN SOO BUSY AND I'VE HAD MAJOR WRITERS BLOCK! I'll try and continue writing, but give me some ideas on what you want to read. BTW, Thank you for reviewing, it really does mean a lot.
Eighteen –
Chloe's POV
I stirred trying to drown out the yelling around me. Seriously? I thought. Idon'tneedthisrightnow.
"What's going on?" I whispered.
"I don't know," Alek whispered back. He pulled me closer to him. I took a deep breath, breathing in his scent, and then I pulled out of his grip.
"Hey!" he protested. He wrapped his arms around my waist.
"No!" I laughed, slipping out of his grasp, and jumping to my feet.
"Get back here!"
I managed to dodge him as he sprang up from the bed, and lunged for me. But just as I was about to make my escape, his arms encircled me around the waist and he threw me over his shoulder.
"Alek put me down!" I pounded my fists on his back uselessly. He laughed but ignored me.
"No."
He carried me out of the room, where the yelling continued. He put me down only to wrap his arm around my waist.
"Let's go see what's going on," he said. We made our way toward the living room, but kept a safe distance. Valentina and Jasmine were in a heated argument.
"Mom, you can't do this!" Jasmine shouted.
"I am your mother; I can do whatever I want."
"It's just a date, Mom."
"Look where dating got you last time."
I read the hurt in Jasmine's eyes at her mother's words. That was a low blow.
"He is not Zane!" Jasmine hissed venomously.
"You don't know that."
"Mom, you actually know him. You can't forbid me from seeing him."
"I can, and I will."
"Mom, please," Jasmine begged.
"I'm sorry, Jasmine. But my answer is still no."
"Not every guy that shows an interest in me wants to kill me, Mom!"
"As long as you are a protector of the Uniter, many people want to kill you, Jasmine."
Those words made me feel horrible. So because of me, Jasmine couldn't date.
"But he's actually on our side! He wants to protect Chloe, too."
"It doesn't matter. And besides, you'll be going to the Mai Academy in two days."
"MOM! That's not fair! What if I don't want to go?"
"You're going in order to fully protect the Uniter."
"I can protect her just fine," Jasmine spat bitterly.
"This is good for you, my daughter. Trust me."
"I'm not going."
"You and Alek are both going. Period."
"Wait a minute!" Alek cut in. He walked over to them, leaving me standing frozen in my spot. "Why do I have to go?"
"You are both the Uniter's protectors. You need the most training."
"So you're going to send us and leave her undefended?" he asked.
"She will be assigned temporary bodyguards," Valentina said evenly.
"No," I snapped. Valentina looked at me.
"Chloe?" she asked, as if seeing me for the first time.
"I will not stay here if Jasmine and Alek have to be sent away. I won't let someone else babysit me. So if they have no choice but to go, I want to go with them."
"This is only for the Mai protecting you, Chloe."
"Then pull some strings. Call in a few favors, something. I'm sure they'd let the Uniter in."
"I'll see what I can do," Valentina said quietly. "And what about your mom?"
I froze for half-a second.
"She doesn't know I'm back," I said. "I'll contact her when we get there, let her know that I'm safe."
"Very well. But Jasmine and Alek this is not an open discussion, you will go to the Mai Academy. Chloe, I'll call them right now, and ask them for a favor."
I nodded, satisfied, and walked back into Alek's room. I walked to his window and drew in a deep breath. How the hell was I going to survive a Mai Academy? I hated the Mai training I did already.
"Why'd you decide to join us?" Jasmine asked from behind me. I turned around.
"I wasn't going to let you go without me," I stated simply. Alek walked toward me, and wrapped his arms around me. I placed my arms over him.
"It's not going to be easy," he warned me.
"Like anything about being Mai is easy," I muttered. He chuckled.
"It is for me," he said. I rolled my eyes.
"That ego of yours is getting to big," I teased.
"You like it," he retorted with a smirk on his face. He spun me around in his arms and hugged me.
"Okay, I'm going to go before you two start making out, and knowing Alek it's going to be real soon," Jasmine said.
"Or now," he muttered, and kissed me.
"I'm out of here!" Jasmine said, and I heard the door slam shut as she left. I smiled into the kiss, wrapped my arms around Alek's neck and pulled him closer.
"You're evil," I said between kisses. He pulled away and chuckled.
"Just wanted to get her out of the room," he said. He wrapped his arm over my shoulder, and we walked to his bed. We sat down, he played with my hands.
"To be honest," he started, "I don't want you to go."
The hurt on my face was unmistakable.
"No!" he said quickly, before I had the time to say anything. "I don't want you to go, because I don't want you to go through the things I know we're going to endure."
"Well, if I'm going to save an entire race then I need to endure the same things you do, don't I?"
"It's a lot more harsh than they way we train you," he warned. "It's more hours, a tight schedule, and deadlier tools."
"I can handle it," I insisted.
"And if you can't?" he retorted. I knew he wasn't trying to hurt me or piss me off. He'sonlysayingthesethingsbecausehecares, I repeated.
"I can, Alek. I know I can."
He nodded, reluctantly.
"Okay, I believe you."
Three sharp knocks on the door, averted my attention from my boyfriend. Valentina stood at the door, with her hands behind her back.
"They've agreed to let you in the program, with the exception that you…interact with other Mai other than your protectors."
Valentina didn't seem to like that condition, neither did Alek. His body turned rigid.
I nodded. "I can do that," I said.
"Then it's settled, you will leave with Alek and Jasmine in two days."
"Great," I said. As soon as Valentina left, I looked at Alek.
"What?" I asked.
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