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- Chapter Twenty Two -

Jasmine POV

Sam was nice. He listened and asked me question about my life as a protector and daughter of one of the clan leaders. Not once did he comment on my body. We were sitting outside my bedroom door, our backs against the wall.

"Okay, next questions, why just you and Alek?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…why did your mom just take Alek in? Why didn't she take in more Mai?"

"My mom was old friends with Alek's father. He asked her to look after him if anything were to ever happen to him."

"They died?"

I nodded. Alek kept every thing about his past quiet. He didn't like to talk about it. If you were to ever bring it up, something in him would change, and it was like he just shut out the whole world. I glanced at my watch.

"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it's almost curfew," I said. "Don't want you to get in trouble."

Sam stood up and pulled me up to my feet. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I smiled.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Jasmine."

"Goodnight, Sam."

He left and I entered my room. I hadn't talked that much in months. I got ready for bed. I checked my watch again. Chloe was going to be in trouble if she got caught coming in after curfew. I hoped her and Alek were elusive enough. Sure enough, an hour later, Chloe walked into our room. I sat up and turned on the lap, she jumped slightly.

"Hey, Jasmine," she said. "I thought you'd be sleeping."

"Where have you been?"

Her hair was a mess, and her clothes a little wrinkled. I raised an eyebrow. She kept her eyes from my gaze and went to change for bed.

"With Alek."

"You look a little flushed," I noted. "I doubt the library was that hot."

Chloe's cheeks flushed red. She got into bed and pulled the covers over her head.

"I know you didn't go to the library, Chloe King."

"Goodnight, Jasmine."

I rolled my eyes and turned the lamp off. No use trying to get it out of her. I settled into bed, glad that Chloe was safely in her bed. I drifted to sleep slowly.

Chloe POV

A couple of days later, I tried to avoid Alex as much as I could. But of course, he was with me in anything I had scheduled and our trainers tended to stick us together. Then there were times, where it didn't matter where I was, he somehow found a way to be alone with me. I was seriously going insane. I wanted more than anything to tell Alek what was going on. I had cracked to Jasmine already, so she watched out for me when she could.

I was listening to my iPod. This is why I didn't notice the door open, and the fact that I wasn't alone in the room anymore. I had asked for a private training session just to myself so that I could get away from the stress. So here I was, thirty five minutes later, running on the treadmill. Someone tapped my shoulder, nearly causing me to fall off. I looked over my shoulder with a glare, to see Alex smirking at me. I pulled an earphone out.

"Skittish much?" he asked. I gritted my teeth, and pushed the stop button on the treadmill. I stepped off the machine and grabbed my face towel and water bottle.

"Annoying much?" I countered. He put up his hands.

"I'm not the one that nearly fell."

"Well you're the reason for it." I took a deep breath.

"What do you want, Alex?"

"You're avoiding me."

"Yes. What's your point?"

"I'm just saying," he said.

"What do you want?" I repeated.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked.

"I have a boyfriend," I reminded him. Who was perfectly capable of kicking his arrogant ass, I added mentally.

"Does it look like I care? You're going to be mine, Chloe. It's only a matter of time."

He stepped closer to me, and bent down, so our noses were almost touching.

"What's going on?"

I took three steps back to put enough distance between us to see Alek standing at the door of the room. Seriously, why was everyone bothering me? I was supposed to be training alone for some sanity.

"Nothing," I told my boyfriend. "Alex was just leaving."

"Actually I wasn't," he said. "Chloe and I aren't done with our conversation, Alek. Could you give us a moment?"

I could see Alek's curiosity and jealousy. He tried to hide it from showing on his face but it was all in his eyes. i saw his hand twitch slightly.

"No," I said. I glared at Alex. "If you won't leave then I'm going to. Have a nice day, Smith."

He smirked.

"I intend too, King."

I walked out of the room, grabbing Alek's wrist in the process and dragged him far away from the room. When we neared the den room, where most Mai hung out, he pulled away from me.

"What the hell was that?" he asked. I leaned against the wall.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" he asked icily. "Chloe you two looked like you were going to kiss!"

I scoffed. "I'd rather lose another life," I replied just as icily. "You don't seriously think I'd kiss him, do you?"

"I don't know anymore," he said. "He always ends up wherever you are. And you're always alone with him."

"Alek-"

"Do you like him?" he demanded. "Don't lie to me."

"No. He's arrogant and annoying."

"I'd hate to break it to you but you once thought I was the same way."

"That's different."

"Is it?" he asked.

"Yes."

"How?" he demanded. "And don't say you love me. That's just an easy answer."

That was the main difference. He did have a point; I did think he was annoying and arrogant. But then I saw a different side of him, and I fell hard.

"He's not you," I said. Alek shook his head. "Why are you giving me such a hard time?" I demanded.

"Because you don't see me alone with another Mai girl," he said. "What am I supposed to do when I see you with him?"

"You're supposed to trust me."

He didn't say anything. But he didn't have to. I read it on his face. I tried to swallow the dryness in my throat.

"Forget it. I'm not going to explain myself to you. If you really love me, then you'll trust me."

He grabbed my arm as I turned to walk away. "And if you love me, then you'll tell me what's going on."

If only he knew how badly I wanted to tell him.

"I can't."

"Then you don't love me."

He let go of my arm and walked away from me. I closed my eyes and slid down the wall, my face in my hands. I could feel myself starting to cry. Not here, I told myself. I forced myself to stand up and I ran in the direction of my room, on my way, I crashed into Jasmine, who was with someone I didn't know.

"Chloe?" she asked startled and concerned. I just hugged her and cried into her shoulder. She put her arms around me. "I'll see you later," she told whoever she was with. "Come on, Chloe. Let's get to our room."

I let her lead me the rest of the way. When we got to our room, I crawled into bed and she lay down next to me, stroking my hair.

"What's happened?"

"I got into a fight with Alek."

"Over?"

"The stupid deal that I'm forbidden to tell him about," I said. She didn't say anything; she just continued to stroke my hair as I cried, and whisper words of comfort. But, deep down, I didn't want her comfort (thought I was grateful for it); I wanted the arms and words of the British blonde boy that was mad at me. But knowing him, he wasn't going to talk to me until I explained everything.

This stupid deal was trying to tear my relationship apart. And it was working.

Review. Well complications were bound to happen, right?

I had to repost this chapter, cause I noticed a few things, haha.