Chapter 26: mess things up

Karin’s p.o.v

“I told you not to mess things up! And then you go ahead not just mess things up, you flip the whole god dammed table!!!” I wanted to be furious but I could not bring myself to do that, especially since he looked so… pitiful. “you have to get your ass back in there and apologize! Grovel at her feet if you have to but don’t come back out until you are forgiven!” I snapped ina hushed voice so that she did not hear me from the inside.

“I can’t” he said, stunning me into silence.

“What?” I asked in disbelief. ‘He did not just say what I think he said, right?’ I thought to myself.

“Thank you for all your help, but I think I am going to stick to staying away for now, and this time, I mean it.” He said, looking anywhere but straight at me.

“Orion, this is definitely not the time to-“

“No” he cut me off. “You saw her back there, all I ever do is make her uncomfortable or make her cry, don’t think I would be able to handle it if I see her cry because of me again” he let out a heavy breath.

“Are you stupid right now?” I could not help but ask the question. I needed to know, just to be sure. “You would die at this rate with how weak you are if you don’t get her to accept you!”

“Then let it be! I would manage just like I have always done. I would live on the essence of some random stranger, just like I have always done!!” he raised him voice from devastation that I had to take a step back “I can’t force her to accept me because my own selfish reasons anymore, she does not deserve that” I tried as much as possible to hold in my annoyance on what he was talking about but I could not.

“if you wanted to give up this easily, then you should not have bloody called me here!!” I growled, purposely bumping into his shoulder rather forcefully as I made my way to leave.

**

I massaged my head as I thought back to the whole encounter. “two bloody weeks!!” and that bastard was still as stubborn as ever.

I crept into his room in hope that I could catch in a weak moment and convince him to go over to Astrid but to my shock, there he was asleep, holding tightly to a piece of cloth and latching on to the essence that lingered on it, no doubt it was Astrid’s

“stupid fool!” I muttered as I made my way out. It was no point waiting for his weakest moment now, because he had something of hers. I made my way out of his room to the ward where Astrid was.

“hey” I greeted her, leaning on the door as I watched her move about a little more freely than the last time. ‘she should be getting out of here soon.’ I thought to myself as panic started to settle at the pits of my stomach.

The moment she gets better, Orion plans to send her to earth! ‘I would be damned before I let something like that happen without making sure that they connect first!’ I thought as I made my way into the room

“hi” she greeted me back. Although she had let down her walls around me, it was obvious that she still was not comfortable around me.

“would you fancy a drink and some night air?” I offered, already opening the door wide open to let her out.

We walked side by side saying nothing as we passed the hallway.

“this is amazing yeah?” I said as we set down under the sky, while I poured wine that I had pulled from mid-air.

“hmmm” was all she said, leaving me to do the talking,

“nights like these, I would love to go on adventures. It was always fun for me you know, finding new planets, seeing new species and claiming them as your-“

I almost smacked myself against the wall as the words poured out from my mouth as I saw her freeze up before her body went a little lax.

“I am sorry, I did not mean…”

“it’s fine” she said with a forced smile. “you know I remember when I was on earth, Martians would chase people down like we were animals.”

‘fuck, I wanted to melt from embarrassment, but I said nothing. “times like that, my sister would hide me in A/C vents just to keep me safe. To think I would be staying here with one that did not wish to harm me is surreal”

I opened my mouth to say something, anything at all but it was cut off her before it came out.

“you see why I cannot let him in yes? To have feelings for the ruler of the species that left me homeless and ruined my planet.”

I shifted again, becoming more and more uncomfortable, till I heard the last part.

“feelings?” I asked again to be sure. I felt my ears pick up at that

“well I did a lot of thinking, if I liked Caelum, then could it be that I liked Orion somewhere deep down? Or do I have it all confused. Pathetic right? I can barely even make a decision. I can’t even deny it, even as himself, there were times I felt this way but…” she shook her head.

“what happens when I am all alone with him and gets out of control? What happens then? The first time it was Caelum that separated him from me when he was about to harm me, then it was you. What happens when it’s just the two of us?” I could see the fear run through her body

“it was just his hormones, I promise, he is not like that. They are unstable as I result of a proper guide” I said, trying to defend him. “you know I can help you understand our kind more, there is this book-“ before I even got to finish, she was already shaking her head muttering no.

“fine then, no pressure. How about you talk with Orion-“ she was already shaking her head muttering no “I swear by the galaxy that he would not as much as breathe the same air if you don’t want to while you two talk. And if it does not work, I would make sure you are free, living among the high class humans.” That seemed to get her attention as quickly/

“and if I don’t succeed?” she asked looking at me as though she was unsure.

“you have to read the book” she looked at me like I was crazy before shrugging.

“fine then” she stretched out her hand for a handshake. “you have a deal