Midnight Falls

15: Victor

“Why didn’t you tell me she was just an aisle over?” Little Rabbit whispered to me, slapping me lightly on the shoulder. He winced slightly, forgetting that my body was a rock. In a way, that made me smile.

“I didn’t know,” I told him. He glared and I knew he didn’t believe me.

“You didn’t read her mind?”

“No.”

“Why not?” he asked. Arianne tensed a bit, sensing something I didn’t, but didn’t back away.

“Because it’s hard to pin down a certain mind in a place as busy as this,” I say, keeping a smile plastered on my face, despite how annoyed I was getting. “So I never do in a place like this unless they’re right in front of me.” Little Rabbit scoffs, now holding onto his sibling like she was going to be snatched away at any second. I know he doesn't believe me, but I’ve told him nothing but the truth. 

“Whatever. Now you-” he said, making Arianne look up at him. “You know better than to go off on your own.”

“I was only an aisle away,” she protested. “I knew what to do if something happened.”

“I don’t care, Arianne. You don’t go wandering around like that.”

“I was fine-”

“You know you could’ve gotten hurt! Taken away!” I could tell Arianne was getting annoyed, but she stood still.

“There’s no reason to-” I started, but she interrupted, like she didn’t even hear me at all. 

“Maybe I just didn’t want to listen to fighting again!” Arianne said as she pulled away from Little Rabbit. “Did you ever think of that?” With that, she stalked off to the costume aisle. Little Rabbit and I followed on, but he was seeming to do more damage than fixing.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just forget it.” We had made it to the aisle and Arianne began  sifting through the costumes, her eyes glossed over with rage; looking without seeing. 

“Forget what?” Arianne ignored him, going from dress to dress, from cape to cape. “Arianne, why won’t you talk to me?”

“Oh, like you talk to me?” She snapped back, turning to him for just a moment before going back to the costumes.

“That’s different.”

“How so?” I’m amazed that we aren’t drawing more eyes to us. They are very loud and there’s a lot of people around us. Even in New York, this would draw a few eyes.

“I’m an adult-”

“Barely,” Arianne scoffs.

“I’m about to be twenty-one,” Carl counters with a glare.

“Still barely an adult.” The amount of sass I hear from her is new, and I can tell Carl isn’t used to it either. He gave a surprised glance to me, seeming to forget his disdain towards me in light of her tone and attitude. I think he was looking to me for an answer, but unfortunately I don’t have it. I only shrug.

“Arianne, where is this coming from?” Carl asked, turning back to her, the surprise still clear in his voice. She ignored him and kept walking. Carl said her name a few more times to no avail. I put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

“Carl,” I said softly, so only he would hear. I think my tone and expression surprise him, because he turns to me like I’m a friend, even if it's just for a split second, he looks like he trusts me. “I think she’s going through something. Something that is a bit different than you or even she is used to. Let her be for a moment.” To prove my point, she all but throws the dresses away and stomps to the end of the aisle, crossing her arms and leaning against the far side.