SEASICK

80- Envious

Alana only made it to the bottom of the stairs before her knees finally gave out below her. She teetered to the left until she rested against the wall; she took deep breaths.

"My gods..." She sighed reaching up to her lips, tracing her fingers along her bottom lip, feeling the excess moisture.

She peered down to her digits trying to calm her crazed heart.

This is Kazumi... She thought as she eyed the barely visible swatch of saliva on her finger pad.

I am so confused... does that mean he isn't angry with me? But he walked away as if it was nothing... as if I was nothing... so, was that just his way of teaching me a lesson? Then... what was the lesson?

Alana softly closed her fist and dropped her hand to her side, throwing her head back against the wall. She tried to soothe her raging thoughts and collect herself, but to immediate avail, not this time. Alana had never experienced a feeling quite like the one Kazumi just put her through. She was growing familiar with the warm knot that grew in her stomach, but Kazumi had caused another reaction plunging into her core. Subconsciously she pressed her thighs together as if it would ease the heat blossoming from within. Her stomach was still tangled and her heart still raced.

Maybe I just need to lay down for a bit... Alana settled on.

"What're ya doing up so early, idiot?" A voice snapped further down the hall, nearly pulling a scream from Alana.

She jumped at Leven's voice, immediately feeling guilty as if he could hear her thoughts. She straightened up and stood from the wall as he approached.

"Good morning, Leven." She sweetly smiled; a bit crooked.

"Yeah, yeah," He mumbled annoyed. "I asked ya a ques—" Once he was a few feet from her he stopped dead in his tracks like he had hit a brick wall.

Alana furrowed her brows and shifted uncomfortably at the disbelieving stare that Leven had locked onto her. His cold blue eyes traveled her form on a gruesome journey, a small knot tying between his white brows.

"Um... are you okay?" She apprehensively asked, almost convincing herself that he could read her mind.

Leven's stunned countenance altered into a scowl as he cut his eyes away from her. He said nothing as he stepped around the dumbfounded girl.

"Leven?" She called out to him while he ascended the stairs.

Again, she was ignored and that only caused her brows to furrow deeper.

"What?" She breathed, feeling her racing heart skip a beat in hurt.

Alana could not shake the look on Leven's face out of her head the entire day. She laid in bed for hours nearly forgetting about Kazumi to focus on the expression Leven had given her.

Leven is usually grumpy... but he has never looked at me like that. It was like he was really mad this time. But why? He can't read my mind so how would he know? He can't, can he?

Even now, as she stood on the main deck tucked in a corner, she thought of nothing but that scowl.

What could I have done to upset him?

Alana groaned, fixing her eyes on small waves crashing against the ship. She had purposely positioned herself in the very back corner, knowing that Kazumi could not see her from where he usually stood by the wheel. Though Leven dominated her thoughts, Kazumi's presence was still there. Alana was not upset with the captain, though she could not place exactly why she wished to avoid him. She thought maybe it was his curt manner after what had happened or the feeling he caused in her. Standing in the corner also provided her with shade from the mid-afternoon sun and kept her out of the way of the working crew.