The Nineteenth Girl - Book 1 Of The Oddity Trilogy

Chapter Three - Victor

I heard a distinctive grunt and a splash of cold washed over me. I might've been frozen but I did see Kota sprawled on the ground. That snapped me out of my frozen state enough to rush over to him.

"Are you ok?" I knelt by him, suddenly feeling sticky. He groaned, sitting up. Some onlookers started whispering.

"...Puria Prince..."

"...That girl..."

"Who is she?"

"...Captivating...trap..."

"...The Selection..."

"...ceremony?"

They stopped when Kota glared at them but right when he turned his back on them or stopped looking in their direction, they would start up again. Kota glanced at me, obviously embarrassed for some reason. I asked him about it.

"How come you're embarrassed?" Why would he? The onlookers and rumor spreaders are just rude and they lie a lot.

"I tripped." He mumbled as an answer, eyeing my dress. I shifted uncomfortably under his burning gaze and - if possible - got even stickier. Why did I feel so sticky?

"No you didn't. "I opted for humor, trying to cheer him up. "You attacked the ground and that takes extreme skill." He let loose a grateful laugh but still a laugh that had my insides warming up. It also attracted the attention of more people. Didn't all these people have things to do other than stare at us and whisper? Apparently not.

"I ruined your dress." He tells me and I glance down, noting how soaked I am.

"No wonder I feel sticky." I murmur, shifting once again. The wet material felt uncomfortable against my skin. If possible, his expression got even guiltier but I interrupted him before he could open his mouth. "I could just wash it." I tell him truthfully. There was no need for worry or guilt. Wait, why was he guilty and worrying? He shouldn't be!

Kota shakes his head and drags me by the arm towards a door that looked exactly like the one I had come out of before during the creepy masked stranger incident. I sneak a glance at Kota. He didn't seem like a murderer or rapist. But that's what all the victims think before they get slaughtered or raped. My brain was telling me this. My heart said otherwise.

Thoughts run through my head as he pulls me away. Maybe he wants me out of the ceremony? Maybe he doesn't want to be my friend?

"Are we friends?" I ask before I could lose my wits. When Kota still didn't answer, I wrung my wrists too much of a coward to look at his face.

Suddenly, Kota grinned at me warmly. "Yes Sang. We are friends." I released breath I hadn't realized I was holding. He opens the Employee's only door and leads me inside. My breath rushes out when I spy what's inside. A warm fireplace with cozy chairs and sofa's placed around the room. The furniture glowed golden in the firelight.

Some lamps were on adding to the coziness. They stood on decorative tables and the warmth of the room made me realize how cold I actually was. I was freezing from the punch that was thrown on me. I shiver and Kota catches it with his watchful eye. He gives me another guilty look and I gently slap his arm silently telling him that it's not his fault. I felt more confident after he said we were friends.

"At least you smell like fruit?" He sends me a cautious smile. I lean in and sniff his shoulder. Taking a step back, I grin.

"And you smell like spice." I glance up and see a blush forming on his cheeks. "Did you...did you just sniff me?"

I shrug. "You smelled me, right? So what's the problem?"

He blushes even further if that's even possible. "Well...yeah...but..." I shiver again as a wind blows through the doorway. Kota slips his jacket off and drapes it on my shoulders. He then disappeared under a different adjourned doorway and came back with a small green towel filed neatly in his hands.

I thank him and twist the towel around my hair, squeezing the water out of it. "I'll be right back with my friend." Kota says awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand. "I'm not good with...clothes and fashion." I giggle and nod my head and he leaves with his eyes alight.

I plop myself in chair in front of the fireplace. My thoughts wandered. Was his friend a girl? Maybe I could befriend her! But a feeling of dread entered me. If it was a girl...what relationship did he have with her?! What if - wait no, stop it Sang! Don't be jealous like this! You just met him!

I mentally slap myself to get rid of the unkind thoughts in my head when the chair I was sitting started spinning.

"Come on Kota!" A low baritone voice said. The world is spinning on without you! And what are you doing just sitting there? Get up!" I stay still unable to open my mouth to respond for I was frozen in shock. I was still being spun around in the chair by the mysterious male. My eyes were shut tight in fear.

"Victor."

Kota's voice made my eyes snap open. I had stopped spinning abruptly and the male - Victor - had stopped to stare at me with a gaping mouth. Victor's mouth suddenly snaps shut. He turns to Kota with an accusing expression on his face.

"Who and what is she doing here?"

"I'm Sang." I spoke up. I felt super confident. Kota would protect me. I was his friend and he was mine. I glanced at Kota for guidance to the other question. I didn't know the answer either. Kota clears his throat clearly embarrassed.

"I spilled some punch on her and I couldn't just walk away." Victor and Kota glanced at each other, each telling the other something different with their eyes. It like some secret message I didn't catch.

"Oy Kota! You said you needed me?" I stiffen. Another Male voice I didn't know. What was going on?

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