Capturing Them

Chapter Forty Four

Chapter Forty Four
Sang

I'm sitting in the courtyard with the guys for lunch. I hadn't packed anything to bring with me, so when Kota offered me half of his chicken sandwich I took with a smile as thanks. Now I'm sharing a bag of candy with Luke. The bag is hidden in between us, our bodies angled so North can't see them. North's eyes are hiding behind aviator sunglasses, so I can't tell when he looks in our general direction.

My camera sits in my lap, my fingers twitching to take some photos, but every time I seem to look up and around me, everyone is still looking at me. I can't take photos with people looking in my direction, unless I know they're distracted by something else. And the guys, I can't take photos with them looking at me at all, unless their posing.

That familiar clicking sound of a camera has me looking up and straight in front of me. Gabriel lays on the grass on his stomach, the camera I loaned him, perched in front of him. His baby blues are narrowed at the camera.

I turn my camera on and lay it on the grass in front of my crossed legs. I lean back so I can see the screen, setting it up to get a picture of Gabriel. His mouth is hidden by the camera in front of him, but I click the button anyway, capturing that frown of concentration.

He looks up, his frown disappearing, and I get another one of him looking straight at the camera. I already have what I'd like to do with this picture when I edit it later; black and white apart from the blue of his eyes.

Just as I'm about to snap another photo, someone calling my name has me looking up. A pair of two boys wearing football jerseys are heading this way, eyes focused on me.

"For fuck's sake," North mutters, and I look over at him, concerned. His dark eyes come to me just as an arm comes around my waist. I grip my camera in my hand. I'm pulled into a lap and I look up at who's lap it is; Silas'. "Stay there, Baby," North says.

I frown, but nod my head, clutching my camera in my hands and looking down at it, feeling a bit out of place in Silas' folded legs, but protected all at the same time. I turn my head and look at Silas, not realising how close our faces are, only a few inches apart. He looks down at me and I find it difficult to look away. Something swirling in his deep brown eyes has me captured.

"What's wrong, Aggele?" he asks, his deep voice a rumbling whisper. His arms tighten around me.

I leave my camera in my lap as I wrap my good arm around his shoulders, bringing my lips to his ear. "What's going on?" I ask quietly, the last word barely anything as my throat decides to tighten.

His nose runs the hairline at my temple. A shiver goes down my spine, causing me to shudder. "It's Rocky. Play along, okay?"

I nod my head, unable to say anything. I pull away and look down at my camera, my hair falling from behind my ears.

"What do you want Rocky?" I hear North ask.

"Rocky came to talk to Pretty Sang, but Rocky sees she's already taken." Oh my goodness, does he talk like this all the time?

I hear a snickering, and I'm sure it's coming from Luke. Or maybe it's Gabriel, I'm not quite sure. It causes me to smile because they must be laughing at the way Rocky talks.

"Yeah," Silas says. "She's my girlfriend." Wait, what? Girlfriend? Is this what he meant by play along?

It's silent for a long moment before Rocky says, "Why doesn't Rocky believe you?" Why doesn't Rocky talk like a normal person? I think to myself.

I feel Silas shrug his shoulders. "Believe what you want."

"Rocky wants proof and then he'll walk away and never bother Pretty Sang again." Proof, what does he mean by proof? "Kiss her, like she's your girlfriend."