Between Gates (The Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 17: First Love

Andrew sighed, rubbing his eyes and staring at the paper. He wondered how Nari was doing. She’d been gone for two of the four months now. Not that he’d expected her back sooner, but there had been no communication from her since she’d left, and he didn’t know what to make of that. Was she just unable to get away long enough to transmit information back to him? Or was she waiting till she had more to tell? He didn’t even want to consider the worst possibility. What if she was dead? Caught and killed for spying?  

Indri walked in and set a stack of papers on his desk. He gave Andrew a concerned look.

“Have you been sleeping?”

“Yeah.” Andrew said.

He continued to stare at the paper, but he wasn’t seeing anything. Indri gave a little snort.

“You have not.”

Andrew glanced up. “What?”

“Andrew, are you even listening to me?”

“Of course. What was the problem?” He resisted the urge to yawn.

Really, he desperately wanted to just lay his head on the desk and snatch some sleep, but that wasn't possible. Especially since he was on call day and night now to be sure that everything was monitored. And, he had to admit, waiting for a call from Nari.

Indri rolled his eyes. “You are worrying yourself sick over her, aren’t you?”

“Who?” Andrew tried hard to avoid the question, not looking at Indri but instead focusing on his paperwork.

“You know who. Nari.”

“No… I’m not… I just have a lot of stuff to do, that’s all.”

What a lousy lie. Of course I’m worried sick. I probably sent her to her death, and I’m not supposed to worry? Andrew tried to flick off the irritation mentally. It wasn’t working. He was too tired to deal with this, but he couldn't show it. Indri had enough to handle without the added problem of his best friend and commander falling asleep at the helm.

Indri raised an eyebrow. “You don’t say? No more than usual, but of course I don’t know what you get. Your accountant gives you all your papers and information.” His voice was biting.

“I don’t have an accountant. You give me all my papers.” Andrew felt irritation rising.

“Exactly. Give up the masquerade, Andrew. You’re worried sick about her. I know you, and you love all of your soldiers dearly. It’s why you lead so well, better than me or anyone else on Base.”

“I’m sure many...” He tried to protest to Indri’s praise, but Indri cut him off abruptly.  

“Andrew, shut up. You aren’t even thinking right. I can tell you aren’t sleeping, and you know how?” Indri's patience with his friend was about gone. It was obvious he was worrying himself sick over Nari and he wasn't getting enough sleep. He was taking on more than his fair share of the work, and he was hardly resting himself at all. It was time for all that to stop.

Andrew shook his head, defeated.

“You aren’t actually listening to me, and when you aren’t listening to people and you can’t focus on anything, I know that you either aren’t sleeping or you’re worrying yourself into distraction.”

Andrew nodded his understanding. “You’re right, Indri.” He sighed. “I can’t do this anymore. I feel like I'm going to fall over at any minute... Not to mention the hopless situation.” His voice was weary and he supressed another yawn fighting to focus in on what Indri was saying instead of zoning out. Too tired. He really needed rest.