Star-Crossed

Chapter Ten: Yes I know that love is like ghosts/ Few have seen it

XERXION HAS MOVED to stand in front of me, shielding me from Ithuriel. The two are facing off against each other, the air around them crackling, the intensity so palpable it is like a living breathing thing.

My eyes dart around at the people who are looking openly at us, their eyes curious. I can't imagine how we must look to them. Especially since Ithuriel, Fauvian, Halcyon and Xerxion aren't exactly inconspicuous anyway. But, standing here on the sidewalk, the Xerxion and Ithuriel clearly don't give a damn about the people walking by us.

"Why are you here, Ithuriel?" Xerxion asks in a low voice.

Ithuriel rolls his eyes, lips turning up into a haughty grin.

"Come now, Xerxion. Surely even you must realize how ridiculous your question is," he says, his wild looking eyes flickering over to me before he returns his gaze to Xerxion. "Rania. Give her to me."

"If you want Rania, you'll have to kill me first."

A malicious smile makes its way across Ithuriel's face and he nods once, allowing that.

"Very well."

He reaches to pull out his sword at the same time Xerxion reaches for his. This is not good, this situation is already incredibly weird and if they start having a glowing sword fight in plain sight like this, who knows what'll happen.

"Wait. Stop!" I say, getting in front of Xerxion and standing between him and Ithuriel.

Even more, heads turn in our direction and, although I'm used to being stared at, all these stares still manage to make me feel uncomfortable.

"There are people around here. Civilians."

Ithuriel raises one brow at me, looking annoyed that I stopped them.

"So?" He asks.

"I'm not sure if you realize this," I begin sarcastically. "But, first off, you're from a different freaking planet. On your world, that may be normal, but here on Earth, we don't see aliens walking down the street every day. Secondly, do you know how weird it would be for them to witness the two of you having a glowing sword fight? And thirdly, a lot of people might get hurt. Humans aren't as durable as other life forms. Especially not against you two. If you're going to fight, do it elsewhere."

Ithuriel looks at me for a long moment, then-once he sees I'm serious-he drops his hands to his sides.

He mutters something under his breath in his native tongue and runs his hands through his hair. "I suppose you're right, Rania. It would indeed be ill-mannered to battle in such a public setting."

"Thank you," I say, blowing out a sigh of relief.

People have more or less crowded around us, looking to see if a fight is going to happen. Ithuriel turns and gives them all a look so terrifying, they disperse immediately. Soon, we are basically alone save for the occasional person passing by and the cars as they zoom by us, heading far away from us.

"You will hand Rania over to me, Xerxion."

Xerxion's face is impassive as he says, "I doubt that."

Ithuriel makes a noise between a hiss and a growl, his wild eyes finding mine.

"Even if Xerxion does not hand you over to me, once you recover all of your memories, Rania, you will come to me yourself."

Then he turns and leaves, Halcyon and Fauvian following close behind. Fauvian shoots Xerxion a dirty look as they go, clearly he hasn't forgotten Xerxion's sword piercing through his shoulder yesterday. Halcyon spares me one bleak look, her white-blonde hair lit up by the lights surrounding us, the tattoo around her eyes making her looking badass and otherworldly all in one.

They are gone in almost no time at all, disappearing in the large crowd. I place a hand over my heart which I hadn't even realized was pounding.

Turning to look up at Xerxion, I say, "I'm hungry. Let's go find something to eat, shall we?"

"I believe you are truly the strangest woman I have ever met, Rania," says Xerxion as we turn into my neighborhood. His hands are in his pockets and his head is tilted down, seemingly deep in thought.

There is something so familiar about this. There is something so familiar about walking next to him, surrounded by lights. The air is muggy tonight. It's so warm that loose strands of my hair are sticking to the back of my neck.

"Is that an insult?" I ask jokingly, raising one brow.

"Not at all," he assures me, a smile playing around the corners of his lips. "It's just... you're different."

I look away from him and keep my gaze forward, watching as my house comes closer and closer.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, in your last life, you were a princess so you were very entitled. You were spoiled and had a habit of throwing a tantrum whenever you didn't get your way. You were comfortable in your skin, comfortable with your life. But, in this life, you seem the complete opposite. You seem..." He breaks off his sentence as he fumbles for the right word. "Sad."

I looked over at him. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. I mean, not only are his eyes sharp when he is in battle, but they are sharp when it comes to other things as well. Especially me. Even in my memories, I recall him knowing my moods better than even I did.

"On this world," I speak up, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply, letting the night air fill my lungs before I breathe out. "I am no princess. My foster siblings are terrified of me and can't seem to look me in the eye. At school, most of my peers think I'm a freak. The only ones who hang out with me are Amanda-the girl you met the other night-and her friends. They only hang out with me is because, for whatever reason, the boys in my school pursue me and try to hang out with me." I breathe in deep. "What bothers me most, though, is my parents. In this life, they just... gave me away. I want to not care, but I can't. And that pisses me off even more."

Xerxion is quiet for a minute. It's not an awkward quiet, more like a thoughtful silence.

"I wish I could have found you sooner," he says, sounding rueful. "I had no idea you were suffering so much."

My eyes grow wide. He looks like he is kicking himself and my heart grows so warm, all I can do is smile.

"I haven't suffered," I elaborate, bumping my shoulder with his, causing him to stumble a little in surprise. "I've had a good life with my kids and Aida. Besides, you might not have been with me physically, but you were always around. I would look forward to sleeping so that I could be with you again."

His eyes, which were wide when I bumped shoulders with him, soften. The weird thing about his eyes is that they are like liquid. When he smiles and when he looks at me, the hardness in them evaporates and leaves liquid.

As he gazes at me now, I drown in that liquid, losing myself and all of my problems in the process.

We finally reach my house and I have never been so displeased to come home in my life. The more time I spend with Xerxion, the more attached I become. It makes me wonder if he feels it, too. This insane attachment. This insane need to never be separated.

"Um... I'm off tomorrow," I say, turning around to face him once we reach my door. "If you want, we can spend the day together...?"

Xerxion seems amused, his eyes twinkling with merriment. He seems to enjoy my awkward fumbling more than he should.

"I'd like to spend the day with you."

Something in my chest flutters at that and I nod once, trying to appear nonchalant.

"I'll see you, then."

"You will."

After a long while of staring into his eyes, I turn away to open the door. Like last time, when I turn back he is already gone and the neighborhood is silent.