Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
chapter thirty-two. . . time running out
◇
BEN RIVERS WANTED to keep his distance from Clary who no doubt was spending a suffocating amount of time with Simon since their relationship had blossomed. He had somehow managed to convince Jace to watching his sister and for him to look after Malia. The brunette knew it had something to do with Clary's new relationship and Malia was eager to know more about what had happened to lead them to their tragic end. Malia wanted them to last, she just say something brighter in Clary whenever she was around the Rivers. But Ben's priority rather than chatting was more about helping Malia train more.
Malia raised a brow, she had been having a numb feeling since she had found her mother hanging in her room. She felt neglected from having time with her, and Veronica and Valentine had taken it away from him. Ben knew that Malia was deflecting from talking about Tatia's death and was willing to get it out of her in the middle of their sparring.
The banshee twirled the escrima sticks between her fingers as she was prepared for Ben to take his first strike as silence played between them in the training room filled with weapons they had plucked to help with their defence. Malia had taken the first swing which Ben had swiftly caught before he pressed the tip of the escrima stick on her stomach which had hold off just the same. "You were open. Come on, Malia."
Malia's eyes rolled as she stepped away to wait for his hit. "I never knew that you and Clary broke up." She voiced causing him to swing his escrima stick towards her which she had blocked and pushed down from near hitting her face. Ben ignored the mention as he continued to swing the escrima sticks towards her which she had managed to block before she had taken an ariel to the side to dodge his hit that swung from anger that he felt since finding out that Clary and Simon dated one another. "It's not good to bottle up your anger." Malia told as she landed back onto her feet to face the Rivers. "It's good to talk about it."
"You haven't mentioned one thing about finding your mother hanging in your room, Malia." Ben remarked causing her face to hardened. "It's not good to bottle up your grief." Malia's jaw clenched as she swung her escrima sticks towards Ben who had ducked as he bent backwards to dodge the swing before he had kicked the teen in the back of her knee causing her to slip to the floor. Ben raised a brow as he studied the teen who didn't move from where she had fallen. "You okay?"
Malia hummed. "Fine." She mumbled before pushing herself back to her feet to throw her escrima sticks to the side.
Ben was shocked with the sudden ditch of weapons. "Hand in hand? You sure?"
"I know you don't want to be here with me." Malia told as she swung a roundhouse kick towards Ben and somewhat had been manageable to dodge it as he rolled forward.
