Another One (Book 3 of selection fanfics)

Chapter 15

"Well. Look what we have here," a cough interrupted us, forcing Derek and I to spring apart. My cheeks flushed, partially from the cold and partially from embarrassment.

Kaleb stood arm in arm with Elisa, who beamed at the sight of Derek and I together. Both were bundled in scarves and coats; they looked ready for a long walk outside.

"We were just going out to look for you. Your parents assumed you'd stayed at your grandfather's but you didn't show up this morning," Elisa explained as Kaleb looked between the two of us. Derek looked anywhere but my brother.

"We did. I just...overslept."

"Only you?" Kaleb raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Derek coughed and I played with my hair nervously. How did Kaleb always pick up on these things?

"I'm not deaf or blind," Kaleb snapped, his jaw set as he stared at Derek. "Guess you'll be packing your bags for the palace tonight, Erika."

My eyes widened as Kaleb made no effort to mask the venom in his tone. Even Elisa watched him go in shock as she wrapped her arms around herself, already missing his warmth.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why..." Elisa stammered, at a loss for words. In the distance, Kaleb stalked past the front door, making straight for one of the barns behind the house.

"Don't apologize for him," I shook my head as I walked over to squeeze her hand. She looked scared, having never seen Kaleb angry before. "He's not like this usually. I promise."

"Okay," she said shakily, but I could still see the uncertainty in her gray eyes. I didn't want to be the cause for her and Kaleb's first fight, but it looked like I was going to be.

"Derek," I turned back to face him. He smiled awkwardly, as unsure of what to do as Elisa. "Could you walk her back inside? I can get the horses."

He nodded and stepped forward. Just before he reached Elisa, I stepped up to give him a brief kiss on the cheek. The least I could do was reassure him that it was Kaleb I was mad at. Not him.

He gave me one last smile before taking Elisa's arm and walking her to the front door. Once they'd turned away, I squared my shoulders, grabbed the reigns and made my way to the barn.

Kaleb had left the weather worn red doors ajar in his anger. I could see him hunched over the bales of hay in the corner, throwing them into the large pile that would be going into the horse stalls later.

"What the hell was that, Kaleb?" I spoke as I let Duke and Felicity into their stalls.

He didn't even turn around, but I could see his muscles clench reflexively. His voice was cool, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Seriously?" I crossed my arms and moved to stand in front of him, so that he was forced to look at me. "You spoke with him yesterday morning, and when I accused you of trying to beat him up, you said you weren't a 'barbarian.'"

"Just because I didn't punch him, it doesn't mean I like him."

I could feel my resolve collapsing already. "You told me you were happy for me. Happy that I'd fallen in love."

"That was before Amber died," he heaved another bale onto the pile. "If it weren't for him, she'd still be here."

"Derek didn't kill her!" I pushed the next bale out of his way and grabbed the front of his shirt. "Aidan did. I hate that that's what happened, but we have to accept it."

He winced and pushed me away. "You don't know that. Your mind...it's probably just telling you what you want to think." Kaleb shook his head, but I could still see the doubt in his eyes.

"Then where is he, Kaleb?" I couldn't believe he still hadn't accepted it. "Why isn't Aidan here?"

He glared at me, but didn't respond. His forehead shone with sweat; he tossed his coat on the rack, as if it had been constricting him, preventing him from breathing. A strange mix of sadness and anger whirled in his eyes as he began to pace the room. Kaleb angry was always unpredictable. Of my brothers, he'd always been the kind and quiet one, never throwing a fit. It was rare to see him angry and nobody ever really knew how to handle it.

"How are you so ready to trust him again? You say you love him, but what do you even know about it?" His words were accusatory, each accentuated with his finger pointed at me.

"What do I know about love?" I repeated his question aloud, shocked that he'd said it.

"You haven't even known him a year. How much do you really know about him? How do you know he won't shatter your heart again?"

"I barely know him? I stayed at the palace for months. You didn't know Elisa existed one month ago."

"That's different."

"How is it any different?" I exclaimed, voice rising as I gestured madly in the air. Fighting with Kaleb like this felt wrong, so unbelievably wrong, but I couldn't stop.

"She hasn't dated twenty other people at the same time," he looked down at me, as if I were a little girl being scolded. "What makes you any different from them to him?"

I physically flinched at his words. The minute they left Kaleb's mouth, his eyes widened in regret. "Shit. That's not what I meant, Erika."

"Of course it's what you meant," my voice wavered as I interrupted him. "You don't get what Derek might see in me. You don't think a prince could have any interest in some farm girl like me."

"That's not true," he stepped forward as I backed away. "I meant that to him, you're just another girl in a competition. He doesn't see how special you are."

"He was going to propose to me." I blurted suddenly. I was sure my parents knew--what else could Derek have spoken to them about at the palace? But I knew Kaleb didn't.

His eyes widened but he only shook his head. "And then he sent you home."

"He came back for me. Doesn't that count for something?" I could feel rebellious tears slipping down my cheeks. Kaleb, the one other person besides Mom who I'd expected to support my choice, was throwing that hope away.

Before Kaleb could say anything, I heard the doors burst open, followed by a booming voice. "What on earth is going on in here? We can hear you two fighting from the kitchen!"

I turned to see Dad standing in the open doorway. He looked between Kaleb and I, a concerned look etched on his face. Any other time, I would have run to him for comfort. But I knew that if I tried to explain it to him, all I'd get was an even worse fight. Instead, I turned on my heel and walked past both him and Kaleb. "I'm going to go pack my bags."

I could hear both of them calling after me, but I didn't wait. I knew nobody, besides Mom and Elisa, would support me, but I didn't care. At this point, I didn't have anything else left to lose.
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