Gravitating : Book 1 (The Defying Series)

Chapter Sixteen

It had been storming way too hard ever since Mia woke up. If it didn't stop anytime soon, she'd have to ditch the plan on going to the Library. The school was supposed to open in next week and she hadn't made much progress with the Legacy. Missing out would mean that she will need to head over to the Library after school to complete her reading. 

She cringed at the thought, she absolutely hated to think about what Nick's reaction would be to Xavier. She was not ready for that. She slipped out of her bed and removed the curtains from the windows. There was no sunlight that peeked in today. The clouds had completely masked the sky and the fog was covering everything beyond the gates.

There was no way she could go out today. After changing out of her pjs Mia walked downstairs for breakfast. As usual her breakfast waited for her at her bedroom. Once done with her breakfast she headed downstairs to find Sebastian and Jonathan sitting  by the fire place and the mothers were on the sofa.

"I hope you don't have any plans to go out today my dear" Susanne said as Mia sat down the table.

"Not with the storm brewing outside. Have you contacted Nick? Are they alright wherever they are?"

Susanne nodded in response. "They are alright sweet heart. Don't worry about them. I overheard your uncle discussing about some archery today, would you like to join them?"

Mia raised her eyebrows at her aunt. "I haven't shot an arrow in like two years." She laughed. "I'd look ridiculous in front of them"

"Oh of course not!" Susanne cried, waving her hand in front of her face like she was shooing Mia's words away. "Don't forget that you have practiced it for eight years before that" She added. "Me and Scarlett would be there too to boost your morale"

Mia shook her head, knowing that she had no way out from this. "Alright. Since I have nothing to do. But you have to promise me that you won't laugh, even if I miss every shot!" She added.

"Oh I wouldn't have laughed anyways" Susanne chuckled. "Sebastian, our little girl agreed for the archery match" She announced.

Mia chocked on her orange juice and immediately put the glass down. "Match?" She wailed.

"Just a friendly match Starr" Sebastian added.

"Right" Mia muttered. She pretty much knew why they were doing this. They wanted to keep her occupied enough to not let her feel the need to go out today.

Everyone walked out to the backyard after Mia completed her breakfast. The day had cleared up enough to see what's twenty feet ahead of you, not more than that. The board was set and the gears were opposite to it.

"Ready?" Sebastian asked a smile playing on his lips.

Mia looked back at Susanne and shook her head.

"Don't you dare to make my baby lose" Susanne announced glaring at Sebastian.

Sebastian raised his hands up in surrender while Johnathan let out a deep laugh. It had been two years since Mia had touched her bow, and she had no idea how Sebastian found it as it was resting in front of her. Johnathan had already picked his bow up and was aiming at the target.

The wind that was blowing wasn't strong enough to waver the arrow so when Johnathan shot the arrow it landed exactly at the centre of the target.

"Would you like to go next?" Sebastian asked picking out an arrow and placing the nock in front of her.

Mia knew she would lose the target even if she went last, at least the wind wasn't strong now so it was safe. She held the nock and picked her bow up. Keeping her legs shoulder width apart she pointed her left shoulder at the target, focused and pulled the arrow back. All she could hear was the swish and then the arrowhead hitting the board.

"I didn't think it would hit" Mia laughed, turning to Sebastian.

The arrow had hit the outermost circle on the board and it was obviously not bad for someone who hadn't lifted a bow in years.

"I want the next to be right in the centre Star" Sebastian smiled before assuming his position and hitting his arrow right in the centre.

The wind picked up when Johnathan walked up to the basket that held the arrows. This shot was not going to be easy and even an amateur could tell that but as if sensing Johnathan's eyes on the target, the wind slowed for the shortest second and the arrow hit the centre of the target.

"That was brilliant" She muttered, still stunned. The shot was in perfect sync with the time the wind stopped and the wind had stopped for just a fraction of second. Johnathan smiled in reply and Mia walked over to her spot.

The wind was flying away the hair over her shoulders when she pressed the arrow against her bow. She knew she couldn't sense the wind to stop and then shoot. She wasn't that fast, but she could feel the strength of the wind and use it in her favour. Praying that the wind doesn't slow down while her arrow is in mid air she shot it. A blink later, Johnathan's arrow rested on the ground and Mia's arrow had claimed the centre of the target.

She could hear the sharp intake of breath that came from her right. Mia turned to see the proud face of Sebastian and the shocked faces of the Knights. "Now that was brilliant" Johnathan said in praise. Patting her back as she stood beside him.

"She is inhumanly talented. I told you that didn't you" Sebastian announced to Johnathan as hewent ahead for his turn.

Mia watch his arrow hit the target too, and even Johnathan hit the target once again but no one replaced her arrow like she had done. She knew both of them could if they wanted, but they didn't because they knew she would probably cry if they removed the only arrow she had hit on the target. They were just being soft for her.

"Make this one brilliant too" Sebastian muttered as Mia started walking to her position. She turned around and smiled at him before picking up the arrow. She felt the wind pick up again, harder this time as her hairs flew off her neck and landed on her back.

She knew she could do it again, maybe not replace someone's arrow but she at least land on the target. She drew the bow, assessing the wind as the string stretched to gather the force to tear through the wind and land on the target but the shivers that drew up her spine just before she released the arrow made it drop just beside Johnathan's previous arrow. On the ground.

"Xander!"

Mia turned around breathless. She had no idea why her heart was now hammering against her chest and her face felt like it was on fire. Maybe because she lost the shot? What else could it be. Even with all the thoughts rushing in her head her eyes were fixed on Xander entering. When she realised that she had been staring too long she tore her eyes off him and tried to find everyone else.

"Where is everyone else?" She asked.

Xander didn't look at her, he walked over to his mother and spoke. "Nick is parking the car, we dropped the girls home"

Mia had never wanted to slap someone so much throughout her life.

"I'll go see Nick" She muttered before walking away from the scene and listening to Mrs Knight asking Xander to stop being rude- she muted out the rest of it. It's been a while since she gave a thought to Xander, specifically why he was so offhand with her.

"Probably God doesn't even know what that guy has got against me" She muttered opening the door to the garage.