Universal Auction

Chapter 21-Honest

Hope this chapter makes up for my lack of posting lately. June is a rough month for me. It's busy, and there's the anniversary of my Aunts death, which is a hard time for me. There's also quite a few political issues things that have been coming up lately which causes fights in my home. It's hard to write when it feels like I'm using it to avoid issues that I know shouldn't be avoided. But I finally allowed myself to write and not feel guilty about it. I enjoy you, you guys enjoy it, and that's all that matters. Thanks for sticking with me!-A.B.

Theo's POV

I was still a little stunned from our kiss as I exited Zek's room, but I was more confused than anything.

What does he mean by the kiss means something different for him? Doesn't it just mean he likes me?

I pondered what he could have meant by that. I was mostly just hoping that it didn't mean he just proposed to me or something, that would be a little too much for me.

I found Vel first, sitting at a table in his room with a few devices I didn't understand laying on top of it. He turned to me when he heard the door open and gave me a smile.

"Hello, Theo, how are you feeling?" He asked. I hadn't seen Vel much since the incident in the alley. I was with Zek most of the time, and when he came to check in on us it was usually a fairly brief visit.

When I asked Mal why he always had to leave so quickly, he told me it was because he was looking into thing with the Dumarian. Something about how he shouldn't have been able to get into that area of the city without being noticed, so he was searching cameras in the area to see how he did it.

While I didn't doubt that he was doing that, I couldn't help but feel he was avoiding me. I don't know how to explain it, but when he was with me, I could feel that he was sadder than he let on, and that he felt like he was holding onto some guilt. I don't know why he would feel any though. It was my fault that I got taken, and it was my fault that Zek got hurt.

At least he wasn't mad at me like Nadi was.

I haven't seen him since the last time we talked in the hallway. He hasn't come to see me or his brother since.

"I feel okay." I answer to his question. "But um, Zek wanted me to come get you guys."

He looked confused, "oh? Why? Is everything alright?"

"I think so. He said there was something all you guys needed to tell me? I'm not sure what he means, he said you all needed to be there." I responded.

He thought about it for a minute, then he seemed to figure out what Zek thought we all needed to talk about.

"Alright, lets go." He stood and began to leave the room and head for Zek's, but o stopped him before he could get too far.

"Wait! Zek told me to get all of you, but do you think you can go get Nadi for me? I know we're all going to be in the same room anyway, but I don't think he really wants to see me right now." I say quietly.

Mal had told Vel about what happened between us, but Vel still got a sad look on his face when I confirmed we still hadn't talked about the incident yet. I wanted to talk to Nadi about it, but Mal told me he wouldn't be able to stay away for long, and that he just needed to calm down a bit. "He'll talk about it when he's ready", he told me on repeat. It made my heart ache to think that he might hold what happened against me, but who could blame him? I crashed into their lives, started living in their home, and got his brother seriously injured? You can pretty much put me down as the "worst house guest in history".