Untamed

Chapter 9

***Hey, guys! I just wanted to let ya know: There are very slight spoilers for Sleepless in Seattle in this chapter. "Very slight" means I tell you one thing that happens at the very beginning of the movie. Just so ya know!***

***(Lloyd's POV)***

***Music Cue***

I'm so dejected when I get back to the monastery. Nya feels betrayed by me, either because she actually has romantic feelings for me, or because I haven't told her how I feel about Harumi yet. I mean, we are best friends, so she deserves to know.

What's really weighing me down, though, is that I really was starting to like Harumi. I wish she'd give us a try, but I guess she's not into that kind of thing.

I would have been willing to look past all of her craziness – love her for it, help her through it – and it's just not going to happen.

I admit it: I like Harumi more than Nya.

I guess the only thing left to do is apologize to the girl who actually cares about me.

I walk into the kitchen, setting down the keys to the earth drill. Cole let me borrow it today, since my bike is out of commission. My mom would be furious if she realized I'd driven it back alone. She's freaking out now that I've been in my first accident.

I see Kai sitting on the couch with his laptop.

"Hey," I say quietly. "What are you working on?"

"School," he yawns, stretching. "Online classes are horrible. Never take online classes, Lloyd."

"Have you seen Nya?"

"I think she went to her room after she got here...I don't know, half an hour ago. Why?" His overprotective older brother senses leap into overdrive. "Did something happen?"

"She told me she wasn't feeling well, then left Harumi's house early." I'm sure being sick isn't the real problem, but whatever.

Kai curses under his breath. "She didn't tell me." He sets his computer aside, rising. "I'm going to go check on her. I hope she isn't coming down with something, especially right before the first day of school. That'd totally mess her up for her classes."

I roll my eyes. Kai may care about Nya's grades, but I can tell he's more worried about his sister's health. He tends to overreact when it comes to her.

Kai knocks on Nya's door. "Sis? Are you decent?"

Unfamiliar, vague voices sound from inside. I guess she must be watching a movie.

The voices stop. "Go away," Nya grumbles.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I'm not letting you in," she replies.

"I'm your older brother and parental figure. I'm coming in, whether you want me to or not."

The doorknob turns, and Cole pokes his head out. "Hey, Kai. Nya's not in a mood to receive visitors right now, if you haven't noticed."

Her brother's eyes flash fire. "I thought you'd left! What are you doing in my sister's room?"

Cole sighs. "Relax. Jay's in here, too. We're just watching a show."

Kai pushes the door open a little wider to reveal Nya lying on her tummy, Jay's tablet in hand. Jay smiles slightly and waves from next to her, rearranging a blanket that's splayed over her shoulders. It looks like they've made a giant pillow fort on her bed.