Been you

Secrets

Chapter 4

**Thalia’s P.O.V**

“We should also get going, don’t want to linger around campus more than I should,” said Alexi. He sounded distant but that might be because I was busy looking at his brother’s back from around the corner.

“Yeah let’s all leave,” was Riyah’s response. “Sayeed, are you coming with?” Alexi asked, I still couldn’t find my voice to respond or even snap out of my reverie to make any movements. “Earth to Thalia,” came Riyah’s voice as she shook me out of whatever I was in.

Finally finding my voice I responded, “Yeah, we should go,” that came out more hoarse than I had thought it would. “What on earth happened to your voice?” Alexi asked an I cleared my throat. “Don’t know,” I shrugged, “been quiet for too long I guess?”

“Could Alexi’s Greek god-looking brother have anything to do with it?”, Riyah asked. “WHAT!? No! That is ridiculous,” I defended myself. “I don’t know,” Alexi said, pretending to be in deep thought, “you were rather quiet around him. I mean, Riyah is the quiet one but she was talking more than you,” he finished, with a knowing smirk on his face.

“It was nothing like that,” I defended once again. If I carry on defending myself like this, could go south quick. “I’m just tired and out of it. I am so over today, I just want to get back to dorm so I can sleep, alright?” I lie.

Alexi just gives me a knowing look and Riyah agrees with me about being tired. “Alright, let’s get going then, I also can’t wait to get home,” Alexi just says. I am thankful that he doesn’t push me further about this issue because I can only lie for so long.

We continue our way to Alexi’s car and get in. he starts the engine and we’re soon driving off to our dorm when I remember I wanted to ask Alexi about yesterday.

“Hey Raines,” I say from beside him, “yesterday while you were with me and we were making plans about going clubbing…” I trail off, allowing him time to remember what I’m talking about. “Thalia, I thought you said you were tired,” he almost whined, causing me to laugh.

“I am but-“ I begin, before he cuts me off, “then let’s just focus on getting you back to your room so you can get some rest. We’ll discuss clubbing some other time,” he said, waving a dismissal had at me. I glare at him, “will you just let me speak,” I say, before continuing, “as I was saying before you interrupted me, yesterday when we were talking about going clubbing, you spaced out,” I said, looking at Alexi with concern.

I watched as his eyes widened with realization of what I had just said. He quickly recovered from his shock, “Oh, well, I do that sometimes. It’s nothing to be concerned about, really,” came his response. “But your eyes changed color,” I added.

“I’m on medication for my ‘zoning out’ episodes, that’s one of the side effects. My eyes change color,” he added nonchalantly. I still didn’t want to believe him, but why would he lie? So instead of pushing the issue even further, I gazed out the window at out approaching dorm building.

Alexi stopped the car out front before adding, “Here we are. You guys get some rest, goddess knows we all need it after today,” “True,” Riyah chimed in. Goddess? “Who do you people pray to?” I asked, confused at what I just heard. Alexi and Riyah just laughed.

“I’m not exactly Christian,” said Riyah, “Neither am I,” Alexi. “Oh…” I trailed off, deep in thought. Why would I even think that they were Christian? Especially Riyah, sometimes assuming is not the best policy after all.

“Anyway, bye Raines. See you tomorrow,” I said. “Thanks for the ride,” came Riyah’s voice. “Anytime,” replied Alexi. He soon sped off down the street while Riyah and I walked to our room together in comfortable silence.

The silence was soon broken by my phone ringing. When I took it out of my pocket, the screen flashed Dylan. I groaned thinking about how much he was going to scold me. “Boyfriend?” Riyah asked from beside me as we entered our room.

“Brother,” came my response. “Yikes. I’m sure he just wants to know how his little sister is doing, no big deal,” she said, trying to sound positive. Going against my better judgement, I picked the call, don’t want to be in anymore trouble than I am possibly already in.

“Dylan! What’s up big bro?” I asked, sounding cheerful.

“Don’t give me that tone,” he sassed, yikes, “where have you been and why haven’t you called or texted me?”

“So you’re just giving me sass because you missed me?” I asked, once again trying to relieve this tension on the call.

“I don’t miss you, I was just worried about you, there’s a difference!” he spat back. Wow, he’s upset.

“Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry. I did call mom last night though. I had one hell of a day on campus for orientation, so I had planned calling when I woke up from my nap because I am so tired,” I whined the last part.

“I see, so you only call mom and not us?”

Is there no appeasing this guy’s ego?

“Dyl, I said I’m sorry. Are you really going to make this phone call so hard? You know you miss me and frankly, I missed you too so why don’t we just cut this whole act of you being mad at me and get to actually talking about why you really called?”

“You know, for an 18-year-old, you’re pretty wise, even more than me,” he whined, causing me to chuckle.

“How are you Dyl? How’s dad doing?” I asked, swiftly changing the subject.

Dylan and I continued talking for about 15 more minutes about how everything was back home and about how my trip was and the people I’ve met so far, before I had to excuse myself for that nap I’ve been wanting, no, needing.

I immediately drifted off as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I woke up in the middle of a forest. How did I even get here, I thought to myself as I looked around. I was standing in the middle of what appeared to be a meadow. I started walking to the tree line, hoping to get out of this place. As I went deeper into the forest, I heard a loud growl from behind me and I froze in place not wanting to anger whatever just growled at me.

I felt heat, coming off in waves from behind me. Whoever or whatever this thing was, was standing right behind me, sniffing me. I heard a low growl behind my ear as its breath fanned my neck. “Mine,” said a hoarse voice.

Hold on, I know this voice. Whose is it again? As I was trying to figure out who this voice belonged to, a muscular arm wrapped itself around my waist, pulling me flush against a very solid torso. Sparks dancing across my skin wherever his bare one touched mine. The sparks are also familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it.

Although he growled before, I can’t, for the life of me, get myself to feel scared of him. If anything, I feel safe, content with him holding me like this. Standing torso to back, like I was meant to fit here. Like we’re a puzzle piece. I then decided to turn around and look at him.

He was taller than me. So my eyes met with his first two pecs just below his chest. I began lifting my eyes to his face, but before I could even get to his neck, I was pulled back from lala-land by Riyah.

Did she just fall? I slowly opened my eyes and heard feet shuffle past my door and hushed voices. Is that a man’s voice? OMG, Riyah brought a man home? Then again, I didn’t even know she was dating anyone. I didn’t even ask. We should talk about that sometime.

I stayed in bed for 15 more minutes before deciding to get up and see what I can eat. Our dorm was basically a complex, instead of a tall building with rooms, we had mini houses that looked like a suburb neighborhood like we had back home. All houses had one floor.

Anyway, while I went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat, something nudged the back of my head to look out the window. Which I did. And to my surprise, I saw Alexi and Riyah standing outside, seemingly deep in conversation.

So that’s the person she was sneaking? Raines? What could they possibly talk about without me? They barely said anything to each other all day. All they did was act weird.

Something’s up between these two and I know it. I just have to figure out what it is.

As I pulled myself away from my thoughts, I saw Alexi attempt to hug Riyah, to which she put up a hand to stop him, glancing back at our house. I ducked down when she looked in my direction. Moments later, I heard Alexi’s engine roar to life and the door handle twist. I quickly composed myself and acted as if I had not seen anything.

Riyah came into the kitchen, “Hey, you’re awake,” she said, sounding a little nervous. I just shrugged, “Hunger strikes,” to which she laughed. “I thought you were also going to bed, what happened to you?” I ask, hoping she’d tell me what’s up.

“Yeah, I went to bed but then I got up and decided to go jogging,” was her reply. “Around the complex?” “Yeah,” she’s lying, I just know it. “Alright. I was just making myself something to eat. You want some?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Sure. Let me just go freshen up first. I’ll be right back,” she said as she dashed for the bathroom.

She and Alexi are acting strange, I have to find out what’s going on with them.