OBTICEO

Chapter 23: DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

"What is it?" I repeated. He helped fix my clothes.

"Huh? What?" I stood straight, crossing my arms on my chest. I gave him a light push, he looked confused.

"The important thing you were saying a while ago!" I said irritated at him, I saw him looking at my lips, still. So I stick my tongue out and licked my lips. I am also trying my best to mot seem affected by what happen a few seconds ago. I acted naturally.

"Snap out of it!"

"Oh right! I'm sorry I lost focus, your lips taste really good" he smiled looking directly at eyes, my face immediately reddened. Can't he just pretend like nothing happened? I am already embarrassed right here.

"Okay! About tomorrow" Finally! We are changing the topic but I can still feel the awkwardness around us. Remind me why we did that? That was so disgusting. I tried calming my inner self and forget about what happened, a couple of minutes ago.

"What about it?" he did not finish his sentence. He's doing it on purpose. I never appreciated cliff hangers. Why not be straight to the point.

"I talked to Gio about what are the things he taught you, I was looking for you so I could teach you more thing like how you would avoid punches and also to test your self-defense knowledge. Gio told me that you took self-defense classes back in Elletra" I just realized that they like talking about me behind my back. I kept hearing them saying that they found out something about me from someone else. I thought sticking your nose to somebody else's is forbidden. My life is not their business.

"Yeah. I did. Okay, I'm in" as much as I want to get out of this place now, my practicality strikes in, telling me that this would help me a lot. Great! Up until now, I still don't have a choice.

"But before that let me ask you a question first" he said as he walk to the empty space in the park. The park as a whole is pretty empty. Aside from the three and a bench there is nothing on it. Caligo did not have to walk far to reach an empty space in the park. "What is it?" I asked as I follow after him.

"Just how wealthy your family is that you need to learn self-defense?" well its not really necessary to learn self-defense since most of people are afraid that their love ones would be sent here on the island. But my father was persistent, saying that it would be helpful someday. Look at me now? My father was right, it will be helpful. I just didn't think that I will need it to survive Kavan training.

"Well back in Elletra, our family ranked 4th among all wealthy families" I honestly answered but I started hearing people talk about us moving us to third spot since one of the family that ranked higher than us was pulled down, they said they started loosing their wealth. Reason? I don't know and I don't care.

"I didn't know you were that rich. Okay that's it. Let's start the lesson now. This park is a good place anyway. Let's start by having a duel. I will attack and you will defend. Do you want me to take it easy on you--"

"Shut it! Give it all you've got" He was kissing me literally a minute ago. And now his back with his discriminating me? Well its better, awkwardness started to disappear. But him, discriminating me, overlooking my potential just because I am a girl is really maddening.

I went closer to him as he made an attacking stance. Time to show what I've got.

"I d-didn't know you were that g-good" he said as we both catch our breath. I did not just defend from his attacks, whenever I get a chance, I will charge to him as well. Back in Elletra, I did more than just basic defense, I took the advance class and I was good at it. Although we weren't taught how to attack, the classes I took was helpful for me to adopt to the offense side.

"Well, its not my fault that all of you kept underestimating me" I answered after taking a deep breath. It was really tiring. The duration took about 30 minutes.

"No, its not like that. We were just surprised to see a girl joining the team. We did not expect it. The last time a women joined the Kavan trainees was the team before the team before us. So technically, we haven't met one" I know I was not the first girl to be a Kavan trainee but when he mentioned about it, it gives me courage that I will get through all of thus and become a Kavan guard.

"Really? So she is roaming somewhere here right? Or was she sent to Elletra?" I bet that women kicked all the men's ass. She must have proven them that women is equally strong as man and sometimes even stronger.

"Well she was supposed to be sent to Elletra, to be specific, she was assigned to be one of the Kavan guards in the castle" supposed? Does that mean she was not able to go to Elletra.

"Supposed? What happen?" I know I'm being nosy but I can't help but wonder about the reason she wasn't able to go.

"She didn't make it. She died during the chase. Her husband is also a Kavan guard but her husband was assigned only to Elletra not the castle" Chase? Kavan guards chase another Kavan guards? Well the only reason that could occur is that they harmed other people or they tried to escape, but why would they escape when both of them is assigned to Elletra? The former option would lead them give them punishments. The latter option shouldn't even become an option unless Kavan guards assigned to the castle aren't allowed to see Kavan guards outside the castle. Its probably the latter one.

"So? They should have go with it. At least both of them are on the same island" I said thinking that their reason was the latter one.

"Of course, they should be. But the problem is, they had children. They can't take their children with them" Children? I suddenly remembered Khael's story about his family. But he did not mention having siblings. Oh wait! I think he did but I cut his words so...

"Khael?" I asked making sure of my thoughts.

"You knew about Khael's story? How?" He was surprised that I knew. What's with his reaction? I'm not like him whose telling everyone about other's life. I asked it directly to Khael and I have not a bit of intention to mention it to others, even to Gio. I'm not like him whose has a blabber mouth.

"Yes. He told me about it" I simply answered.

"When? I didn't hear you talking about it back in the cell. What else did you talked about?" Why is he curious? Is he afraid that Khael told me his story too? I don't think Khael is like that. He's a bit nosy but unlike this guy here in front of me, he isn't a blabber mouth.

"We did not talk about it on your cell. What else did we talked about? Well, its a secret I guess" I shrugged.

"Secret? We just kissed a while ago--"

"I know and I don't care" he didn't have to bring it up. It doesn't even have a connection with whatever we are talking about right now.

"Are we done? I still need to go home" I don't know where I am, it might take a while before I find a familiar road. I looked at Caligo, he was just sending me death glares, as if it could kill me.

"Tsk! I was supposed to teach you how to avoid getting punched. But I won't do it unless you tell me when you and Khael talked about it" It is a very interesting lesson. But this guy right here is having tantrums and I have enough of his bratty attitude. If he keeps going, I won't be able to stop myself, I might kill him.

"Then I guess I won't learn how to avoid punches" he's not the only one who can be a brat. I excel in that department too, thank you very much.

"Really? You'll do that just to keep your dirty little secret?" he said that with a tone I can't name. Its like a mixture of anger and sarcasm. He is mocking me and my decision.

"Maybe? Well if that's the end, I better go"