Rose's POV
"Leave me alone, Bubble-but", Layla mumbled weakly pushing me away. I sighed and looked away. Luke shrugged trying to keep the smile from spreading all over his face.
"Come on, get up", I said shaking her, "we need to talk"
She just mumbled something and turned away from me. I came here two days ago, but I couldn't force myself to do the talk. After that I went back home and fell asleep... if it can even be called like that. When I woke up, I found out I was out for a day and a half. Also, I was freezing most of the time. Maybe I should be worried?
Luke giggled and I got up, snatched out of thought. Guess that we're doing this. If she wants to play, I'll play.
Luke gave me questioning look as I went to the small bathroom-like room and filled one glass with coldest water I have ever touched. I smiled to him and went back to her bed.
That bed looked incredibly warm and spilling water on her would most definitely change that. I dipped my hand in the glass and sprinkled those ice-cold drops of water in her. She twitched a few times and quickly opened her eyes.
"Jerk!" she screamed pushing me away and I stated laughing. She sat up abruptly and looked around with red, angry eyes.
"You are definitely not going to win Marshmallow Mama award today", she snarled and I laughed even harder. As she walked by me, she hit me with her shoulder and continued to the bathroom. I took that opportunity and jumped in her bed trying to repel the coldness.
"Come quickly", I whispered to Luke and he ran to the bed. I lifted the covers and he jumped in by me giggling. I hugged him tightly. He was so warm.
"I think I'm going to use you as my personal heater", I said and pulled him closer.
I could almost feel him frowning so I did the same.
"Rose", he said, "you are way too cold; are you sure you're not sick?"
Right in that moment Layla came back yawning loudly.
"Don't worry kid, that just her natural state, you know, because being extreme sloth is very heat-demanding", she said and yawned again.
"Look who's talking", I retorted and Luke smiled again. Layla raised her eyebrows and threw a pillow from Luke's bed on my face.
"You Fartface", I said dramatically and threw it back. She casually fell on her butt as she tried to dodge it. I was sent a dangerous glare as she got up.
"Act your age, Rosemarie Adams"
"You started it"
"I really cannot remember who came to my room and murdered my sleep"
"Neither can I"
We looked at each other for a few moments in staring contest. Artificial tension increased as she slowly bent down not looking away and took the pillow.
"Don't you dare", I said narrowing my eyes. She did the same and wiggled her eyebrows dangerously.
She let out loud battle cry and jumped with the pillow on top of the two of us. Her weight combined with gravity and incredible force she put in the jump and directed mainly at my stomach had forced out all air out of my lungs. Luke yelled and started laughing along with Layla and me.
She definitely should have trained for professional wrestler. With so little mass she is able to do so much damage that I can't even think what would happen if she had some meat on those heavy bones.
She wiggled her way in the bed on Luke's other side hitting me with her elbow in the process. I yelped and we started laughing once again. My cheek bones started hurting and my eyes were watering.
Our laughter slowly quieted down and we were just lying in comfortable silence. The coldness was slowly going away, but somehow I knew it wasn't going to leave me any time soon. A dark cloud loomed over my mind and I remembered why I actually came there.
"You two are crushing me", Luke cried out dramatically and jumped out. He ran to his corner and continued with building. He was quite good at it actually. I've never seen a kid so talented at something like construction at such a young age. Maybe he could do that for living one day.
I sighed.
"We have to talk to Daniel", I said and Layla nodded so I proceeded, "I think he had something to the with that bombing"
She pushed her lips together and frowned.
"I was thinking the same thing"
"He did act strangely lately"
She raised her eyebrows and stretched. I pushed her leg off of mine and she hit me with her elbow in between my ribs in return.
"I've seen him leave someone's apartment angrily saying nonsense", she said slowly after a minute of silence. I looked up wondering why she didn't tell me this sooner.
"I dismissed it", she sighed, "It was stupid, I know"
I massaged my temples trying to drive away a headache. There were way too many thoughts to process.
"I can't believe he tried to kill Adrian", I said bluntly and only after that I realized I was a bit angry about it. I frowned.
"Do you mean that you can't believe our Daniel tried to harm anyone or that anyone could harm your prince?"
She had a point. I licked my lips. It took me a few moments to think about it. "Both"
She chuckled humorlessly and raised her eyebrows.
"I can't believe you forgave him so easily", she commented, "You should've let him worry for a day or two just to learn his lesson"
"Well, we're not really in position to play games", I said defensively.
"That doesn't stop him, though"
I frowned.
"Don't be mad, I'm just warning you", she added.
"Shall we go?"
She stretched again and yawned. "We shall"
* * *
The coldness was consuming me slowly. I breathed out and tried to warm my hands. I felt a hand rubbing my upper arm.
"You look like you're going to die", Layla said sympathetically and I rolled my eyes.
"Thank you"
"You're welcome"
She knocked a few more times even louder than the first time. If anyone was in the house, they would most certainly hear that.
"Daniel", she shouted, "If you don't open any time soon, Rose is going to freeze and I will have to drag her frozen ass in the grave that will most definitely be dug by me alone and then I will be so tired and angry, because I always have to do everything by myself that I'm going to kill you"
We heard muffled sounds behind the door. I wondered what Layla would say if Daniel's grandfather opens the door. That would certainly be a funny scene.
"Do you hear me", she continued and knocked again, "Daniel, do you want to be murdered?"
I heard a thud and Daniel cursing something. A moment later he opened the door. His black hair was messy and his tired blue eyes were incredibly dull. He was leaning to the door frame without a shirt with his flawless body on full display.
"What?"
Layla rolled her eyes and walked by him pushing him away. When she noticed that I'm not following, she turned around and dragged me in.
Daniel closed the door and scratched the back of his head. He turned around looking really disoriented until he saw his t-shirt. He slowly put it on and then sat on the only chair in the room. I rubbed my hands together.
That bed looked very warm.
"So, what is this intervention about?" he asked. I bit my lip and made a few steps towards the bed. To lie down or not to lie down - that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.
It won't be weird if I do, will it?
I dismiss those thoughts and sat down wrapping myself up in that poor blanket. I wasn't so cold anymore, so I was able to think.
I looked up and saw both of them looking at me.
"You okay?" Layla asked seriously concerned. I nodded and turned to Daniel deciding for a direct approach â through the wall, head first.
"Did you put the bombs in the school?"
Silence filled the room. He looked taken aback with his blue eyes widened and his mouth gaping. A second later he frowned and pushed his lips together.
"I don't know... did you sleep with the enemy", he retorted.
Layla crossed her arms on her chest and opened her mouth to say something, but I was faster.
"You know you could've killed us too"
He raised his eyebrows and crossed his rams on his chest defensively.
"You two shouldn't have been there", he said getting angrier by every second, "That was never a part of a plan"
"But it happened you ass", Layla screamed. Daniel got up with the angry look in his eyes.
"The two of you are traitors", he growled.
Layla raised her eyebrows and laughed mockingly. "If you were twice as smart, you'd still be stupid", she said.
"Oh, and you do understand that people just tolerate your insolent self"
They were looking deep into each other's eyes. Daniel's face was red from anger and Layla tilted her chin up.
"Careful Dany, don't let your brain get to your head... but keep talking though, maybe someday you'll say something intelligent"
He took a step towards her. She moved closer getting into his face. He clenched his fist and for a moment I thought he was going to hit her.
"It's better to let someone think you are an idiot than to open your mouth and prove it"
"I know I'm talking like an idiot... I have to, or you won't understand me"
He raised his hand.
"Enough!" I yelled finally. They shut up still looking at each other and the only thing that could be heard was their rapid breathing.
"Tell me one thing Daniel Zielinski", I said slowly taking their attention fully "With everything aside, how would you live with yourself knowing you took someone's life?"
Daniel's breathing slowed down and he looked away. "They don't deserve to live"
I took a deep breath. "It's not up to you to decide"
"Then who?" he asked desperately turning back to me, "Who will do it"
"Revenge won't bring your family back", I said quietly, "Vigilantes don't live long in the real world and you have so much to live for"
Daniel smiled sadly and sat back down.
"You don't understand... you never will"
"What's wrong with you", Layla chimed in, "When did the most popular boy in high school become the blueprint used to make a standard idiot"
He looked up to her.
"When they killed my entire family", he answered bluntly, "And now tell me, when did you two became so eager to save alien population?"
I shook my head. He was being difficult.
"Was it before or after their Prince took your virginity?" he asked now turned to me. That is just too much.
"You don't know what you're talking about"
"Oh really", he said and laughed humorlessly, "I bet told you he loves you and you're the only girl who can make him feel this way... so basic. I thought you were better than that"
I got up feeling the heat rising into my cheeks.
"How dare you", I said and clenched my hands into fists, "You are the last person in the world who can judge me right now. You know nothing about me... or him for that matter."
He laughed and got up too.
"When did you became so cold and so lifeless?" I spat those words like poison, "And don't give me that bullshit about your parents death, because we all lost somebody that day and I don't see anyone killing aliens who, FIY, had also shed blood on arrival. Humans are not made to kill, we never were..."
"What were we made for, hmm? To love?" he said mockingly.
"Yes exactly! To love one another, to enjoy life, to help others...to forgive", I said gently and bit my lip. I smiled slightly and shrugged. I can't believe I said something so mushy... but so true. He watched me in some weird way and I realized that I have no idea what he is thinking about. I just hoped he was taking me seriously.
As the silence stretched, the tension amplified. I saw his face slowly getting the features of a deep frown.
"Get the fuck out of my home, whore", he finally said in dangerous tone that broke my heart.
Before I could stop myself, I slapped him so hard that he stumbled a few steps back.
"I don't even know who you are anymore", I said and rushed out with Layla trailing closely behind me. I felt tears pile up in the corner of my eye and I angrily wiped them away. Stupid, stupid Rose! When will you learn?
I walked and walked not looking where I'm going. Layla walked beside me not talking. With every step we were departing further and further from the main area and closer to the woods.
Suddenly I stopped and my hand freely flew to my mouth in attempt to repress a sob. I was shaking and my eyesight was getting blurrier by a second.
I felt arms embracing me and I leaned in desperately.
"I can't do anything right", I croaked and squeezed her tighter. She rubbed my back in comforting way.
"It's not your fault he's an ass", Layla said after a few minutes. I sighed and moved away with a weak smile on my lips. It slowly fell off and twisted into a sad grimace.
I was still shivering, but now it was because of coldness. I almost forgot about it.
"Let's get your frozen ass back..." she started saying when the deep voice I was dying to hear these last few days cut her off.
"Rose?"
Adrian.