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H o l l o w s   I n
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"Hey, so you know you're teaching me self-defence..?" I started up a conversation as Jameson and I walked towards our dorm room. Dinner had gone...well...and never came back.

To say the least, Lexi had made it awkward, not that we acted differently after it, but there was certainly a different air around us.

Jameson turned to smile at me, "Your body." He told me, reminding me of my embarrassing mistake. I closed my eyes. For Gods sake, Sky, why did you ever introduce the subject as your body?

Nonetheless, I nodded. "Well, I was thinking–"

"–oh, that's far too dangerous; stop." Jameson interrupted. I gaped at him. But I didn't know whether it was because I was offended, or if it was because he had actually made a joke. My gape turned into a glare and Jameson held up his hands in defence, though his face looked humoured.

"As I was saying, I was thinking that perhaps erm..."

"Have you stopped thinking?" Jameson asked. So I slapped him on the arm. He burst out into laughter, and I gave him a confused glance. His eyes were alight. Alight with joy. But why?

I shook my head. "Now that I'm seventeen," I started and Jameson hummed, as if to gesture for me to continue. "Well, back home, I'd be allowed to start learning to drive." The more I said, the quieter more voice was, because the more I spoke, the more I realised that I sounded weird. There was a silence that followed.

"No." Jameson said, and then said nothing more.

Anger boiled up in me, but I tried to contain it. "So you can teach me self-defence but draw the line at driving cars?" I asked, disbelieved by what I was hearing in this moment.

Jameson nodded.

"Oh for the sake of many people in heaven, what the hell is wrong with driving a car?" I asked, throwing my hands up in the air.

"Self-defence prevents your death, and driving puts you in a position where death is more likely." Jameson explained.

I groaned. "Because there's more of a chance of me dying whilst driving than there is in my normal pursuit of life." I commented out of frustration. Jameson stuck the key into the door and said no more.

Once we were in, I slipped off my shoes with a sigh, my socks following after—of which I threw into the laundry bin.

"Would it make you happy to learn how to drive?" Jameson suddenly asked. I frowned, turning around to see him looking conflicted as he gazed over at me.

I nodded. "It would." I told him. He seemed to consider this for a few seconds. Then he sighed.

"Fine. You can learn to drive. But I'm teaching you." I almost couldn't believe what he was saying. And then I squealed, jumping over to him with a huge grin on my face.

"Thank you, thank you!" I shouted as I went, then, I fell into him for an embrace, "Love you, love–"

I froze, realising what I had just said. I pulled away slowly, seeing Jameson look slightly dazed and confused.

"That was..er..I mean–"

"I know," Jameson said, backing away, "you didn't mean it." It wasn't the words that he spoke, but the expression on his face that caused the pang in my chest. His face held an expression of sadness, regret, pain.

I turned away; I couldn't watch him fall apart like this.

I couldn't promise that I meant what I said just to make him feel better, because I don't know what I feel for him in this moment. I'm lost and I don't know which path is the right one home.

So I walked away, grabbed my pyjamas, and headed into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Once locked inside the room, I leaned against the door and sighed. November was coming, and never did I ever think that I'd be battling emotions as well as the cold.

November.
The Halloween party is tomorrow.

With that in mind, I cleaned myself up, slipped on my pyjamas and did other night routine stuff. Like pretending to brush your teeth and stuff.

I unlocked the bathroom door and walked out, switching on my bedside light and turning the mains off. I brushed through my hair one last time before pulling the blinds and slipping into my bed.

I laid there for a few moments. Then the door between Jameson's room and mine creaked.

"Are you asleep?" He asked, voice soft.

"Depends." I responded. "Are you coming to tuck me in?" I asked. Jameson stifled a laugh but approached me nonetheless.

I frowned, pushing myself up on my elbows, the light from my bedside lamp providing enough of a glow for me to make out the features of Jameson's face. And they were crumpled. I furrowed my eyebrows; was he still upset over earlier?

He sat down on the end of my bed. "I've been thinking," he started. From my elevated position, I watched him stare at his hands for a few moments, as if they were empty, and he was trying to figure out what could fill them.

"When Alexi is named your Guardian—which will be soon—you'll have two Guardians," he said, squeezing his eyes shut. I didn't know what I was hearing, or what he was going to say.

"And you might have to choose. And I want you to choose the person who makes you happy," he exhaled. "It's okay if you don't want me to be your Guardian."

I stared at him. Shadowed in darkness but lit by the dimmest of lights. The shadows clung to the hollows of his cheekbones and the dips of his eyes.

Something shifted then and there, it was as if a curtain had been drawn and I was seeing the behind the scenes of Jameson. The parts that no one else could see. Because he hid this side of him. Because he believed that this side was weaker, more vulnerable. What he didn't know was that the display of his emotions was the thing that changed my perception of him in that moment.

I knew I viewed him differently, but I could pinpoint what I could see now, how this moment had shaped him differently in my eyes. And it was almost as if I'd never viewed him as a villainous spawn of Satan upon my return to the Academy. He was crowned in light but shrouded in shadows.

But he didn't know that I saw him like that.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position. "Jameson," I spoke only his name, but my tone of voice held so many emotions, so many that he turned to look at me.

"Why would I ever not choose you?" His breath caught, "how could I ever?" He stared deep into my eyes, as if he was seeking assurance of my words.

I sat half a metre away from him, but I leaned closer and outstretched my arm, reaching towards his head. He watched my hand near closer, and then closed his eyes as I pushed a stray lock of brown hair from where it lain on his eyebrow. And he didn't stop me. Instead, he looked quite relaxed.

I let my palm rest on the side of his face. "Besides, I might not have to choose." I said at last, watching him open his eyes slowly. He looked at me, eyes warm and fond. He stared at me as if I was the only person in the world that meant everything to him.

I drew my hand away, taking my eyes off him and ducking my head.

I couldn't reciprocate that.

And I think Jameson realised that, if he hadn't already.

With a heavy sigh, he got up off my bed and crossed the distance to the wall between our rooms. He stood by the door. Then I watched him disappear into his room, pushing the door so that it stood ajar.

Then I was covered in darkness.

I got back under my duvet and stared at the end of the bed, where Jameson had been sitting. Thoughts circled around me and each tried to envelope me like the shadows in my dim room.

And I silenced all the thoughts with one distinctive click of my lamp switch.

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A bit late but another update, right ??

And happy Boxing Day to you and to many !!!

I thought the skyson would be nice

Then I realised Jameson got totally denied 😂😂

Anyway

Life goes on

-what car will Sky drive

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Next update: ASAP or tomorrow !!
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CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN SPOILER:

You'd probably be hoping at some point that two people start cosying up.

Two people do cosy up.

Just not the two people you probably want to cosy up.