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It should have been me.

No!

It shouldn’t be any of us.

Why didn’t she see that?

I punched the bed one more time for good measure, then laid down. I’d have to figure something out.

The next morning, I watched her walk down the stairs yawning, followed by Enzo.

“Sleep good?”

She cut her eyes at me, daring me to say something else.

“There was this howling that kept me up last night.”

She continued to glare.

Enzo chimed in, defending her. “She had a bad dream.”

I pouted my lips. “Oh no. A bad dream?” I mocked.

“Fuck off.” She said, pulling up a seat at the table.

Calix choked, and Enzo smiled from ear to ear.

“Lighten up.” I recoiled. I felt a little guilty for being mean, but the other part, the more logical part, knew it’s what needed to be done. She had to see us for what we were and if I was the one that had to show her, then so be it.

The next several days passed much like the others. I had noticed Scarlet was a little quieter, like something was weighing on her, but she wouldn’t share it with us, not even Enzo, who she seemed to have grown rather attached to.

“I’m going out today.” She said, grabbing her bow and quiver off the wall.

“Where are you going?” I asked before I could help myself.

She turned and looked around the room, then landed on me. “I’m sorry. Were you talking to me?”

I put my paper down. Everyone else was doing other things around the house, so it was just her and I… alone… in the living room. “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t care. I was just trying to be polite.”

“You are never polite.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Ok then. See you later.” She turned and started walking outside.

Damn it! I stood up and ran after her, grabbing her wrist, spinning her around. I felt a spark tingle beneath my touch and dropped her wrist like it was a live wire.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I rolled my eyes. “I have no fucking idea.”

It was the truth. My head was telling me to run away, but the other part was jumping up and running after her before I could stop myself.

“I’m going now.”

“I’m going with you.” Shit! It was like there were two people inside of me fighting for control of my mouth.

She laughed, then stopped. “Oh. You’re serious.”