LAIKA Silence hovered over us like ripe peaches as we ate. I caught Ari's eyes averting from me each time I looked up. Then I also noticed that she often stared at Morpheus too. It hit me. To Morpheus, she was a family friend, but she was in love with him. A case of unreciprocated love. It w
LAIKA We retired for the night, and Ari returned to wherever she came from. I was given the most enormous room in the house with the biggest bed to feel comfortable. I lay there staring at the ceiling because I could not sleep. The moon streaming in from the window made sleeping even more diffi
LAIKA I was able to get some alone time with Ari after breakfast. Claudia went off to do something somewhere, and I met Ari alone in the kitchen, humming a song to herself while doing the dishes. I walked in and took the ones she had rinsed already toward the plate rack. "I did not
LAIKA We made our way through the streets as dancers wriggled their bodies to the rhythm of the music produced by the drummers. Morpheus, Ari, and I made our way through the euphoric crowd. I would not say I was not enjoying the festival. I wore a bright smile as Morpheus led us through the
"I promise, I have not come here to hurt anyone except that bastard Morpheus. I will be as civil as I can be. We can join that festival and search for her. That is the only way we can find her if she is there." "I feel you are right," Jago said. "It will still cause drama. Laika w
LAIKA The ceremony was getting exciting, and Morpheus was nowhere to be found. I did not want to ask about him because I did not want Ari to feel bad about it. I was not there to rile her or remind her how difficult her love was. I knew she was hurt enough, and even though I knew she and Mo
Ari had a triumphant look. "The almighty Laika is scared of someone? That is interesting. Did you see someone you recognized here?" she leaned closer. "You know, I do not trust you. There is something about you that feels strange." "Yes, I understand you. A lot of people find me strange beca
LAIKA The person covered my eyes with his large palm and quickly flipped me to face them. Before I got a chance to even speak and know who they were, his lips crashed on mine, knocking out all my breath. I reached for his shoulders to steady myself, and that was when I noticed his braid. This wa