Alienus

Chapter Fourteen

"She's right." I said, looking from Anya, who had decided to head towards us, to Rafe.

Rafe's eyes stayed on mine.

"About?"

"You should stay away from me." I said.

Amusement filled his expression and he let out a laugh. It was a short sound, but it was something that sent a thrill through my veins. His had leaned his head back and the line of his jaw and his throat had been illuminated by golden sunshine. When he looked at me again, there was something more amber about his gaze than black.

And I liked that.

I really really liked that.

Anya was finally near us, when she stepped closer to Rafe. Her hands were gloveless and dirty too and it brushed Rafe's.

Rafe looked down at her, before looking at me again.

But he didn't move away.

Anya looked at me.

Rafe was looking at me.

"Okaaay." I said, deciding to leave before this situation could get anymore awkward.

I started to step around them, when Rafe put his hand out in front of me, to stop me.

He looked at Anya and asked her something in a language that was foreign to my ears. I watched mesmerised as the words flowed out of his lips, like butter, honey and something musical.

I looked down at the arm that was in front of me. It was lean, built and strong looking, leading to a muscled shoulder that the suit did nothing to hide.

The dark hair that curled around his ear was a stark contrast to his skin, though it matched the black of his eyes.

I shook my head and looked down at his hand again.

I narrowed my eyes while they had their conversation.

I cleared my throat and Rafe looked at me.

"As fun as this has been," I said, pressing my index finger to the silver-suited forearm of Rafe's and pushed it away.

I caught the absolute shock on Anya's face in my periphery, just before I walked away.

I headed towards where I had seen Freesia. I kneeled near her and we both silently enjoyed playing our fingers through the damp soil, exchanging small smiles once in awhile.

We were then instructed on how watering the soil worked and how the manure was to be spread so that it can add nutrition to the soil and aid in the growth of the plants.

We were then asked to walk a few hundred meters. We did so quietly, all our minds lost in our own thoughts. Even Freesia didn't ask me what Rafe had told me.

Suddenly I watched as we were surrounded by plants.

Purple and green plants that came up to my shoulders. I started to walk towards it when I heard Rafe's voice.

"We have to trim them or they will grow into trees. And we will have no use for these plants once they grow into trees as they can turn into the tallest trees in the world." He said.

From the box he had had before, he took out a long scissor-like structure and proceeded to show us how the plants were to be trimmed and to what height.

Soon the scissors were spread around and all of us got to trimming, careful to keep the scissors away from the red round fruits that we were specifically instructed to keep from cutting/plucking.