The Perfect Machine: Kingdom Of Glass (GxG

44. Yes, those are the words

Yes!" Harry yells in delight as the ball bounces towards the goal. Lara and I laugh at each other, knowing he's having fun. Harry just wanted to play at the football table and it was a good idea. There are a lot of table games here, including air hockey, table tennis and a pool table.

"Where does all of this come from?" I ask as I shot the ball in the direction of Lara's goal, but miss.

"Most took them from home and some brought them from the markets," She says, very intent on getting the ball in Harry and my target. It's fun though, maybe Harlow's going to play sometime.

"Yes!" Harry shouts as he raises his hands in the air at the triumph and I can't help but grin.

"Want to play more?" He asks, but I shake my head as does Lara.

"Why don't you play with the boys over there?" I ask him, referring to a group of kids who play table tennis. He appears unsure, but he goes, nevertheless. Lara and I find a comfortable chair to sit on. The television on the wall is playing an old James Bond movie. I can't believe they still exist.

"Can I ask you something?" Lara questions and I nod cautiously, wondering what she wants to ask me.

"How did you end up in this situation? I mean, you look incredibly young and not suited to this part of the world," She says and I snort in laughter.

"Actually, I'm just a twenty-one-year-old history teacher," I chuckle and so does she. Nevertheless, it feels good for a change.

"Yeah, well, I was in prison, escaped with Harlow and we've been on the run for a while. Then we met Mary and Harry. I was shot, and Arthur saved my life," Her whole face turns into disbelief as I say that.

"We agreed to get my parents and go here," I sigh and she stares at me with her mouth open.

"Harlow has kept me safe, and I owe her my life," I say feeling the comfort at the thought of Harlow.

"She doesn't seem, umm,"

"Stable? Caring? No, not right now," I sigh and a sympathetic look is on Lara's face.

"Before she got to the stage she is at right now. She was a different person. Harlow was sweet, caring, confident, and protective,"

"Now, she's impatient, angry, and reckless," I add, and an apologetic smile crosses Lara's face.

"Yes, those are the words," Lara says with a grin and for some reason, I see the humour in it, too. I turn to the left when I see someone walking by the door in a rush, but I gaze back at Lara.

"Can I ask you something again?" She asks, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Of course," I say feeling a little frightened of what I've committed to.

"Do you think she's going to survive?" She wonders and an uneasy sensation arises in my chest. I hate to think of it, it's not soothing, and I don't want to be reminded of it. It may be selfish. Yet not hearing it won't make it go away.

"Well, if she doesn't survive, it's going to destroy me," I say, looking down at the floor, praying it won't happen.

"It sounds like someone has a crush," She smiles, I snort, and my cheeks burn.

"I don't know," I say, trying to shield myself from more humiliation. I'm not sure what my feelings are for Harlow, whether they're friendly, a mild crush or well love.

"Is it strange that I don't know that?" I reply shyly.

"What do you mean by that?" She says, puzzled.

"Is it odd that I don't know that I like her or that I don't?" I ask, and her eyes widen as she sits back in the chair, a little surprised at my question.

"Well, I don't know," She shrugs.

"You can always ask yourself these questions. Like, do you miss her when she's gone? Do you think about her often? Does she make you smile? Does she give you butterflies?" She grins and now my cheeks are on fire.

"I-I don't know," I say, embarrassed and look at the floor to avoid eye contact as I think about the questions.