Ashes

Twenty-Six: Of Uncertainty

Kyros and I don't speak after that. He doesn't bring it up, doesn't apologize, doesn't even mention that it happened. Our conversations are terse and snippy, and Echo notices immediately.

"What happened?" she asks me one day, and I shrug her off quickly as I focus on the dishes I'm supposed to be washing. I scrub particularly hard at a fork and toss it into the pile of clean dishes, and though I reach for another dirty plate, Echo catches my wrist and forces me to look her in the eye.

"Nothing, Echo. I'm fine," I insist, but she doesn't take the bait.

"You haven't spoken to me for three days, you stopped singing, and have barely left the house. Brynn and I have been here waiting for you to do something the whole time. Tell me again that everything is fine," she challenges, eyebrows raised a little as she looks me over warily. We have a stare-down for a few seconds, and I cave with an eye roll.

"It's just Kyros. Forget about it," I say, and Echo doesn't budge.

"Echo, get out of my way," I growl, as she merely studies my movements. She doesn't even so much as flinch. I can feel Arya's rage bubbling up within me, so when I sidestep and Echo moves to block me, I let out a menacing snarl and let my fist catapult towards her face.

My sister almost laughs as she catches my fist and flips me over her shoulder and onto the floor.

The wind rushes from my lungs audibly, and all I can do is sit there and gasp for a few seconds. I should've known better than to throw a punch at the girl who knows how to snap necks with a twist.

"Fists up, little sister. You've got a lot of rage to let out, and so do I. Let's do this," she huffs, a borderline sadistic grin stretched across her face. I suck in a breath and launch myself to my feet, my leg shooting out to kick at hers, but Echo is ready.

"What do you have to be pissed about?!" I spit, driving my elbow against her ribcage and nearly punching her nose if it weren't for her quick duck.

"I'm a stupid person who makes a lot of stupid mistakes about stupid feelings," she hisses, her fist colliding with my jaw hard enough to send me staggering back a few steps.

"Hayden?" I ask, eyebrows furrowed as I glance at her momentarily. She rolls her eyes, but seizes the opportunity to attack quickly and deliver a kick to my stomach that I mostly manage to avoid. Mostly.

"No, stupid, I'm in love with someone else. Who else?!"

"Huh. First time you've admitted it," I smirk, catching her punch and ducking under her other fist.

"Okay. Bad wording," she says, rolling her shoulders to relieve some tension before attacking again.

"Nah, you said it. Too late to take it back. That's not the important part, though, because we all knew it. What happened?"

"This is about you," Echo spits, her fist colliding with my ribcage solidly before I catch it and flip her over my shoulder instead.

"He kissed me," I mutter, half-under my breath in hopes that she doesn't hear. She does anyway.

"He what?! Why is that a bad thing?!" she questions, lowering her fists a little as she looks at me curiously.

"Because! I'm not ready for that stuff! I chickened out and took off running and now we're not talking," I finish, and Echo raises an eyebrow. Seconds later, her fist is flying towards my face, and I barely manage to duck away from it.

"I think neither of you are. You both need to grow up a bit. You'll make it through this," she assures me, and I let out a scoff as I swipe under her swinging fist.