Heartbeats

Chapter 19 : Love or not

The bright illuminations that came from the street lights passed by his eyes, as they rode through the neighborhood. A shiver ran down his spine every time the cool air from the car's air conditioning turned to him. August just told himself that it was cold and his skin was just not used to it yet.

Although August still wondered, if the shiver really did come from the coldness of the air or from the intense aura of the driver beside him.

"Sasha is injured. How bad was it?" Gavril asked.

"How'd you know?"

August saw Gavril tapped the mask where his nose was, "I know how her blood smells."

August frowned, "you're creepy."

"I don't care." Gavril said as he continued to drive, "but what I want to know is that how did she get injured?"

"Daniel threw a knife at me and Sasha blocked it with her arm. It all happened so fast. I didn't even realize what happened until Johann came in and treated Sasha."

August watched Gavril's hand gripped the wheel tighter. The younger man looked back and forth from Gavril's face to his hand, he tried to read the Commander's mood even if the mask had made it difficult.

'There it is again.' August thought. A shiver ran down his spine once more and this time he was sure that the wind was not blowing in his direction.

"Sasha pointed her gun at me many times before but she never shot it. Sometimes her fingers didn't even go to the trigger...but Daniel didn't even hesitate to throw a knife at me."

"Daniel's supposed to be your best friend. Why would he kill you?"

"Probably because he saw me and Sasha in the kitchen..." He watched the Commander's eyes very carefully, "...cuddling."

Gavril suddenly stepped on the break, if not for August's seat belt the young man might had hit his head on the dashboard.

"Hey!" August shouted.

Gavril stopped the car and just stared in front of him. August was now certain; the chill in the air did not come from the air, but from the Dog.

There were two things that had made Gavril act that way: one, was that the fact that they were already that intimate with each other; and two, was just the thought of Sasha hurt because of some boy. It was easy enough to put the two together and as much as it made his blood boil, he knew what was happening.

"I only asked you to make her smile. I didn't ask you to be her lover." He growled.

The words tasted awful on his mouth. He could not begin to imagine Sasha being in love, or Sasha being close to someone like August.

August had his heart jumping out of the cage of his chest. He swallowed and spoke with dry lips, "It's not like I planned this. It's true that I am attracted to her but I don't know what happened."

Gavril turned to August. The young man pulled away only to be stopped by the door behind him. August was afraid, deathly afraid.

"You don't know?! How do you not know when she even got injured for you!" All of Gavril's futile attempt to calm down went out of the window.

"I just don't. I didn't intend for this to happen but it's not something you could control." August tried to defend himself, "It's not like she's yours."

"She is not yours either. She's not anyone's!" Gavril shouted.

August winced at the words aimed at him. Sharper than a dagger, it stung him; but then again how would he know? He was not the one who was stabbed.