(It Has that Effect on Me,)

Mars POV

I groan, as morning light burns my eyes.

I knock on Korri's bedroom door.

"Come in."

I open the door, and gasp.

The desk is littered with sketches of three people, but they're all silhouetted, to you can't tell who they are.

Korri is staring out the window, her hands resting on the window sill.

"You okay?" I ask, as I walk up next to her.

She looks startled.

She nods, and goes back to looking out the window.

"I'm good," she breathes.

I pick up a discarded sketch, and hand it to her.

"Nightmares," she mumbles, and snatches it from me.

"What do you want to do?" I ask, longing for her to talk to me.

"I dunno."

"We could out,"

"I- never mind."

"What?"

"That is something we should talk about in a private place, one where no eavesdropping can be committed."

I nod.

Is she mad at me?

We leave the house, telling Lola we're going out to run errands, and run toward the forest.

I try to do a cartwheel, but only get half way into before I fall down.

Korri laughs, and helps me to my feet.

The woods have seemed to always have that effect of me:

Make me feel energized, and feel...

Like a little kid again.

"Just... promise me you won't tell her," Korri whispers.

I nod.

"I-I just don't trust like I used to,"

So she isn't mad at me.

"And... it's like I don't know her anymore."

I nod. "I've felt the same way about Sol when I was little."

Her eyes widen.

"I actually also felt that way when we first met," I chuckle. "I over-thought things, and I freaked out. But, uh, when you hugged me in the graveyard—which IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO DO SUCH THINGS, I MIGHT ADD. But, anyway, that kinda changed when you dragged me back into the house after I fell from the sky,"

She giggles.

"Anyway, the point is that trust grows and deteriorates. It'll be fine."

Korri's jaw drops. "So that's why you were so grumpy afterward."

I frown. "Wait, what?"

She giggles. "Y-you kept getting flustered every time I talked to you."

I can feel my expression go slack.

I'm confused.

She laughs hysterically.

"What?"

"I-its just- ha-ha, i-its just... kinda to remember that!"

I frown. "Remember what?"

"When you kidnapped Lola, and... everything, and now we live with you."

I freeze.

It is kinda funny, but something about it is off-settling.

I smile, as I remember that awkward meet-up.

Yet its a fun memory for me.

And yes, I know how weird that sounds.

I can feel my cheeks burn scarlet.

And that they're going on purple.

Even though she wanted to kill me on the spot, she still understood everything, and didn't accuse me like the Divine had.

"Yeah, that is kinda funny," I say, then we burst out laughing again.

And I can feel a dopey grin forming on my face.

☪

I groan as the ache of running, and playing as hard as I did catches up to me.

I'm probably sunburnt, and Korri definitely is, and I'm pretty sure there are a few dozen more freckles on her face than there had been before.

The sunset and the nice cool breeze steels my nerves, and I start to feel a little loopy.

Korri laughs, and I feel like I might drop dead on my feet.

We start to walk home when Korri pauses.

"What are we gonna say to her? We... we don't exactly look like we just went out to 'run errands'." She frowns.

"We say that by the time we got there the stores were closed." I raise my eyebrows. "Unless you have any other idea."

"She'll never believe it," she says, her voice getting anxious.

I shrug.

And she says nothing.

We walk back to the house, and the first thing we see is a pissed off Lola, pacing on the front porch.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!" Lola snaps, and I feel the pain before I realize: she just slapped me.

"There was traffic," Korri says, grabbing my hand.

She must be able to tell that my temper's about to go off.

"You know I don't believe that." Lola frowns, and Korri gives me an, "I told you so," look. "But come on, I'm getting bored, and I sadly can't cook, so, COME OOOOOON."

"Look," I say, yanking my hand away. "I dunno WHY you hate me, but seriously, I'm not what you think I am."

"Suuuuuure."

And she goes into the house.

I turn to look at Korri.

"I know," she mouths.

We follow Lola back into the house, and me and Korri sneak back to her room, and sit on the bed next to each other.

"I just don't trust her. She's turning... Dark." Korri whispers.

I feel like Korri's gotten a lot more... timid, since she... came to.... I dunno how to put it without it sounding weird.

"No offense, but... I agree."

"Yeah,"

"Well, uh, what are you gonna do after this? Like..."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, like.... You said you wanted to leave-"

"Actually, I was hoping I could stay?" she smiles. "If that's fine with you."

I can feel my cheeks go red. "Um, sure. I-I mean you c-can stay,"

She laughs, and squeezes my hand, making me feel fluttery again.

The door opens slightly, revealing Lola's silhouette.

"I believe Lola may have an idea," I breathe, and the door bursts open.

"WHAT?!"Lola glares at me, and shakes her head. "WHAT?! Y-you..."

Korri looks away. "I-"

"JUST SHUT UP!" Lola snaps. "I'm sorry, but I AM NOT GOING TO LET HIM HURT YOU. I'M NOT. EVER."

She says those words in the same tone she'd used a few days ago.

That tone no one could understand.

"But he's not," Korri whispers.

"YES HE IS!" Lola yells. "JUST ASK HIM!"

"ASK HIM WHAT?!"

"Um, you realize that I'm still here?" I say, and both girls glare at me like I'm the stupidest person to ever exist.

"ASK HIM ABOUT WHAT HE KNOWS! ASK HIM ABOUT THE TRUTH!" Lola snaps. "You could start with that!"

Korri looks at me.

"Yeah, sure, I'm not telling the whole truth, but I'm not lying either. And Korri knows that."

"WHAT?! She never-"

Korri whimpers.

I've never seen her this terrified.

"Yeah, I know. I told you there are some things I wouldn't tell you, and this is one of those things," Korri breathes.

Tears drip down her cheeks, and I suddenly feel guilty.

"Lola?" Korri asks.

"NO NO NO!" she shouts.

For the first time in my life my head throbs by something natural...ish.

I can feel the headache form in my head, and I feel guilty.

Just plain guilty.

Something I've been feeling a lot recently.

And I close my eyes and walk away.