|
A/N This is my
first attempt at a story even vaguely involving romance, so please, live with
me. If you think I did a terrible job of it, you can always help me fix it. ~~*~~ I strode straight up to where Jason Brooks was standing, heedless
of Bethany’s warnings. I had almost made it to him when a guard called out to
me. "Halt!" Brooks turned, focusing his attention on me once more. "No,
it’s alright, Carlos. I’m interested in hearing what this brave one has to say."
He looked at me, amused. "Well, what is it?" I glared back at him. "Stop it," I said simply, my
voice low. He looked confused, although I knew it was an act, but I
elaborated anyway. "Stop staring at me. It makes working more difficult knowing
you’re watching my every move." He grinned back at me roguishly, and I felt my cheeks flush. Stop
that! I commanded them, but it didn’t seem to make a difference.
"You’re blushing," Brooks commented lightly, raising an eyebrow. I
felt my heart begin to beat a little faster. "I’m not," I contradicted, meaning to sound firm, but
it came out softly. What was I doing? This was the man who enslaved my
people. I hated him, and everything he stood for. Yeah, sure, commented my
rebellious inner voice. Then what exactly do you call what you’re feeling
right now? I turned and ran back to my laundry duties, unsure of my
feelings, more than I had been my entire life. ~~~~~ In the days that followed, I grew more and more concerned about
my feelings during the conversation with Jason Brooks. Why had I been
thinking and feeling those things? Why was I still? And why had his smirk
sent that tingling, warm shock through me? It was eventually that last question which led me to my answer.
I, Julie Hendrix, the great commander’s only heir, had fallen in love. The
very thought was laughable! I could not be in love with one of Father’s
killers. However, as I pondered this realization, that very laughable thought
became less so. It wasn’t that I could not love Jason Brooks, but that I
should not. As I thought about that more, I began caring less about what was
‘socially acceptable’. Just as I had settled those thoughts after many sleepless nights,
more troubles presented themselves. Although Brooks still watched me at work,
why should I think my feelings were mutual? I was one of his people’s many
slaves. I, compared to him, was nothing but an easily squashed bug. How could
I hope to win his heart, and should I even try? If I failed, then how would I
salvage my broken heart, and could I keep it from being broken in the first
place? With every day that passed, my distractions became more evident.
I started to watch for him to begin his watching me. Bethany laughed at that,
not knowing the true reason of my vigilance. "Poor thing," she’d
taunt. "Actually thought the greatest Android of them all would listen
to you, eh?" I’d smile back at my friend, and tear my eyes back to my
work, although my thoughts still drifted elsewhere. ~~~~~ It was two weeks after my initial meeting with Jason Brooks when
we met again. I was out after curfew, walking the ship’s corridors,
attempting to find respite from the thoughts of him chasing each other
through my head. On one of the middle decks, I bumped into the object of my
thoughts, quite literally. I gasped, and backed up against the wall. The punishments for
being out after curfew were severe. "Julie Hendrix," he said, questioningly. "Looking
for someone?" "Yeah, you," I replied sarcastically, my fear of
retribution almost completely vanishing my love for him. I almost, in my
fear, missed the- could it be, it couldn’t, but yet it was- disappointment
flicker in his eyes at my sarcasm. "Then I guess you’d better be going." Incredulously, I stared at him. "That’s it?" I asked. "What do you want?" he nearly yelled. "For me to
lock you into the cells, sentence you to working in the engine core, beat you
until your own mother couldn’t recognize you?" Brooks’ voice softened,
to hardly a whisper, and he turned away from me. "Well I can’t. I-I care
about you too much for that, and I’m sorry for saying that. You could never
feel the same." I stared at his retreating back. He felt the same for me as I did
for him? How? Does it matter so much? I asked
myself. He truly cares. "Jason," I called, and he walked
back to me. Jason, my first love, gripped my shoulders. "Don’t say
it," he commanded. "I shouldn’t have said-" I put my fingers against his lips, stopping the flow of words. "It is you who should not be speaking," I told him, and marveled at the wonderment in his eyes. "The feelings are mutual." It was in that dark hallway, in the middle of the night, that the
most unlikely of lovers found each other. I, Julie Hendrix, considered leader
of the slaves and he, Jason Brooks, considered leader of the slavers. ~~*~~ So, what’d you think? Did it suck? Was it good? Should I leave as
is, or write a part three? Are you going to review it? That last answer had
better be yes, because I love, crave, and live for feedback. Email me at [email protected].
Pretty pretty please with a cherry on top! ; p |