Chapter 5: I don't want to know you
Zuri POV
"King Zuri! Are you alright?"
Emily seemed genuinely interested in my wellbeing. It was strange…too strange.
"I am not the one the physician came to check on. What were you thinking when you jumped into an icy pool, kid?" I barely stopped myself from yelling.
"You were under water too long. I thought you were drowning or worse, dead. Didn't you hear me yell your name? What the hell is wrong with you, Zuri?"
"Why do you care, Emily? Please, don't tell me you are buying into this fantasy that we are supposed to look after each other because we share something as mundane as blood?! So, I ask again, what the hell were you thinking? And for your information, I wasn't drowning and let's face it, even though I was, your life would be much better if I am dead….so, why?"I asked her.
She looked at me. Her eyes contained tears she wanted to hide but even though she succeeded, her voice betrayed her.
"I don't know! Maybe I was thinking I don't want to lose anymore people! Because you might be a greedy asshole with the heart of a stone and a twisted mind, Zuri Williamson but you are my brother and just in case you have not noticed…you are kinda all I have left. You are my family now and that may not mean much to you but where I come from, it means plenty…with the obvious exclusion of my uncle Phil who is a gigantic asshole like you… And last I checked, having a family is much better than having none! Sorry but no sorry" when she was done she looked away.
Damn it!
Damn it, Emily!
"You are a giant pain in my ass!" I yelled at her.
"Why, Zuri?"
"Because I am a person who doesn't want to know you, Emily…I really don't. But you are making it so damn difficult not to give a shit about you. So, just stop and don't save me next time!"
I walked out and slammed the door on my way out.
Damn it!
Don't we all hate it when we are trying to be indifferent about someone or something and they go and say something oddly touching and you are left second guessing yourselves?
Because that was what Emily was doing to me but it won't work.
I know with certainty that whatever mind game she was playing wasn't going to work on me…ever.
I went to bed and I tried to push out everything she told me out of my head and be who I wanted to be…be who I am comfortable being - the devil of Castaway.
****
Pru's POV
I watched as the Tyrant slammed the door on his way out. He seemed genuinely angry that the little princess thought of him as family.
I understood his feelings, it wasn't like the girl that stared defiantly at him intentionally set out to be family with a harsh uptight jerk like him.
I smiled because in that area, the feeling was very much mutual.
I watched the princess take a sip from the cup of tea she was holding and she rubbed her stomach without knowing she was even doing it.
"Does your tummy hurt? I can fetch the physician, princess"
My voice startled her. She turned to look in my direction. I was sitting on the chair by the window and I was wearing a black pajamas.
"Should I get the physician, princess?" I asked her again and stood up.
"No, Pru. I am quite alright" she answered quickly and smiled. "Did you really get up in my brother's face?"
"I did….I guess I may have been hasty in my decision to blame him when I saw him carrying you. My apologies" I lowered my head just a little bit.
She smiled at first then it turned into laughter. She was a good natured kid.
"Oh boy! I would pay good money to see you beat up King Zuri! You know the first time I saw you…the word that come to mind was beautiful"
"Beautiful?" I asked her.
"Yeah...you have black hair like me and you are taller than most girls I know including myself. I figured that your Amazonian figure sits well on her wafer-thin body underneath the corporate suit you were wearing and that you have a decanter shaped waist and your complexion is impeccable.
I am guessing the black hair is fake since you would look like a little goddess with any other hair color plus you look like the type of girl that wants to blend into the background and not stand out.
Either those are contact lenses or they were the most beautiful Eden-green eyes I have ever seen, even greener than mine. You are not just beautiful. You are hot and yet, obvious of it"
Okay? What the hell?
No one has ever described me like that before.
Emily smiled. "Sorry, I can be a weirdo"
"You are kind but I am just regular" in an attempt to push attention away from me I added "I think I hurt him…your brother, I think I hurt him" I murmured.
"What?" She was confused. "What do you mean by 'you hurt him?"
I tried to look at her but I ended up looking out the window. I was embarrassed or at least Agent Shoemaker was but the white knight was thrilled and intrigued by this confusing man.
"I think he broke my fall when he knocked me to the ground and something like that tend to leave painful injuries behind"
"I shouldn't be surprised he tried to save you, he told me earlier before we went to Zolcovia that he wasn't the type of man to hit women and children but if I knew Zuri well enough he always finds a way to get even. He is like a double edged sword that is sharp and swifty and merciless in its mission. Just watch your back, my brother is not the forgiving type" Emily murmured to me
"I know that, princess. Do you need something else?" I asked her and stood up. She shook my head.
"Then I must bid you goodnight, Princess Emily"
She watched me as I headed for the door, I was almost out of the door when she spoke.
"Pru?"
I turned around to look at her.
"Call me Emily" she told me.
I knew she was half expecting me to turn her request but I surprised her by saying "Alright. Good night, Emily"
"Good night, Pru"