Page 21 of Encounter

Could’ve been avoided. The best conflict is the one that never comes to fruition...

The longer his stare lingered, the more intrigued by it I became. “What is it?” I scared him with a sharp scoff. Meeting my eyes only briefly, Galen made himself look smaller, sinking into his sweater, and looked away. “Haven’t seen anyone with so many scars?” I asked playfully, trying to lift the bizarre mood. “Took a few decades of effort.”

As Galen evaded my gaze, something told me that wasn’t it.

Was he still shaken up by what happened?No. This... this is different.

Trying to focus on anything but the frustrating situation at the Nest, my mind became infatuated with what was in front of me. I made a slow move toward the boy, tilting my head and studying his face. With another step, Galen finally looked up, backing away until he hit the wall behind him.

“Wh-what?” he blurted out nervously. Something about the pressure in the air was drawing me in. After all these years of being the hunter, I was too good at reading other people—the hunted mostly—to ignore whatever was happening.

“Karin. How was she?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. Galen’s startled, choked up expression propelled me even closer, while the boy pressed his back against the wall and hung his head down. “Did she give you a nice lap dance? Doubt you’d have time to do anythin’ more, but...”

Our eyes met again, and this time, Galen revealed more than he wanted. As if I became capable of reading his thoughts, I inhaled; a wicked smile growing on my lips.

“Thought you weren’t thrilled to go in because of shyness,” I kept talking, and it felt like with every word, with every step I made toward him, he was going to unravel. The heat grew between us, firing up the fire inside me. “But it was somethin’ different. You weren’t lookin’ at my scars just now... were you?” In horror, Galen watched my smile widen as I got dangerously excited about what I discovered. “Could you even get it up with her? Bet she wasn’t what you wanted. Wasn’tthis.” When my hand grazed his thigh, he jerked away.

“St-stop,” Galen whispered. He almost sounded like I was stripping him naked, tearing everything down.

It was thrilling, alluring. Something told me to continue, to push harder.

“Thought there was somethin’ ‘bout you. Would you look at that—a queer,” I chuckled as something wild and sadistic clawed up in my chest. “Should’ve seen it.”

When I noticed Galen’s glazed-over eyes, I snapped out of whatever infatuated, asshole-ish trance I was in and stepped back.

What the hell am I doing?

“I...” Choked up, he tried to say or do anything—anything—but couldn’t. He just stood there.

With a deep sigh, I turned around and walked back to the sink. “Forget it. Go to bed. We’re both exhausted.” I started rummaging through the first aid to get some bandages and disinfectant. Right away, I heard him take the chance, stumbling out the door.

When he was gone, I turned on the cold water and splashed it over my face.I did too much. I let my sadistic side pick on him, sounding like my damn father.

Fuck, why did I do that? What the hell’s with me?

With careful, hesitant steps, I made my way downstairs. I already had a long bath, then spent the next two hours in my room, hopelessly staring into my textbooks. I walked into the living room, and quickly, I noticed Chast sleeping on the couch.

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