Section 28: Lovers Quarrel

As expected, Aria was tossed inside the cage with Ender and I as well. Disappointment is clearly shown on the Russian man's face. Aria stayed silent from the beginning to the end, more exactly she's exhausted. Ender carried her princess style, Aria is barely conscious. She didn't have the energy to retort back.

"You are a disappointment" Vladimir sighed.

Aria widened her eyes as Vladimir spouted his disappointment in Aria. The quiet girl clenched her fist, she's irritated because of what Vladimir said? I thought she didn't care about him. After voicing his disappointment, Vladimir walked away from the cage where he imprisoned us. Aria's body is filled with bruises and injuries.

"You're injured" Ender sighed.

"I know that," Aria replied exhaustively with a sarcastic tone.

"You need help, you're going to fight them again right? You need bandages and stuff" I added.

"Shut up" Aria dissed me.

She's been in a bad mood after Vladimir said that he's disappointed in her. I wonder whether it triggers something inside her. She's totally out of it, her eyes are open but her mind wanders somewhere else.

"Aria, do you want to sleep on my lap?" Ender offered his lap.

"No thanks, I can lean on the bars" she replied annoyed.

However, Ender still insisted and pulled her arm to his direction. He pulled her down to his lap, persistently. Exhausted Aria is too tired to fight back, so she decided to put her head on his lap, just like what Ender wanted.

"You're injured, you need a good sleep for tomorrow's fight" Ender replied. "I'm with you anyway, so relax".

I could see Aria's reddened face, she's blushing very hard.

"I don't need your protection, I'm not a little girl" she pouted.

"Yes, you are! You're a girl! I don't want you to hurt yourself like this!" Ender yelled back.

Their dispute even reached the guard and Adrian's ears, the guards standing awkwardly in front of the cage as Ender and Aria yelled to each other.

"I'll do what I wanna do!" Aria grumbled.

"No, I have to protect you! Lots of people can hurt you!" Ender glared toward the injured girl on his lap.

"Duh, I know that!" she yelled back.

"Ugh, this is why you're a pain in the ass! You won't listen to what I say!" Ender snarled.

"I can take care of myself!" Aria snarled back.

I distanced myself from the catfighting couple, they're bickering like cat and dog. I'm confused about what I wanted to say in this kind of situation.

"This is why you're so insensitive! You didn't care about how I feel!" Ender growled.

"What do you mean by how you feel!? My injuries have nothing to do with you!" Aria replied aggressively.

"Of course it has something to do with me! God, you're such a dumbass!" Ender shrieked in anger.

Their bickering just won't stop, I need to pacify their fighting at least. Maybe I can help them in some ways. However, I don't know how to intervene in their unending debates.

"This is why you always hurt me," Aria said grouchily.

"What the hell? That was for your own good!" Ender spoke firmly.

"Don't treat me like I'm a princess! I don't need any of that!" Aria forces herself to stand up.

Regardless, she fell on Ender lap yet again.

"See! You're injured! Just please stop with the tough act and let me help you!!" Ender said aggravated. "This is why we're not good together, we're separated".

This triggers Aria to furry even more. Aria bit Ender's thigh, he winced in pain when Aria did that.

"Don't remind me about our past Ender" Aria's anger turns into the gloom.

"But the way you're always forcing yourself to toughen up! I don't like that!" Ender implored.

"ENDER! JUST STOP!" Aria shouted to the man next to me.

"I GLADLY WILL!" he yelled back.

Now both of them avoided each other's gaze, the situation is pretty awkward. The unfamiliar guard who guards our cage felt that too, he made his escape.

"Uh, Adrian? I'm going to take a leak" he spoke awkwardly. "Can you guard them?".

"Uh, yeah sure" Adrian replied with a stutter.

I coughed awkwardly, I will try my best to be their mediator.

"Come on guys, cheer up! I'm sure you guys will find a mutual understanding soon...?" I said unsure. "Either way, you guys are pretty close! I guess you're besties since high school days?".

I tried to divert the topic, but both of them still looked solemn. Aria diverted her gaze to me.

"Even before high school" she added.

Aria grunted, somewhat blushing. I don't understand their deal, they like each other. What's the holdup? They're making me crazy. I'm single and I'm not currently interested in anyone. Although, if I have to admit I do like Aria in some ways. I'm not sure what it's like, but seeing Aria and Ender together makes me feel jealous.

"I see, so you guys are childhood friends?" I asked again.

"Not really" Ender replied this time, with a solemn look.

"What do you mean not really? We just met during junior high school right?" Aria asked the solemn guy next to her.

"What do you think?" Ender sighed as he crossed his arm annoyed.

"What do you mean, what do I think? Of course, we met when we're fifteen" Aria grumbled. "There's no mistake in my memory!".

There we go again, with another new topic that they bicker about. What is it with them and bickering? It's like they're used to it. I suppose this is how their relationship always works? A relationship with on and off switch, because of the endless bickering.

While they're busy bickering, Adrian called my name with a quiet voice from the outside. He looks more relaxed, now that the unfamiliar guard hasn't returned. Adrian kneeled and poke my feet from the bars gap.

"Hey Joel" he called me quietly.

"What?" I asked nonchalantly to the guy who just leaked our info.

I wouldn't lie, I'm seriously pissed at Adrian for leaking our info to the enemies. He looks like he noticed my mood, he frowned.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't leak your info on purpose you know! I told Glass about it since she wants to know how Aria is doing" Adrian scratched his cheek awkwardly. "But Tom accidentally heard about it and yeah".

So Tom was the reason that Aria and I were captured, this doesn't explain Ender's involvement.

"How about Ender?" I asked Adrian quietly so that the bickering couple didn't hear.

"Oh, it's a mystery actually," Adrian added. "He's sneaking into our supplies, I guess he wanted to steal our food and meds, same goes with the Ellis and Nash".

So he was about to steal something, but accidentally got captured by them. Then again, it's always a weird coincidence with Ender's arrival. Sometimes I thought Ender was there to be Aria's guardian angel. His timing is always perfect, impeccable.

"Anyway, since Jean is out there still leaking" Adrian grinned. "I'm gonna fetch you some bandages and aid kits for Aria injuries".

"Huh? Are you sure, Adrian?" I asked the pale man unsure.

Seeing how Vladimir is cruel and unforgiving toward the thieving couple, I'm not sure Adrian will be able to escape unscathed. Adrian reassured my uncertainty.

"No worries, I'll be back in a jiffy" he assured me.

He better be, otherwise that Jean guy will find out that he's sneaking bandages to us.

"Plus Jean is a nice guy, I'm sure he looks tough on the outside" Adrian added. "But he's feeling sorry for Aria".

In other words, there's a chance that Jean won't snitch on us was what Adrian meant. Either way, there's no other way for Aria to attend the match with injuries like that. At least she needs to be patched up. I looked back at the bickering couple, Aria and Ender.

I wish I can be as tough as them, without my weapons I'm nothing. The enemies took our weapons, and I'm not brave enough to protect myself without weapons. Adrian sneaked out, he ran fast toward our left. Probably to fetch Aria some aid kits for tomorrow's match.

"Please, God" I clasped my hand together. "Give me the strength to be as powerful and brave as Aria and Ender".