27.

                                    

                                          
Sidra
                          
"Sidra, wait! Don't! Not here!" Burkhardt yells as I approach my brother. But every time Burkhardt grabbed my trembling fist, I clawed at his wrist with my other hand. "Sidra!"
                          
"David," I snarl. Then he turns and faces me, and I punch him. He already has a bruise on his jaw from when Sam punched him but my punch won't cause anything like that. David's head barely moves. "Don't you dare tell me how I feel."
                          
He presses his fingertips to his cheek. "Sid..."
                          
"I can understand if you're worried but to be going around and lying about my feelings-"
                          
"So you don't have feelings for him?!"
                          
"Of course I don't!" Of course, I do. "But I do care. The same way I care about Jackson or Burkhardt or you! I know Roback hasn't been here long but like the others, he won't hesitate to throw himself in danger for us. How do you expect me not to care?"
                          
"You care too much, that's your damn issue!"
                          
"Is it though?"
                          
He punched my shoulder. "Don't ever hit me like that again."
                          
"How else was I supposed to get you to listen?"
                          
"Sidra," he grabs me by my face and looks me deep in my eyes. "Nothing is going on between Roback and you."
                          
"Nothing is going on between Roback and me." When you care about someone enough, you'll do anything for them with no hesitation. Not only that, your body responds differently, it knows how to move and function so you can protect them. It's a national instinct. Growing up, no matter how hard I tried, I could never lie to David. He always said my eyes spoke the truth when I lied. I saw no issue with it because I always thought I would tell him the truth, but still, curiosity got the best of me and I would go up to him at random times and lie about things that are too close to the truth. Yet, he always knew. One intense stare and he knew all my secrets. I don't know how he does it or what he sees because I can lie to anyone else with no issue, even when they're staring into my eyes. 
                          
But at this moment, I lied to David and it got through. 
                          
Instantly, he drops his hands from my face and shrugs. "Alright, I'm sorry."
                          
"You know I hate when people tell me how I feel."
                          
"I know, that's why I'm apologizing!"
                          
"I just want you to remind you how much of an idiot you are."
                          
"It's funny how you're the only one that reminds me." I playfully hit his arm and he smiles. 
                          
We drove back to the cabin with no more talk about my crush on Sam. The fear of losing Sam was too much so my body somehow spoke the truth when I said I didn't have feelings for him. It hurt-oh, my heavens it hurt saying those things about Sam, but I did it to protect him and us. My tongue and heart are still burning by the time we get back. We pulled up to the cabin to find Mr. Burke and momma standing in the driveway, yelling at each other. 
                          
Momma was already surrounded by guards, two of them were already nudging their way between momma and Mr. Burke. But the moment the car stop, everyone spilled out to protect her. Well, everyone except David and me. We stayed in the car with all the doors wide open from the guards jumping out. We could hear and see everything. 
                          
"My dogs had every right to attack one of your guards!" Mr. Burke yells, and my hands automatically ball into fists. "He's was trespassing onto my land!"
                          
"You train your dogs to kill!" My mother fires back. "Not protect your land!"
                          
Mr. Burke, noticing a little too late, sees there are more guards. He looks around and spots me. His scary scowl locks on me. "There you are, you little brat! You're the one that hit my dog!" He starts stomping towards me, but Jackson, Burkhardt, and Ramos are on him in a heartbeat, tackling him to the ground. For a moment I'm confused, how could he have possibly known it was me who hit his dog? Then I remember Sam and I had already told the cops what happened and someone must've told Mr. Burke that I hit his dog with a flashlight. "Get the fuck off me!" Mr. Burke howls. "You fucking bitch! I'm gonna-" Burkhardt grabs the back of his head and slams his face into the gravel. I half wince.