The Nagual

The sun was spilling into the bedroom through the cracks that were uncovered by the long red curtains. Felia was just stirring from her sleep when she realized how warm the sun had made her in bed. "What time is it?" she thought. She sat up quickly, her eyes squinting, and rolled over on her side to look at the clock that sat upright on the bedside table. It read 12:00 PM.

"Shit!" she muttered, throwing back the blankets. She found her pants from the night before and jerked them on, not caring that she was pulling them over the shorts she wore to bed. After finding the shirt she wore last night, she yanked it on and made her way out of the bedroom.

"I'm sorry!" she said, pushing through the door to the sitting room and finger-combing her hair. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea-"

When she actually paused and looked, Felia saw that Noah and Kahili were dressed in no more than bathrobes with wet hair, chewing on bagels and drinking coffee. Noah was looking at a brochure of the hotel, half-interested, while Kahili turned her head to Felia and gave her a smile.

"Well, good morning." Kahili said. Noah raised his coffee mug in greeting. "Sleep well?" she asked.

"Very." Felia breathed out a little and notice the trolley near the other end of the sofa nearest to her that was filled with breakfast food, both cool and steaming. "Why, uh, didn't you wake me up?"

"Kahili told me about her 'episode' last night. She convinced me to let you sleep it off. But by the way she explained it I didn't really need any convincing." Noah said, tossing aside the brochure and sitting up a bit. "Did you really stay up the whole time for her?"

Felia sighed and sat down next to Kahili, opposite of Noah. "I dozed off at some point, but yeah. I did." she said quietly.

"Hm." he said, slightly raising his eyebrows as he took another sip of his coffee. "I wish I had a friend like that."

"I'm lucky." Kahili said.

There was a small, comfortable silence before Noah got up and said, "Well, seeing as you're more ready than we are, I'm going to put on some real clothes and then we can get going. Where is this place that you're going again?"

Kahili looked at him and answered, "All you have to know is that you're taking us to the car rental and that's it. We're paying you for just that much." Her voice was hard and hadn't let even the smallest smile grace her lips. She was all business now.

In mock-defeat, Noah raised his hands and said, "Alright. Sorry for asking."

"It's rude to ask about things you're not involved with." she said coolly. She stood up, grabbed her clothes, and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Now there was a silence that wasn't comfortable in the least. The two left behind did all that they could to not look at one another. However, when Felia and Noah locked eyes, neither of them looked away. They heard the door connecting the bedroom to the bathroom close. Noah looked as if he had something to say.

"What?" Felia asked gently.

Noah shook his head slightly and said, "Nothing."

"No really. What?" She was starting to get frustrated with him.

"It's just that . . . do you always let her do the talking for you?"

"N-no." Felia stuttered, surprised at the question. "I don't-"

"Yes. Yes you do."

"No. No I don't." she said, in an almost mocking tone.

"Look, I don't know either of you that much. Hell, I met you two yesterday. But within the time frame that I actually have known you I don't think I've heard you whisper more than two sentences when she's around."

"But-"

"Plus," he continued, ignoring her interruption, "whenever I ask a question that I mean for the both of you to answer, she does it for you. I mean, pardon my asking, but doesn't that seem a little controlling to you?" He laughed but without a trace of humor. "Aren't you ever bothered by that?"

"I don't know-"

"And do you even know where you guys are going? Or did she make that decision, too?"

"Jesus Christ, Noah! I don't know, okay? I don't." she hissed under her breath, mindful of the fact that Kahili could be right behind the door.

"You don't even know where you're going." Noah said, shaking his head in a pitiful way. "Doesn't that bother you?"

Felia thought of the other day when she walked around the airport without knowing firsthand where she was going. Only that she was going somewhere. "No." she said, honestly. "Not really. I mean, I went here on an impulse."

"Yeah." Noah said. "You came here. You made that decision. But was this your decision? Going to this new place?"

"No." Felia admitted. "It was Kahili's."

"Exactly." Noah said, whispering as they both heard faint footsteps. "It was Kahili's decision. Not yours . . ." he leaned forward. Felia followed suit in order to listen. "How well do you know her?"

She was offended. "Noah-"

"Honestly."

"It's . . . complicated." she said in a hushed tone.

Noah sighed regretfully and leaned back into his sofa. "I worry about you. I really do."

Felia leaned back in her couch as she said, guarded, "You hardly even know me."

"You hardly know her." he whispered and pointed at the bedroom door behind her. He shook his head one more time, went into his bedroom, and shut the door.

Felia was silent as she heard the handle being turned. Kahili stepped out into the sitting room, fully clothed, and sat down next to Felia with a small smile. Felia smiled back at her and looked down at her hands. They were shaking.

"Felia?" Kahili addressed her calmly. Felia looked toward her. "He wouldn't understand us. So don't even let him try."