The Words I Never Said

Chapter Twenty eight

Chapter Twenty eight

Crestville wasn’t a bad place, but it wasn’t a great one either. It was one of those locations people would like to visit once in a while but not stay permanently at. It was one of those boring places that never changed. It was one of those ideal places to grow old at but not grow up at.

During the whole ride there, the boys did nothing but talk excitedly. Even Adrian, who was usually quiet, joined in the talk and laughter here and there as he drove the car. It was Alex who didn’t seem quite exuberant. Emily found this quite ironic mainly because they were coming home because of his sister.

“Something tells me you aren’t really in the mood to come home,” Emily finally told Alex just as they passed a sign that indicated they weren't far from their destination.

“Yeah, man,” agreed Dylan from the shotgun seat as he noisily ate some chips, “Mind telling us why?” Jack snickered.

“Let me guess,” he said, “you aren’t ready to introduce your ‘girlfriend’ to your family yet?” Both Emily and Alex rolled their eyes.

“It’s not that,” Alex muttered.

“Then what is it?” Emily asked.

Alex sighed and just stared straight ahead.  “It’s nothing,” he mumbled. Emily wanted to press him but decided against it. She would try again later. They – well, Emily and Alex at least – spent the rest of the ride quietly staring out the window. It didn’t take long before they arrived at the Night Residence.

It still looked the way Emily remembered. It was still the simple blue and white painted house she had passed by a million of times when she was still in high school. Just like the rest of the houses, it was covered in cold snow but despite that it looked warm and welcoming as it always had especially now with its Christmas decorations.

“Lady and gentlemen, we have finally arrived at our destination,” Jack announced loudly like a flight attendant “Now if you may please all look over to your left you shall see that we have just landed at Night Manor home of our very own Alexander –“

“Jack, shut the hell up and just get out,” Alex snapped, cutting him off.

“No need to be moody –“

“Stop it,” Emily said with an exasperated sigh.  

Jack gave one last “hmp” sound, opened his car door and then exited. Everyone followed his suit and grabbed their things from the back, except from Adrian who still sat in front of the wheel, not even bothering to kill the car’s engine.

“You guys all done?” he asked once Dylan removed the final suitcase from the trunk.

“Yeah,” Jack answered for them. “Why?”

“I’ll see you guys later then,” Adrian said. “I just have to go somewhere.” And then he left. Emily didn’t really know where he was headed but that wasn’t but made her curious. It was the fact that the boys didn’t interrogate him which is saying a lot because they interrogate each other all the time whenever one of them was headed somewhere.

“Where’s Adrian going?” Emily asked Alex as he opened the small door in the middle of the white picket fence.

“To the place where he always does whenever we come here,” Alex replied vaguely.

“And where is that?” For the first time since they left New York, Alex actually smiled a bit and said to her, “Private matters, Em. Let it go.” And she did.