♤DEALS♤

Chapter 39 - 'Are you familiar with the Empire, the British empire?'

It takes a while for the grass to turn brown and the glass to become opaque.

-THEO

Caleb Parks' POV

After Jack and Taryn left my room, I had a shower and lay on my bed.

My brain chooses this moment to punish me by replaying all the memories with Peyton. I can't bring myself to cry about it.

Even if I know she may not admit it, she fixed me in more ways than one. Thanks to her, I can reminisce about my adopted parents and not feel sad. I can allow the memories I have had locked up in me to flow like a river and nothing feels offsetting.

But you know the irony of this?

This girl wormed her way into my heart even when I swore I wouldn't fall; she had me and saw all of me.

The parts I swore no one would know existed, she saw them, and she helped me a lot. It's sad to say it, but I'm still clueless about why she won't just tell me what this Empire is about, and it's not like I can just Google it and get my answers.

I groan and run my hand through my hair. Even with a thousand miles between us, she still manages to frustrate me.

Gail walked into the room in joggers and a loose-fitting shirt. She walked closer to me and laid on my body, her head on my stomach at a ninety-degree angle.

"Where's Peyton?"I freeze up when her question gets out.

I try to play it out and stroke her hair, "What makes you ask that?"

She shrugs, "I was supposed to go for a run with her in the gym, but I can't find her. And no one will tell me where she is."

Only if she knew.

It's one thing to be hurt by it; it's another thing to allow her to get hurt because of it.

So as I described the whereabouts of our parents, I say. "She said something about visiting a friend. I'm sure she'll be back soon."

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from wincing when Gail looks at me with her bright green eyes bulging out as if taunting me to tell her the truth.

I almost let out a joyful cry when Taryn walks in one of Jack's beat-up sweaters and a pair of leggings.

"So I can see that Jack has welcomed you back properly." I couldn't tone down my smug look as I directed my attention to the spitfire that walked into the room.

With a glare that could freeze hell over, Taryn said, "We are all heading out."

"We?"

"Yes. You, Jack, and Jacob are heading off to the studio to talk with Marcel about what the hell is going on while Shawn, Gail and I are at the orphanage."

I got off the bed and followed the girls out of the room.

"What about Marci?"

"What about me?" She appeared at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in one of my old faded black shirts and black shorts.

I came to stand in front of her and look at her. To an outsider, she would look fine, but as her older brother, I could see the unusual deadness of her eyes. I choose not to comment about it in front of everyone. It's not really my place to say.

I pulled her into a hug, and she wrapped her hands around my waist, but the hug felt cold.

"What are you doing today?" I ask her when I pull out of the hug.