Morphine (Complete)

𝟐𝟕

I have given up on editing. It is not for me. If there are mistakes please point them out lmao

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Something was off.

Rannia stood beside the ever-fretful Carter beneath the light shade of a coffee shop's overhang, waiting for Mykel to meet them there. It had been about an hour since they'd left the older Amir brother back at the elevator. Carter had since grown hungry, so they'd gone to a coffee shop for a quick snack. Then, he'd gotten anxious and found it hard to breathe, so they found themselves outside where the fresh air could calm him down.

Light reflected off the large glass window behind them, glinting back onto the dark fresh asphalt of the road. It smelled like exhaust and freshly ground coffee beans. It seemed a very normal scene: the dusty pink coat to Rannia's cheeks, Carter's fingers clenched around a drained coffee cup—goddamnit, why hadn't he thrown it out already—and the constant sound of passing traffic and people.

"He didn't say anything about making us wait, did he?" Carter asked for the seventh time. His fingers drummed against the lukewarm cardboard holder of his cup, and held it close to his chest. With small, almost imperceptible steps, he moved closer to Rannia for comfort. He didn't really like being out in public. So many people, so much movement, so much noise...it was all very overwhelming, and really didn't help his already distressed state.

"No, but I'm sure he's fine," Rannia replied passively, waving off his concerns.

"What if there actually was a security threat, though," Carter babbled on, making Rannia's shoulders tense a little in annoyance. She sent her boyfriend a cool look.

"The coffee's getting to you, babe."

Carter's brows pulled together and he started bobbing up and down on the backs of his ankles.

"Do you think we can go back in?" He asked.

"Well, we probably shouldn't if there's actually a security threat," Rannia replied calmly, but her words only seemed to increase the boy's nervous finger tapping.

Carter released a strangled groan and tried to burry his forehead into her shoulder. Rannia stood there, still-like, and waited for him to move off. She cast a look down at Carter.

"Listen, he'll be fine, alright?" Rannia pushed Carter off her as gently as she could, not too keen on consoling him. "Mykel's a big guy, he can protect himself."

"He's not big big," Carter argued childishly.

"He's actually quite big," Rannia replied uninterestedly, staring off at the passing cars. Coughy clouds of exhaust pumped out the cars clogging the busy street, polluting the air. Rannia wondered if she could find a way to get all the Amirs in a car, isolate the car in a garage or something with no air circulation, and let it run. Maybe she would watch from a window as they slowly suffocated in the heavy, toxic air. Maybe she'd hear their muted screams from behind her protective wall, in a house or perhaps outside. Would they be able to see her from the car? Would they beg for her to save them, and she'd only watch in awe?

"I couldn't fight off someone if I needed to," Carter mumbled pettily, kicking his foot against the ground. Rannia chuckled quietly. No, he really couldn't.

"Mykel's bigger than you, though."

Carter's eyes shot up all of the sudden, earning a confused look from Rannia.

"He's not that much bigger than me."

"I mean, he is. There's nothing wrong with it," Rannia replied with a shrug.