Storms

01 | cumulus

0 1

cumulus: a puffy, cotton-like cloud; derived from the Latin word 'cumulo.'

❝Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...❞

- James 1:17

ten years ago

"OH, COME ON, I can't possibly be losing a game to you two!" Elliot McKay huffs as she draws yet another card and places it accordingly in the fan of cards in her hand.

Dylan McKay laughs, exchanging an amused glance with his closest friend Tanner Williams, a flop of blonde hair falling into his eyes as he slaps another card onto the table, smirking when Elliot makes a low, frustrated sound in her throat.

The three of them had been sitting in the McKays' household library playing cards for several hours now, and with Tanner's humor and Dylan's unmistakable talent at shuffling cards, they're content with staying there for a couple more.

Elliot sighs as Dylan holds out his hand after winning a third game, and she gingerly pulls a ten-dollar bill out of her wallet and places it in his hand, watching as Tanner does the same. Her gaze tracks upwards to study his expression, regret flickering across her face. "I'm sorry," she says softly.

Tanner's bright blue eyes meet hers, twinkling with amusement. "I didn't think you'd lose," he says teasingly. "Otherwise I wouldn't have bet on you."

Dylan's lips tilt upwards in a smile. "Clearly you've never seen me play before," he says.

"Oh, I've seen you play," Tanner says, chuckling, "and I don't think you're worth betting on."

Elliot fights the urge to smile.

Although they're only two years older than her, she's spent her entire life bickering with Dylan and Tanner, and she's spent a fair amount of time crying on their shoulders, too, leaving her with an inexplicable knowledge of their personalities.

Dylan sighs, leaning back in the leather chair he's currently occupying, his legs casually crossed. "Someday you'll regret your actions, Tanner," he says. "One day you'll be begging on your knees for me to take mercy on you because I'm so—"

"Irritating?" Elliot offers.

Dylan holds up a finger, the universal sign for hold that thought. "Quiet, Ellie. This is between the two of us."

"I don't even know what we're talking about anymore," Tanner says, his eyes glinting as he throws down the cards in his hand and reveals a royal flush, bringing their eyes back to the card game in play.

"Oh, shoot," Elliot says with a gasp. She glances down at her own cards, only sporting a pair of twos. She groans, slapping another ten-dollar bill onto the desk, though she takes pride in knowing Dylan has to do the same.

"All right." Dylan stands, stuffing his wallet back into the pocket of his dark, denim jeans. "I should get going."

Tanner glances up at him, surprised. "Where are you going?"