Cardinal

Chapter 8

I can count on one hand since 5 years ago have I had a blissful sleep. Today was one of those days. 

I feel the heat of the sunshine shining through the window on the corner caressing my face giving me a gentle nudge to wake up. 

A heavy arm was wrapped around my waist and the other under my head. Light snoring echoes in my ear and warmth envelopes me like a soft embrace from the contact. Pure happiness. 

I hear a commotion outside and a clacking of the heels followed by Damian's voice. I hear my door slam open with a bang. 

"Where the FUCK is she?" I hear a melodious but rather angry voice call out.

Keenan and I scramble awake with the commotion as Julie and Damian enter my room, the former stomping towards my bed. 

"Oh-ho, What the hell do we have here? The prodigal DAUGHTER comes back after not fucking calling or telling anyone WHERE she went and my traitorous brother sleeps beside her. What an interesting scene here, Keen. Mind telling me why you haven't been answering your phone calls or texts since yesterday?" Julie screeches. I cringe at her high-pitched voice. 

Keenan groans and pinches the bridge of his nose in a sign of annoyance. I avoid their gazes as embarrassment hits me. 

When I finally get over being a coward, I meet Damian's gaze first, not wanting him to think I was embarrassed. Damian looks perturbed by the scene of Keenan and me in bed, confusion in his features. I feel his link stretch sightly in my chest, which quiets down as he neutralizes his features, and puts on an emotionless mask in place. What the hell? 

Julie looks quite the same from five years ago, though more elegant now. Her beautiful golden hair is slicked straight, not a hair out of place. She's dressed in her designer clothes like always and has sky-high classic Louboutins on her feet, making her legs seem miles long. I finally meet her gaze and see the sadness and anger peering through her eyes with tears starting to form as she sees my face. I frown at her tears. 

Keenan starts to say something when she flies through the distance between us and violently hugs me, sobbing loudly and dramatically. 

"You..." sniffs. "Bitch. I missed you so much. Where the hell have you been?" She manages to say between her sobs. I hug her back emphatically, glad she's talking to me. I'll take what I can get. 

"I missed you too, Jules," I say through her hair.

"Wow, that mouth of yours, Julie. I can see flies coming out of it with the abhorrent things you say." Damian sneers towards Julie, disgust penetrating his beautiful features. 

She glares at Damian, anger marring her features. "I'm still not talking to you, you fucking traitor. I hope Lilac never looks at you again. I have nothing to say to you." 

Julie then points at Keenan angrily. "And you! You've been shacking up with her, not telling anybody, and not letting anybody in." 

"I never said you couldn't come here. That was all Steel and Damian." He explains pointedly, sitting up with his back against the headboard, relaxed and...shirtless. I feel my cheeks heating, the only physical manifestation of my embarrassment. Damian sneers at Keenan, face distorting with annoyance. 

"Wipe that look off of your face, Damian. You all can grovel at her feet later when you pull your head out of your asses." Keenan directs at Damian. 

Damian sighs, again with annoyance, shakes his head, and gives me a look which I can't decipher but heads to the door without saying a word.  I don't know what to do with him. 

"We. Need. To. Talk. I need to catch you up. You need to catch me up." Julie whispers to me, sensing the tension in the room. 

Keenan ruffles my hair affectionately, gives me a quick kiss on my forehead, and gets out of bed. He follows Damian out of the room. 

I sigh and start to get out of bed. I have to figure out what to tell Julie or what to do with my links. 

"Let's go, we've got things to do today. Get ready," Julie tells me nonchalantly. She's laying on my bed, pretending as if nothing happened and we haven't been separated for 5 years. Seeing her again, knowing that she didn't forget about me makes my heart tighten. She was my only friend. I didn't fit in much when I was at the academy because of Sicily. I was outcasted. When they transferred to our school, I finally had a home with them. 

Mortem. They took EVERYTHING away from me. I'd be damned if they ever get their hands on Damian, Steel, Keenan, William, and Julie. I need to think of something fast.