Atlas Black

Chapter 30

A T L A S B L A C K

1 year ago

"When are you leaving?" I ask Kai. My childhood best friend who's like a brother to me.

"In two days. My mum wants me home for the holidays, before winter hits." I'm saddened by the thought because it means I won't get to see my best friend for a whole ass month. He's leaving earlier than I expected.

I skateboard down the paths of the cold-London streets of Oxford. The nighttime sending us the much needed vibe and feel to our last 24-hours we have together.

It may sound exaggerative, but Kai and I have been inseparable since little kids. We'd do absolutely everything together, anything together. He's more of a brother to me than my own ass of a brother: Kade.

Kade's not much of a brother who spends time with me kind of guy. He's a good brother, for sure. But we don't have much as a deep connection than I have with Kai. I love my older brother, yes he can be annoying and aggravating at times, but I still love him.

Sometimes I hardly see him because he's out with Dad doing "business." It seems to me that Kade is going to be taking after him once Dad retires. I'm glad I'm not the eldest because that means I would have the been the one with the hard-ass talk he gives Kade all the time. I don't think I could physically survive it. My dads brutal alright.

"When are you coming back? Can you not convince your mum that you're going to need to fly out soon for college? Just spin a tail that you need to focus on your studies?"

We're both back home, in England for the thanksgiving break we've gotten. But Kai's not staying long. We're both studying at Stanford College, LA in the US. Both of us now 'Juniors.'

But my dad is a very protective and secretive guy and he gets easily nerved by giving out information out in a foreign country away. So for the sake of our family and my dad's operating business or whatever the hell he has going on, he's put me under the name of 'Aiden Grey'. Securing with me a fake passport and fake ID.

He thinks it's mostly for my protection and safety, but I doubt that. He's always going on and on, lecturing me about the importance of keeping your eyes open in case of anything.

"Can't, you know how Latina mums are. There's no way I'm getting out of this." He sighs, massaging his temple. "My family's crazy. I really wish I could just stay here with my dad. He's the least insane person out of my entire family. And when I say least I mean it still doesn't mean my dad hasn't got that Spanish temper."

Kai's Spanish and half British. Having him being born here makes him a dual-citizen. His father lives here because his dad lived in the UK and his dads dad and his dad's-dad's dad. You get the gist. His mum is full Latina. Not to mention his other family members and cousins all live in Spain. The Martinez'. I haven't heard much about them but I do know vaguely hearing about them from my dad.

We're turning back, making our way back down several blocks to the neighbourhood closest to us. I live in a property that's secluded from everyone else. The house being on all its own, with no neighbouring houses lingering next to it for a mile. The driveway long enough that you're not able to take a peek at the house until you round the corner. We're a pretty wealthy and we've never had problems with securing a shelter over our heads. We're damn privileged indeed.