Not Just One

Chapter 27-Brayden

I stare up at her beautiful face. We hadn't even been dating for long. Were we even dating? No one asked the other out. Before graduation, we barely talked. And I had just asked her to marry me. What was I thinking?!

Her eyes meet mine. Her lips press against mine. "Yes." She whispers against my lips.

I press harder pushing her against the bed.

"Brayden! Clair! Get up! We can go visit everyone now! Let's get a move on!" Julio yells through the door.

I peel myself off her and peck her lips before running out of the room. She chases after me and we come to a sudden stop. She nearly knocks me over. She peeks around my shoulder and stares with me.

"Brayden? Clair? Weird that I see you guys but not my own children." He snaps.

"Maddy! Your dad is here!" Clair yells running up the stairs.

He stares at me. "So I get that you guys and Maddy are here. The one I'm worried about is Will. Where is he?"

"I don't know. He was here. We were all having a huge sleepover and the girls were upstairs in Maddy's room and we were down in Will's room. This morning he wasn't there. I had gone to get Clair and Maddy to see if they knew." I lie.

Maddy comes down the stairs and stares at her dad, "Shouldn't you be on your romantic getaway?"

"Well we were. Until your mom was worried when an unknown number called saying that Will was in the hospital." He snaps.

"Mr. Kean, I honestly don't know where he is." I lie again.

"Really? Because the hospital also told us who else was there. Pickles, Straub, Will, and Gwen. And weird I don't see them here." He yells.

"Mr. Kean, we honestly know why they aren't here. I know Pickles was feeling homesick and left last night. Straub probably went to make sure she was ok. Gwen had to go home to her cousin. And Will I don't know where he is. Is he ever here when you need him?" Clair cracks a smile.

"Well I guess I'll go check the hospital and see if they're there." Mr. Kean walks out the garage door.

"Shit!" Maddy yells.

Julio comes running down the stairs and shoves a bag into everyone's hands. "These are the clothes for them. Brayden has Will's..." He trails off.

"Julio, my dad was just here. He knows." Maddy snaps.

"Doesn't that mean Straub's parents and Pickles would know too?" Julio asks grabbing his keys.

"No shit! They probably do and are pissed!" Maddy screams.

"Guys. Get into the car." I snap.

They all turn to me.

"We have to beat Maddy's dad to the hospital and tell them not to let anyone in. We have to make sure he doesn't find out." I snap.

They nod and Julio pulls his car around. I sit in the passenger seat and the girls sit in the back. Julio starts the car and pulls out, speeding through the neighborhood onto the highway.

We had to protect our friends. It wasn't their fault they were there. We had to save them from the fiery wrath of Mr. Kean.

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We pull up and run in leaving Julio to park.

"Shit, he's already here." Maddy curses.

"What do you mean my son's not here? I got a call last night saying my son Will Kean was in the hospital along with 3 of his friends. Straub Lee, Pickles Nickles, and Gwen Williams. And now you're telling none of those names are in the system?" Mr. Kean screams.

"Sir, none of those children are in our system. May I ask how old these children are?" The lady at the desk asks.

"Will is 18, Straub is almost 19, Pickles is 17, and Gwen is 18." He snaps.

"Sir, even if they were in our system we can't give out their information unless you are the parent of Pickles, who is under age." The lady apologizes.

Mr. Kean walks out and shoves me out of the way.

I turn to see Annie, who's Gwen's cousin, Ryan, Jordan, and Kelyn.