Out of Time

chapter 22 - questions

"It's about time you dropped down from there," Xavier greets, picking at his fingernails. He glances up, and we make eye contact for a split second. I swear there was a glimmer of pride in his eyes, but I was probably just seeing things.

"You knew she was up there!" Callum accused. Dean, who stopped playing with his gun, nodded in agreement, still slightly shocked from my entrance.

"Actually, I'm disappointed that both of you didn't notice. But, yes, I did." Dean sharply sucks in a breath in abrupt noisesome before launching into a rant.

"You knew we were going to say something! You fucking tricked us into telling her." After jumping off the desk, using the quarrel as a distraction, I attempt to slip through the boys to exit. Xavier hastily grips my wrist immediately after I land, although it isn't painful or rough.

"Sit down, Darling. Did you want answers? Here they are."

My ribs were in agony, with sharp pains shooting up my body with every step I had taken. I had been lying in an awkward position in the vents, and when I landed, the vibrations must have done something to them. I certainly hadn't healed properly, and the pain killers the nurse had given me were wearing off.

I follow his orders, not that I have a choice, and sit on the desk chair facing Xavier. Unfazed by the insults, Xavier waits patiently for the 2 boys to quit hurling scorns at him.

"We agreed not to tell her!" Callum shouted.

"No, you agreed to keep her in the dark," Xavier explained. "I don't take orders from an 18-year-old boy. And you will do well to remember that."

Callum scoffs before storming out of the room. Dean hesitates, not sure who to follow, but surprisingly remains.

"Still running away from his problems, I see," I mutter. Xavier smiles, though confusion does cloud his gaze.

"How do you know my brothers?" Xavier questions.

"Well, Dean abducted me, and I nearly murdered him - as you probably know," I say, smirking at Dean. He doesn't smile back. "As for Callum, somehow we met as children."

Xavier and Dean stop in their places. "Excuse me?" Dean says.

"I'm surprised you don't know because he was also living with me for 3 months."

Xavier nearly fell off his seat. "Callum fucking Bernard, get your ass back right this instant," he roars. Pure fury rolls off him in waves, a tidal wave about to crash onto an innocent beach. He roughly stands up, knocking over the chair, and rips the door off the hinges. My heart flutters as it crashes to the floor.

"How fucking dare you keep my sister from me!"

The walls vibrate at his shouts echo down the hallway. I glance at Dean, who is just staring into space, massaging a red bruise midway up his neck. I gasp as I realise what I did to him.

"Sorry about punching you. Is it alright?" He detachedly affirms by nodding his head before bringing it up to scrutinise me.

"Are your ribs alright?" he asks. I sigh.

"Not really, but I can't do much." He stares at me incredulously before picking up his phone and texting someone.

Within a minute, a packet of heavy-duty painkillers was presented to us, along with a water bottle. I down the white tablets rapidly, just as Xavier walks back in with a scowl.

"The bitch boy ran away," he complains. He turns towards me and furrows his eyebrows in concern when he sees the box in my hand.

"My ribs hurt," I explain. "Your bestie really did a number on me."