Night of the Alphas

Chapter 27

When I reached our normal breakfast table, everyone was already there. Well, everyone but Abel and Willow. Abel was hard to wake up, though, so I didn't give it much thought. I sat in my usual spot, where a plate of old baked beans was waiting for me. Usually, I hate baked beans, but I hadn't eaten for at least 48 hours. Instead of just throwing them away, I gulped them down in almost no time at all. Everyone was talking among themselves glumly, so I tried to listen in on the conversation.

"You guys are completely sure you want to do this?" Mr. Taylor asked.

"No. I really don't want to," Zaria said. "But we don't really have a choice, do we?"

Amanda sighed. "What is Major Evans thinking, sending you out there? You're barely more than children."

"I have no idea," Alex murmured. "Part of me wonders if he's trying to get rid of us."

"What do you mean, 'get rid of us'?" Summer asked skeptically.

"No, he can't be trying to do that." Joshua said. "If he was, why would he send Summer, too?"

"Maybe he really did mean what he said in there," I interjected.

Joshua leaned back in his chair. "Why would he mean that?"

"Because maybe he's actually a genuinely nice person who's just really bad at expressing himself?"

"That makes sense," Alex said. He looked at me. "I second your opinion."

"You two seriously believe that?" Joshua said with a slight chuckle. "Face it, the guy's a douche."

"Joshua Lucas!" Mr. Taylor scolded.

"What? Everyone was thinking it. I just said it."

"You're not wrong," Zaria chuckled.

Behind me, I heard footsteps and talking. When I turned around, I saw Abel and Willow walking towards the table. Abel was holding Serena, who was giggling and touching his face. "You're completely sure you'll be fine?" He said, looking at Willow.

"Of course I will." She tilted her head, her eyes filled with concern. "I'm much more worried about you."

"Don't be," When he saw us, his facial expression changed. "I'll be fine," He said, his tone turning cold. He handed Serena back to her mother carefully.

Willow turned to face us, her coppery-brown hair falling over her shoulders. "Of course you will." She smiled nervously. "You have them to protect you." The way her voice quivered when she spoke made it clear that she was trying to convince herself of her own words.

Abel gobbled down his plate of beans, which were now cold (Blegh. Who the heck eats cold beans? They're disgusting. Even more disgusting than they normally are.) Once he was finished, he adjusted his backpack on his shoulders. "We really should get going soon."

"But-" Alex looked at his brother.

"But what?"

"I'm not ready. I don't want to go."

"I guess that makes two of us," Summer commented anxiously.

Zaria sighed and slung her arm around Abel's shoulder. "As much as I hate to admit it, Angsty-boy here is right. If we wait 'till we're ready, then we'll be waiting forever."

"Exactly. I-" Abel jerked away from Zaria. "Hold up! I am not angsty!"

Mr. Edger chuckled. "Yes you are."