SILVERBONE: The Blood Medallion (Book One)

Chapter Five

Bright light beamed off the black exterior of the Toyota 4Runner. I squinted my eyes from the reflection of the sun as I approached while Wes opened the passenger door for me. My cheeks flushed to his attention, but I hoped he thought it was just because of the heat. He smiled at me, which pushed up the lower lash line of his eyes near his green irises.

“Thank you,” I told him, gesturing to his polite demeanor.

“Of course,” he answered.

I slipped as I climbed into the car, so his hand caught my backside. Embarrassed, I giggled. “Sorry.”

He chuckled. “You don’t have to apologize.”

He was right. I didn’t have to apologize. Why was I apologizing?

Once I was settled into the vehicle, he sat in the driver’s seat; even in a larger car, his tall body barely fit, and his red hair almost touched the ceiling. On the drive to his place, he cleared his throat a couple times as if he wanted to start a conversation but found difficulty in choosing his words.

I decided to say something. “This is a nice car.”

“Thank you,” he said, relieved. “It was a birthday present. I just turned eighteen last month.”

“Nice. I’m excited for when I will be able to drive, so I can leave to be on my own when I need to, but that won’t be for a while. I’m only turning fifteen in December.”

Wes blushed.

Why?

Did he think I was too young?

Thankfully, he added, “Well, when you get your permit, I’m happy to be your licensed passenger if you need one.”

“That sounds great,” I said, enthusiastically. “Thank you for offering.”

He blushed again. “Of course.”

I needed this.

The pleasant distraction eased the big decision hovering above my head. I still hadn’t accepted going to Blackstone or completely absorbed the fact that I never knew my real father let alone that I was a stranger in my own family. I felt like I needed guidance, but I didn’t really have a parental guardian who could confidently help me out. Thankfully Sammie agreed to a sleepover that would be happening after Wes returned me home, and I could tell her all about it. A part of me wanted to inform Wes as well, but given that we just started to get to know each other, I debated if it was appropriate to bring up.

Wes’ house nestled at the end of a classy, tight neighborhood a bit more expensive than my own. It reminded me of Sammie’s place. She was the daughter of one of the richest families in the area, which in turn made her popular, which stupefied me why she wanted to be friends with someone like me. Perhaps Wes would become another bougie companion.

We were welcomed by the tangy and smoky musk of an all American barbecue accompanied by a bulk of white people who acted extremely sweet, almost fake. Even there, I felt completely out of place. Although Wes introduced me to his family and neighbors, my existence was merely acknowledged, and I acted all the more awkwardly because of everything that was heavy on my mind.

Instead of a distraction, I ended up feeling more distressed.

I didn’t belong.

I felt like a mistake in the womb or a science experiment that had gone wrong and tossed to the side.

Wes noticed because while I picked at my potato salad, completely lost in my damaging thoughts, he asked, “Do you wanna get out of here?”

Surprised by his observance, I inquired, “What?”

He shrugged compassionately. “You know. Go somewhere else. There’s a lake I like to go to where it’s nice to talk or think.”

His suggestion actually made me feel like I was important. Someone noticed that I wasn’t doing well. Enthusiastically, I answered, “Sure.”

***

Apart from the birds, our surroundings were quiet. Peaceful. The exact kind of place to contemplate large upcoming life changes. How fast days went when big choices had to be made.

“Where are you going off to?” Wes’ voice pulled my attention to him. He watched me, almost jestingly, but I must have appeared grim because he started to look more serious. I felt comfortable with him, so I decided to open up.

“I just learned a couple days ago that my dad is not my biological father.”

Shock struck his expression, so I further explained everything else. At the end, we shared a stunned silence before he added, “I’m sorry, Gennifer. That must be so hard.” I nodded. He went on, “So if you go to Blackstone, you will start your freshman year there.”

“Yeah.”

“It kind of sounds like a college. Almost like some type of running start program.”

“I think that’s what it is. They even have dorms there, so… I don’t know what to do. I guess my biological dad wanted me to go because I have a fully funded scholarship; I just have to ensure my enrollment. Maybe it would be a way for me to get to know my real dad without ever meeting him. At the same time, I’m kind of scared. I’ve never been out of Kansas before or far away from family, though I guess, I don’t really have a family. Katie’s my half-sister, but we might as well be strangers because she always hates me. Even Mom can’t make me feel like I truly belong. I should just go, shouldn’t I?”

I faced Wes for guidance.

He bit his bottom lip, sadly, though I didn’t understand why. With thought, he answered, “I think you should do what you feel pulled to do. Listen to your gut but also don’t be afraid to be adventurous. No matter what you decide, I promise you can always come to me or call me for anything.”

His words were like a magnet for my tears, but I blinked them away, embarrassed to cry in front of him. I managed, “That’s very sweet. Thank you.”

More upbeat, he added, “You know, my sister lives in Washington. She goes to UW and resides in Seattle. Maybe I can visit you there sometime.”

I wondered if he really meant it. He appeared genuine, so I answered, “That would be great. Meeting new people in a new place sounds intimidating, so having a friend around would be awesome.”

He faltered slightly but grinned. “Yeah...a friend…”

**Thank you so much for reading! It means a lot. The rest of the book is on GALATEA by Inkitt. Please use the link in my bio to access it.💜**