Nielu [REWRITTEN]

31 - Freedom Falls

Alina sits in her usual lunch table in the school's cafeteria with Andrea sitting right beside her, Harper across from the two with Anthony on her right and Nico on her left. Nate and Zianna are to Alina's left and the former is happily munching away on his food.

Zianna lifts her glass of a red liquid and brings it to her lips, sipping tediously. Her amber eyes glance to and fro, noticing the raven haired brother of Alina's isn't anywhere in sight.

"Hey, where's Ethan?" she asks.

"I haven't seen him all day." Alina mumbles.

Harper pokes around her tray of food with her fork. Alec had told her what happened and as much as she loved her friend, she couldn't exactly believe his words. Leaving his sister in the hands of a werewolf while a fire crept towards them.

"Andrea, Tony? Has your mom said anything?" Nico asks the two siblings in question.

"Well," Andrea pokes her chin with her right pointer finger, "I did hear the hospital had the entire fourth floor up in flames. And that two kids were trapped in the cafeteria there."

"Anything about these two kids?" Nate says.

"No."

Alina's phone starts buzzing suddenly and when the girl fishes it out, paling at the newest text message from her mom.

Mom
He knows. Doesn't know you're aware but
it's only a matter of time now. Call me asap.

I know you're in school...but when you get a chance.

"Oh shit." Alina mutters.

"What?" Andrea asks her, stuffing a piece of lettuce in her mouth.

"What could possibly be wrong for you to say that?" Nate butts in.

"A secret riding my family for a long time." the raven haired girl states. And we all know how secrets work...they destroy the ones we love.

Aphmau's daughter walks into her parents house, shutting the door behind her. She sees her mother bending over the couch in the living room. The girl's chocolate eyes catch a brief glimpse of a bandaged ankle and several small bottles sitting on the ottoman in front of the couch.

"I'm home! Sorry I couldn't call you mom, I didn't get a chance." she calls the frowns. "What happened?"

"You need to take these." Aphmau says with a soft smile.

"Fine." Alina recognizes the voice.

"Ethan? This is where you've been?! You haven't been at school all day! I was worried!"

Aph hands him a glass of water and he downs his medication with a sip of water. He then turns on his side, his back facing Aphmau.

"His leg's badly burned but his healing is kicking in." the woman tells her daughter. "Are either of you hungry? I can make some food."

"I'm good mom." Alina says.

"No." came Ethan's reply.

"So...you know?" Alina asks in a soft timid voice as she takes a seat on the loveseat next to the couch.

"Know what? That this woman right here is a liar? Or that she never once told me I was sick and she knew exactly what it was." Ethan mumbles.