Deathly Private

Chapter Ten: Thanksgiving Turkey

"So you all packed?" Emma said walking into Carter's room. Carter's room was different. It was much larger than Emma's, her bathroom including a beautiful porcelain bathtub and shower. Unlike Emma's clean and organized room, Carters was a mess of clothes and make-up. Her desk consisted of over-due library books and half-opened Coke bottles.

Carter sat in the middle of the floor folding clothes and putting them, surprisingly neatly, into her large pink suitcase. "Yeah, this is my last bag."

"You're last bag?" Emma noticed out of the corner of her eye, there was three other pink suite cases, and a matching pink carry on. "You realize we are only going to be gone a week, not a year."

"Emma, if I am going to be meeting the family of my best friend, I need them to think I am worthy of being your best friend. I must gain their approval in every way." Emma was a little startled. She had never heard such determination in Carter's voice. A light blush erupted across Carter's face and she quickly zipped up her case and stood up. "Let's go see this little car of yours." She said smiling.

They, along with a bunch of other students, made their way down to the parking lot, where they were either being picked up or driving themselves away. In the sea of Mercedes and Chrysler's, sat Emma's soft yellow, 1970s VW Thing. Although it was argued as the "Ugliest Car in the World", Emma loved her Thing. Carter however, was mixed. "It's cute...but like it's so freaking ugly it's cute."

Emma just laughed, opening up the trunk and throwing her stuff in there. "On good days, when the sun is actually out, I can put the top down. Today however..." she looked at the dark gray sky frowning, "is not that day." They finished packing the car. Just as Emma was getting in, she got a text from Agent Heath.

 Meet me in the gym before you go, need to speak with you.

"Um, Carter, I just realized I left my purse in the library...I'm gonna run and get it before they close it down." She left Carter in the Thing listening to the radio warming up with the heater on full blast. Emma ran down the paths cutting behind the main building so Carter couldn't see her run into the gym. When she got in there she found Silas (it still felt weird calling him that), standing in front of the board. "Silas?"

He turned and smiled, "Hello Emma! I didn't mean to pull you away from your vacation with Carter but I just needed to see you..."

Emma felt her heart flutter and her stomach drop. She knew she was being irrational and immature, but she couldn't help it. "Oh?"

Silas's cheeks turned red, realizing what he had said was a little over the line. He just laughed nervously, "Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about vacation." He shifted back and forth, worry beginning to fall over his face. "Look I know we want you to engage with him and everything, but please...be careful. They are dangerous...just watch your back Emma, keep someone with you at all times."

She felt her head nod slowly until she was able to make words, "I will. Thank you for your concern Silas." Silas smiled and they froze for a moment. They were caught somewhere between a awkward conversation and a caring dialogue.