ELEMENT

Chapter Twenty-Five: Stubborn

The kitchen was a mess, so you could tell Meadow and Robin were having fun.

The night had ended, and everyone else had gone to bed. Meadow insisted Robin went with them; she wanted to clean on her own. So, as they retreated to their bedroom, Meadow had the mental peace of tidying a mess of unassembled chili bowls.

Stacking the pots and bowls into the sink, Meadow ran water through them while she wiped the counters, and when she finally returned to the sink, the water itself had already washed away some of the grime. She went to do one last wash.

Meadow, sweetie? You're not normally this quiet.

Something in her brain, like a flash, startled her. She dropped the pot back into the water, splashing up on her. Nasty chili water. She flapped her hands, cringing at the extra mess she made.

And then, something else. A familiar voice calling for her name.

-

Outside of Cole's house, he sat in the grass, looking out at the stars. "Pfhpbppbpbp." He flapped his lips, sitting up from the ground and deciding he needed company. "Ay, Meadow—"

"Hi." Meadow appeared out of nowhere, teleporting as soon as he called. "What's up?"

"I'm bored."

"It's a boring night." She sat next to him in the grass, also flapping her lips.

"Precisely why I called for you."

"Such a nerd, children being your only friends." Meadow laughed lightheartedly.

"I can talk to my sister if I want to!" Cole giggled back. "And I'm worried about you. A little."

"There's nothing new." Meadow laughed. "You're so weird."

"There's something on your mind, I can tell. Whether it's what happened last night, or something else. And I thought we were gonna talk about ditching the jacket."

One day, less than a year ago, all four of the royals were together, and Meadow was cold as usual.

Ethan knew it could have never helped. But he had this purple jacket from the week they spent in the forest, that was padded and warm. At least to him.

And he graciously gave it to Meadow. Maybe it was his way of saying he trusted her now.

"It's a comfort thing." She wasn't all that interested in getting rid of it, to say the least. "Doesn't make me warmer, it's just nice."

"That's completely fair. You just need to get more used to it."

She turned her head a little. "...I've been used to it."

"And now I'm sure there's something on your mind."

"There always is."

"Well, I'm curious."

Meadow trusted her brother to tell her the truth. Maybe that's why she was hesitant to ask. "...Can I really talk to you about this?"

"I'm your brother, silly." Cole smiled. And he wanted her to trust him.

"...Alright." She couldn't find the words, not exactly. "Do you remember her?"

"Remember who?" Cole replied.

"Mom."

"Oh. Right." He felt uncomfortable, adjusting. "Well, it's been quite a while. I remember how she sounded. And I only remember her face because, with a ponytail and glasses, you look just like her. You got your name from a friend who helped her while she was pregnant with you."