A Court of Thunder and Mighty

Chapter 9

Miles Bendara

I look at Stella waiting for her to yell to Nyx but she is quiet, for the first time in her life. I look at the clock without any patience. I really didn't want to go on that trip.

"You know that you are very late right?" Stella said angrily. Nyx and Zayn smile. I can see that something happened between both boys, it was like they were closer in a way. It was nice that I could see that kind of stuff, things too small for anyone to notice. Yet, I saw it. They were different. Stella didn't seem to notice.

"I was talking with a friend of mine," Zayn said, putting his hands in his pockets. Stella open her mouth to say something, but then she closed it immediately

"What?" Zayn asked.

"Nothing," She said firmly. "Anyways, do you have everything in your bag? We will not be allowed to come back."

"Nop" He said smiling "I made a list, I have everything."

"You have a... list?" I said laughing. Zayn was not organized, it was a surprise that he even thought to create a list.

"Don't act so surprised. Nesta is my mom, she helped me create it" Zayn said rolling his eyes.

"Guys" Nyx said "We need to go right now. Its past three"

"What?" Zayn yelled "I thought it was one!"

"Yeah" Uncle rhys appear out of nowhere, scarring Zayn and Stella "You are very very late"

"I'm so sorry father" Stella said as if she was really sorry. Who cares if we were late? It was not like school was going to start tomorrow.

"It's okay darling" Uncle Rhys smiled "But we need to go, your mom is going to kill you two if we don't go right now"

Nyx and Stella looked at each other and started running for the car.

"See you guys in a little bit" Uncle Rhys said, going to his car. But then he stopped. "Miles, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah sure" I froze, I looked to see if my cousins could back me up. But there was no one there. I was alone.

"Look, I know that things are strange right now, and I just want to tell you that if you need to talk to someone about it, you can always come to me."

"What are you talking about?" I truly didn't know exactly what he was referring to.

He just smiled at me.

"Nothing. But I am here, if you ever need something" Uncle Rhys said

"Yeah, I will not forget that" I said "Thanks"

"Oh and, I'm sorry for Stella. She is exactly like her mother, you know. I know that Stella doesn't really hate you, just try not to piss her off, and please be careful because those women know how to throw a shoe like a devil."

He said his goodbyes and went to his own car.

I slowly walk to my car and I can see uncle Cass in the front seat, with his legs spread out in an unnatural position. My mom and Aunt Nesta decided to stay home with Aunt Amren and Aunt Emerie. My dad is looking at his phone, probably setting up the map.

I sat down and I could see Zayn looking at his phone. He was probably talking with some girl on the internet.

"What took you so long?" Zayn said not looking at me.

"Uncle Rhys being weird as normal" I said laughing at how strange that conversation was.

"Ha! Good for me that ran away" Zayn said turning off his cellphone.

"Traitor, I thought you were going to help me." I said and he laughed

"Yeah, yeah" Zayn smiled "Like hell I was going to help you. He was probably talking about Stella."

"What?" I was surprised "How do you know it was about her we were talking about? Did you hear us?"

His eyes were wide open and he started to laugh

"Uncle Az, please help" He was laughing so hard that he started to cry. My dad was also laughing and I didn't know why.

"What? What happened?" I asked

"Nothing Miles, sometimes I get scared of how stupid you are, honestly" Zayn said "But you are younger, maybe that's it."

"Kids" Uncle Cass said, "Stop thinking about this. Are you guys ready for the best trip in your guys life's?"

Zayn started screaming happily. My head started to hurt a lot.

...

Zayn and Uncle Cass were almost the same person. They talked like each other, yelled like one another, and definitely slept in the same way. Both were snoring with their feet in some strange position.

The only one that was awake, not counting me, was my dad. Obviously, as he was driving.

"Dad" I said. My heart was heavy, confused.

"Yeah"

"Do you know why Uncle Rhys said what he said?" It was all so confusing.

"Everyone knows Miles," He said, looking at the road.

"Well, I don't know" I said

"Yes you do," He said, looking at me through the rear mirror. "You like Stella"

My heart sank.

"What?" I couldn't breathe. "Everyone knows it?"

"Yeah... well not everyone. Stella doesn't know"

I couldn't speak. My heart was beating so fast and my head started to spin.

"Miles?" My dad looked at me worried.

"How can you look at me and not feel ashamed?" I said crying.

"Hey buddy, why?"

"I like Stella. She is my cousin. I was not supposed to like her, she is a part of this family. I tried to make her disappear from my heart, but I can't. Every time I make her feel bad, it pains me"

"Wow, Miles!" My dad turned to look at me "Stop this right now."

"What"

"She is not your cousin," My dad said. "You are not related in blood. You guys have known each other since birth, and I agree that is a little awkward, but it is not a bad thing."

"Stella hates me, dad. Even if I wanted to be with her, she will never talk to me alone"

"No. She does not hate you, everyone knows it. You should talk to her when you see her, you have to make her feel like she can trust you. Believe me, she likes you too. I can't tell you what to do, or not to do, it is your decision afterwards, but follow your heart. You can't continue to live inside a bubble. People will judge, of course. But not because of what you think. They will always judge, you are Miles Bendara, people will say what you should do with your life. But the only judgment you should hear is your own"

He smiled at me and I could feel everything that he wanted to tell me.

"How am I supposed to talk to her?"

"It is not be who you should ask"

And I knew exactly what to do.

I looked at my Zayn smiling at how he slept funny. Breathing looked at my dad.

"Thank you dad, for everything"

"its my job, don't ever forget that I will always be here," He said.

Putting my earphones on, I looked at the sky and suddenly I knew exactly what to do.