Lost

Chapter 14 - Shame

It only took a few minutes for the three of them to get to their favorite ice cream shop. Caleb was driving very fast and serving around all of the other people around the road.

No one spoke. No music played. No sounds were heard.

Caleb's gaze was anywhere but on the road as he switched between both of the quiet siblings currently sitting in the car.

Jodee sat in her car seat, hands clutching both of the boy's hands lightly. She had a faint pout on her lips and her cheeks were rosy with tear stains, but she had stopped crying for the time being. She refused to look up at the mirror to see Caleb or at her brother even though they both knew she was aware of their eyes on her. She just settled for watching out of the window, sadly.

Ace sat in the passenger seat, never once looking his friend in the eye. He didn't do anything besides hold his hand back for his sister to hold as he rubbed circles on the back of her hand and stared at his lap. Caleb suspected Ace must have some blood or marking on his face and that was why he wouldn't look at anyone — but he couldn't be sure. Cal didn't try to ask any questions and Ace didn't attempt to respond to any.

It was a mystery what happened between Tobias and Ace behind closed doors that night.

Caleb mumbled a quick, 'we're here' as they arrived. Parking the car and unbuckling his seatbelt, but waiting for Ace to make the first move. Ace nodded his head slightly, unbuckling his seatbelt as well but waiting for a beat.

"I'm going to get my sister." He muttered, exiting out of the door and circling around the car to get his sister from the car seat.

His friend took that as his cue that they were actually going in to get some ice cream today and not just going to sit in the car and wallow in silence. Caleb exited, standing around by the side of the car facing the ice cream shop as he waited for Ace to come back around with Jodee. He continuously ran his fingers through his messed up hair as he began to worry.

How is Jodee going to react to this?

Is Ace okay? What happened between him and his father?

And lastly, how could Caleb HELP both of them?

The boy's mind started to scream at him as the questions pounded over and over into him. Caleb's breathing started to increase even though it became increasingly hard to take in oxygen, his mind going crazy while left alone and to its own devices. When Ace came around the car, a little girl in his arms, Caleb sucked in a breath and held a tight smile. He was okay. He had to be okay.

Ace's head was still kept down, but now it was so that his mouth was near the little girl's ears, able to speak to her without much effort coming from him. His arms circled around her butt as he supported her on the front of his body. Both of her little arms were wrapped around his neck and shoulders, her head laying sideways on his shoulder.

Caleb stepped towards them, brushing some unruly curls out of Jodee's eyes and slightly caressing her cheek for a second. She didn't make any move, her face passive as she watched him with blue and deep innocent brown eyes.

"You doing okay, JD?" He asked her gently.

"Mhh." Jodee muttered, turning her head to bury it in the crook of her brother's neck and away from Caleb. Ace tightened his old on her, kissing her head gently.

Caleb chuckled softly, a light tipped smile playing at his lips.

"What happened?" Cal asked his friend lowly.

Ace shrugged lightly, his gaze (along with a black eye) meeting Calebs. "Nothing really." He responded bluntly.

Cal raised his eyebrow.