And Then, There Was Fire.

thirty one.

"April." The name escaped Kurisch's mouth in a sigh, almost as if it was out of annoyance or exhaustion. She stood outside of his home frozen at the sight of him after too many years, ignorant to the others behind him that stood frozen in place.

She looked the same, he thought. Her face was free of makeup, displaying the jet lag in and around her eyes as her back-long natural curls were pulled up into a top-knot bun. Her hands remained inside the pockets of her hooded cotton jacket, matching the fitting sweatpants that she wore for the long, and unplanned flight there.

Her eyes broke from Kurisch's finally, landing on Trey who stood in her view behind Kurisch at a distance.

"Trey." She finally spoke after a moment of silence amongst them all. She watched his brows furrow as disappointment began to creep across his face.

She watched his eyes look away from hers and to behind her, where Daniel stood adjacent.

"Trey," She spoke again to break his concentration off of Daniel, who she knows he never met nor seen before, taking one step forward as his attention returned to her. "Pleas-"

"Oh, now's the time I'm assuming?" Trey interrupted her. They both stood there with no response, with April carefully planning her next set of words. Unable to execute all the things she thought of to say that she rehearsed on their flight. "NOW?" Trey asked as he raised his voice, leaning into his side as his eyes squinted at the irony.

"NOW you think is the time to have that talk with me?" His hand pressed against his chest, feeling the effects of the alcohol still.

His eyes darted back to Daniel, not having to second-guess who he was. "to both of us?!" He added, referring to Lauren. Daniel continued to stare in awe as he finally laid eyes on this infamous Trey; the one who he was only familiar with by name in Lauren's small circle of friends. He stared in awe due to his exact resemblance of his good friend, Neveredes.

"Kurisch, where's Lauren?" Daniel asked quietly from behind April, getting ready to step from around April to avoid the intense awkwardness with April and Trey.

"Well hi to you too Daniel. At my doorstep. I'm doing well." Kurisch sarcastically greeted. Although there was no love lost on his end, he grew annoyed that they rushed this decision without informing him. Fearing that all the work he's done to inform Trey and Lauren and to keep their emotions tamed, would become undone.

"Ain't NO ONE talking to Lauren tonight, that's for damn sure." Trey's anger was now in motion.

"Excuse me?" Daniel stepped in front of April as he stared Trey down. His alpha-type personality surfaced quickly, feeling disrespected as Lauren's father.

Trey watched April's hand gently grab hold of Daniel's arm, wanting to calm the tension as Kurisch simultaneously began stepping in front of Trey before Daniel was to step into the home.

"Trey, I got it." Kurisch held his hand up before Trey began moving it from in front of him.

"Nah, do you want a repeat of what happened the last time he spoke to her?!" Trey almost yelled. An immediate need to protect Lauren at all costs came over him. Quickly ignoring the issue at hand that he had with his mother, his only concern was Lauren, her feelings, and her possible inability to control whatever powers that she may have.

"First of all-" Daniel began to raise his voice as April continued to hold onto him, his chest lifting before he can continue.

"Both of yall wasted a fucking trip!" Trey continued over Daniel as their voices grew over each other's. At this point Kurisch turned to face Trey completely, his hand still held up in front of Trey's chest as he attempted to tone him down.