Scarlett, the Found One

Chapter 24: Scarlett

I gave my aunt, uncle, and little Charlie one last hug before heading to the car. The goodbyes were emotional but brief, everyone understanding the urgency of the situation. As I got into the car with Alexii, I couldn't help but glance over at Maya one last time. Her expression was unreadable, but I knew her well enough to sense the concern hidden beneath.

Alexii was already in the driver's seat, tense and focused. I settled into the passenger seat and glanced over at him. "You seem on edge. Is it because of Maya?"

He kept his eyes on the road, jaw tight. "No," he replied curtly. "It's not about her."

I wasn't convinced. "You sure? You sounded pretty annoyed back there."

Before he could respond, Charlotte, sitting in the back seat, chimed in with a cheerful tone. "I think Maya's adorable. She's got that whole brooding protector vibe going on. Kind of like you, Alexii."

Alexii didn't respond, his hands gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter. I gave Charlotte a grateful smile, glad for the attempt to lighten the mood.

The drive was uneventful for the most part, a tense silence occasionally broken by Charlotte's attempts at conversation. It wasn't until we were thirty minutes away from the ferry that trouble struck. The car jolted suddenly, and a loud thump followed by a rhythmic thudding noise signaled a flat tire.

"Of course," Alexii muttered, pulling over to the side of the road.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the car. "Let's take a look."

Alexii followed, and we both assessed the damage. The tire was completely flat, and it didn't look like a quick fix.

"Do we have a spare?" I asked, hoping for some good news.

Alexii popped the trunk and rummaged through the contents. "Yes, but we're going to need to hurry. We can't afford to miss that ferry."

As Alexii worked on changing the tire, I couldn't help but think about the journey ahead. Every delay felt like a setback, every obstacle a reminder of how fragile our situation was. I glanced over at Alexii, who was focused on the task at hand, and wondered what he truly thought of Maya. The tension between them was palpable, and I hoped it wouldn't affect our mission.

Charlotte got out of the car and stood beside me, watching Alexii work. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "I think everything will work out.It's just a hiccup... but he does look good changing that tire...all manly and such?"

We sat by the roadside for what felt like an eternity, the weight of our delay pressing down on us. Alexii had tried to fix the flat tire, but the jack was missing, and we were stuck. The silence was heavy, broken only by the occasional frustrated sigh from Alexii and Charlotte's attempts at light-hearted conversation.

Then, after about fifteen minutes of waiting, headlights appeared in the distance, growing brighter as they approached. My heart lifted as Maya's car pulled up beside us.

Maya stepped out, a mixture of concern and determination on her face. "Need some help?" she asked, her tone surprisingly neutral.

Alexii's shoulders visibly relaxed, though he still seemed tense. "Well since you're here...," he trailed off..

Scarlett, Charlotte, and Alexii quickly gathered their belongings, and we squeezed into Maya's car. It was a tight fit, with Charlotte and Alexii in the back and me crammed between them.

"Thanks for showing up," I said to Maya as I buckled my seatbelt. Her presence, despite the lingering tension, was a relief.

Maya nodded, her eyes focused on the road ahead.

The drive to the ferry was filled with an awkward silence. Charlotte tried to strike up conversations, but they quickly fizzled out

We arrived at the ferry just in time. Maya parked the car, and we all got out, stretching our cramped limbs. The cool breeze from the water was refreshing, a brief respite from the tension.

"We made it," Charlotte said with a relieved smile. "Barely, but we made it."

Maya looked over at me, her expression unreadable. "Let's get going. We can't relax until we're on that boat