echo [completed]

chapter 20

kyle could feel cora's nervousness from the driver's seat.

"you all right, cora?" he asked, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

cora nodded and moved her head away, avoiding his eyes.

the rest of the ride was quiet. except for isaac who would make a terrible joke every chance he got and most of the time cora would snicker under her tightly closed lips.

when they arrived at the hotel cora insisted on staying, of course isaac had to put his comment out.

"i don't get why we can't just spend the night at your brother's loft."

"he hasn't talked to me in two years and i think he would never do it again." cora reasoned and sighed, flopping down on the bed. "besides, we can't just barge in there. we don't even know if he's still there."

"ok, you have a point, but how are we exactly paying for all of this? you've been living off of hunting in the forest for years and kyle and i just got out of rehab!" isaac countered, frustrating cora who couldn't find a clear answer in her head.

"cordelia handed me money before we left." kyle interjected as he settled the bags on the floor next to cora's bed and sat next to her. "i'll go grab us some dinner."

"uh, i'll do it." isaac offered. "you need some rest anyway. you've been driving the whole time."

kyle hesitated for a moment, but gave in when cora landed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

the door squeaked close as isaac headed out, swearing before he left that he knows where to find the best food in town.

"you wanna talk?" kyle asked softly and stood up to begin preparing his bed on the floor.

"you're not going to sleep there." he looked up at her, blanket crunched up on top of her lap. "if anyone here needs the bed most, it's you, kyle." she sighed. "you need as much energy as you can build up so when the time comes that you need to use your powers, you won't be as drained as you were the day we got out."

"here," cora threw herself out of the bed and grabbed a pillow of her own. "i'll just sleep there. i need to be a lookout for both of you anyway and i had to read." kyle was about to object but then cora laid down on his supposed spot for the night.

"goodnight, kyle." cora yawned and tossed over, her back facing kyle.

"what about dinner?"

"issac will probably take like 30 minites just to keep his stupid promise." she yawned again, which caused kyle to do the same thing. "he always does."

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isaac doesn't even remember what day of the month it was, but looking at the orange tinted leaves and biting air on his skin, he concluded that it was, in fact, nearing the end of fall.

beacon hills is always mysteriously packed at night during fall, especially bars. he never finds himself inside it though, but everytime he walks home from school he catches a glimpse of the people inside.

the place where he knew great food would be waiting for him was a few blocks away. usually he wouldn't complain about long walks - ok, wait, he would, but only to irritate cora.

a cashier greeted him from her station with a smile and a question, "what can i get you?"

"i'll get the - uh - one number seven and ..." his mind wavered between the chicken terriyaki with shrimp and breaded pork with the restaurant's specialty sauce.

after a few more minutes with being an indecisive food savvy, which caused groans from the customers behind him, he decided to take both just in case.