The Return - A Michael Vey Fanfic

Chapter 35

I walked out of the bathroom after having changed and threw my ratty orange jumpsuit in the garbage with everyone else's. I have to admit, it was nice to finally be back in clothes again even though I only wore that jumpsuit for maybe a day.

Nichelle and I had talked for a little bit longer but she didn't actually know much else. She told me that we basically just had to train and see what we could do to get my powers back. Fortunately, she gave me the rest of the day off for rest.

I walk outside to get some fresh air and see Raymond sitting there, on the ground, with his eyes closed.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked him.

"What?" Raymond opened his eyes and looked at me. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"Just making sure," I say and point to the ground next to him. "Mind if I sit?"

"Not at all," he said.

I plopped down on the grass next to Raymond and pulled my legs into a cross-legged position.

"What we're their names?" I asked.

"Who's?" Raymond asked as he gazed up at the dark sky.

"You're brothers," I said. Raymond never told me what his brothers names were and now that we knew they were dead, I thought I should to honor their memories even if I never knew them.

"Oh, Forrest and Landon," he said.

I nodded. "Those are good names, I like them. What were they like? You're whole family?"

"Counting my parents?"

"Are they part of your family?" I asked.

"Alright, alright," Raymond laughed. He then sighed and got quiet as though thinking.

"Well," he started, "my youngest brother, Landon, was nine when I last saw him but he's supposed to be ten by now. He wasn't very old but I could tell he would've been really stubborn but determined had he grown up. He wouldn't give in to anything unless you have him a good reason, and I mean a really good reason, like you made a deal with him. Deals were his favorite thing ever, though his deals weren't too bad because he was willing to get paid in candy. The only way my parents could even get him to go to school was to promise him some type of sugar every day when he got home from school. He was really humorous though and hyper most of the time. He was a really fun guy to hang out with, to be honest.

"Then there's Forrest, who was thirteen, who was more of a ladies man. In was actually really entertaining to watch him interact with girls, since he was only thirteen. He'd walk up to a girl and attempt to flirt with them but they'd turn him down, every time. Fortunately, I don't think he cared much. He was definitely starting to develop an ego, but he didn't entirely grasp the concept yet so it hadn't started hurting him. He loved being taught how to fight more than Landon or me, and I think he wanted to be in the army when he was older, kind of like my dad. He respected everyone that he felt deserved his respect, which was everyone except those who had done something wrong to him, and he was actually shaping up to be a good soldier. I think he would've done well in the army; maybe even become a high ranking officer.

"And my mom, Abigail, or Abi for short, was one of the most sensitive and kindest people I had ever met, I don't think I ever once heard her raise her voice. I mean, she would lecture us at times but even then, her voice was so soft and loving that a passerby could have mistaken her for simply talking to us. I don't think my mom could have hurt a fly even if someone had put a gun to her head. She also told really good stories and she was so bright and optimistic that if any of the three of us were having a bad day, she could easily make us feel better in an instant.

"As for my dad, Jack, he wasn't very talkative and he could be strict at times but he was loyal and brave and he was pretty fun to mess around with. My brothers and I would go out with him almost every weekend and play some sport with him, whether it was football or baseball or lacrosse or whatever. And he taught the three of us how to protect ourselves but always told us not to hurt anyone else unless in self defense. I never really was entirely sure why, but I just guessed he had some experience with a bully or something when he was younger. I could also tell he loved my mom very much. Just the way... The way they looked at each other every time they made eye contact,  I could tell that the live they had for each other was pure. Not full of lust but just pure love for each other."

Without looking at me, Raymond frowned. "I know that sounds stupid but I just..."

"You hope that you can have someone to look at like that one day?" I ask.

"Exactly," he said.

"I think everyone does," I said softly. "And it doesn't sound stupid by the way. You're parents were lucky to be able to find each other. I mean, I see my parents look at each other the same way almost every day."

"It's a beautiful thing to watch," Raymond said.

I simply bobbed my head in reply. I wasn't really paying attention any longer as I was dreaming of what that would be like. To have someone who actually believed in me genuinely tried to make me happy just because he could.

Raymond and I sat there in silence for a long time. I had started thinking about my family and I could have guessed that he was thinking about his. They sounded like delightful people after all.

"So why don't you really ever smile?" Raymond asked abruptly.

"What? I smile all the time," I replied defensively.

"Not an actual real, big smile, and you certainly haven't laughed."

I shrugged. "I don't know," I said. "Maybe I just haven't really found a reason to laugh after everything that has happened." Such as almost dying, or thinking I lost my brothers, or watching Ostin die.

"Well, do you want to laugh?"

"I guess."

Raymond looked at me and grinned lopsidedly. It was actually a pretty adorable grin, though I may not have admitted that. "Alright then, before I die, I will make you laugh, and not just a small laugh. A full on laugh that'll hurt your sides cause your laughing so hard."

I roll my eyes. "Okay, challenge accepted," I said and wiggled my eyebrows for good measure.

I could already tell that this was going to be fun.