Choose Your Own Adventure

The Evolutionary [Episode 1]

"Everything is fine, kiddo." You said with a slight grimace drawn on your lips. You pushed yourself onto your toes to look over the heads of everyone in front of you. The line for taxis was painfully long and it didn't look like you'd get one in the next thirty minutes. "Tell mom and dad not to worry so much."

"They're not the only ones who are worried, you know? I am too. You were supposed to come home." Your sister replied. It was obvious by the tone of her voice that she was upset, not that you blamed her. You had kind of let her down and that wasn't something you did often.

"I know, Kairi, I know." You sighed and rubbed your forehead tiredly. The flight to Phoenix hadn't been super long, but it had been plenty tiring, "I'm sorry, little sister. I'll make it up to you."

Kairi scoffed and you could tell her lips had quirked up in amusement, "I thought I told you to stop calling me little sister. I'm only two years younger than you."

"Still younger." You argued with a small grin on your own.

There was a brief pause before she spoke up again, "Have you gotten in touch with him yet?"

"I tried calling him one more time before I called you." You shrugged and moved forward in line when the people at the very front finally got a taxi. "He didn't answer."

"I'm sure Cade is ok." Kairi reassured you, "He's a tough guy."

She wasn't wrong. Cade had always been a hard guy to shake. When you felt like things were crumbling he was always there to hold you up. It was like stress and panic and worry didn't even faze him. It rolled right off his back. What you were worried about was the fact that heartless didn't just roll off people's back.

"Yeah." You finally mumbled.

Kairi must have been able to tell that the topic bothered you. She cleared her throat and switched to something else, "Mom and dad have been thinking about flying out there. Meet you in Phoenix and-"

"No!" You blurted. She knew about what was happening in Arizona. You had told her at the beginning of this phone call and you expected that after it Kairi would share the information with your parents. "Do not come here."

"Are we supposed to just sit around here while you're in an area where heartless have been seen?" Kairi cried. "You and I both know as soon as dad hears what's going on he'll be storming down there to get you."

You couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of your father coming down to Phoenix and raising hell to bring you back to LA. You sobered up when the thought of your father going head to head against a heartless filled your mind. The line moved forward again, "Things are fine, Kairi, but I still don't want you guys anywhere near here. I'll come to LA as soon as I'm done."

"Alright." Kairi replied, "I should probably let you go, huh?"

"Yeah, I probably need find a new way out of here. I don't think this taxi thing is going to work out." You sighed, "Stay safe out there, alright? Keep an eye on mom and dad for me, little sister."

"Do you have your bracelet?" Kairi questioned.

"Of course I do." You replied and lifted your left arm so your plaid shirtsleeve fell back to reveal your wrist. Around it was a rose gold chain bracelet with two solid star charms strung along the metal. Kairi had a matching one, but her bracelet was silver. The two of you had gotten them in high school and both of you rarely took it off. "Never go anywhere without it, silly."

"Good. It'll keep your dumb butt safe."

"I'm more worried about your dumb butt." You joked, "I'll talk to you later, Kairi."