Surviving the Dark

Chapter 15 - Brother

I couldn't move.

Xavier busied himself looking for his bracelet, and I knew I needed to help him. I mean a second pair of eyes is always better than one set. Yet I couldn't find it in myself to move.

All I could do was follow Xavier with my eyes.

It was probably a little creepy but you would too if you realised the same thing I did.

All the signs were there, though. I just couldn't put them together. Or wouldn't. I don't know. Maybe I just thought it couldn't be a possibility that I didn't want to see that the signs were there.

"Isa..." Xavier trailed off giving me a strange look. "Are you okay? Are you coming down with something? Because you are looking a little pale."

I nodded, not trusting that my voice wouldn't give anything away.

Xav gave me another look then turned to keep looking, but still kept glancing my way.

I was about to help when Jamie and Olivia entered the area.

"Hey, we're ba.... Woah, what the hell happened here?" Liv said, the smile dropping from her face as she takes in the mess that surrounds Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.

Xav stops his search for his bracelet and goes over and explains what happened.

Absentmindedly I started playing with my necklace and looked to the siblings, my eyes wide with worry and fear.

When Jamie got back I was going to get him to take me to somewhere new. I couldn't do that now.

How am I meant to tell them I have changed my mind? That I want to stay. Maybe I could blame it on my nightmare? I overreacted or something.

From the look on Jamie's face, I think he would be more worried about the irrigation system than taking me anywhere so I have some time to figure out what to say.

"Hey um Is?" I blinked and Liv was standing in front of me. "So Jamie and I weren't actually out of town for the last few hours."

I was hurt that she had lied to me, but I couldn't be mad. I mean I am lying to her too. To all of them. I couldn't stop the confused look that spread across my face though.

"We were actually setting things up in another area. We were gonna have like a mini party. I was hoping to use it to convince you to stay but showing you how much we care for you, but Jamie said it could also be a going away party too. Just in case we couldn't change your mind."

I opened my mouth to say something but she held a hand up and stopped me.

"It was meant to be a surprise, but we also didn't plan on the irrigation system bursting either. I feel bad that I have to cancel the party on you, even though you didn't know about it, but we need to fix the irrigation system." She looked down at her feet and her hands came up and played with a few strands of hair. Something she does when she is nervous or upset.

"Liv it's okay. I can go take everything down if you want? I suck at irrigation systems so I will just be in the way here."

"I couldn't ask you to do that."

"At least I would feel like I am being helpful by doing this. Where is it?"

She looked at me and then looked away. I knew something was up. Liv normally looks me right in the eye, very rarely does she not look at me. The exception for when she is doing something at the same time.

"Liv?" I questioned.

"Please don't hate us! It's at The Grove." Liv looked up, the worry in her eyes could be seen from a mile away.

"I don't hate you! I could never hate you. I don't particularly like the area but it is beautiful and the perfect spot for a party. If it's going to help you guys out I will go there and pack everything up." I wasn't thrilled with the idea. Last time I was in The Grove was the first day I was in Quelia and I had run out of there having a panic attack.

Liv gave me a concerned look, so I gave her the best encouraging smile I could muster and turned walking towards the last place I thought I would step foot into again.

Xav and Jamie looked over to me as I was leaving. They were too far away for me to decipher their expressions. Liv walked over to them telling them something, I only presumed she was explaining where I was going. Jamie stood up from his crouched position in the middle of the mess. Before he took a step towards me I shook my head giving him a small wave and a smile. When I turned away from them my hand went back to playing with my necklace.

'It's got a stone exactly like that.'

Xavier's bracelet had the same stone my necklace did. I haven't seen a stone like this since I was ten.

I reached The Grove and noticed Liv and Jamie went all out. Fairy lights amongst the trees, candles were lined up on lilypads ready to be set afloat when it got dark, and a speaker was set up waiting for something to be plugged in for music.

As I started taking everything down, my mind kept returning to Xavier's bracelet.

I only saw Rainbow Moonstones when my parents were alive. Everyone got one on their tenth birthday. When the attack on my home happened I used mine to get away and I thought I was the last one.

How could I not have noticed Xavier had a bracelet with the same stone!

All the signs were there.  I just thought they were all coincidences.

The bracelet.

The eyes.

The scars.

The fact that he didn't know his real parents and he was adopted. It was mean to think but it did sort of fit with everything else.

I couldn't leave now.

It was dangerous to stay, but it might be even more dangerous to leave.

I couldn't tell them why I had changed my mind, though. I didn't want to put any of them in danger, especially Xavier.

I couldn't believe it.

I'm not alone.

I found Zae.

It was Xavier all along.

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Authors Note.

I know its short, but I have said before I am not worrying about the length of the chapter, so long as I get what I want to happen, happen in the chapter. I am also going to try and write and post updates a little more frequently. However my hours at work tend to change so please don't hate me if I can't update as often as you would like. Like I said, I will try!

As always, please give me your feedback. I can't improve without it.

If you are enjoying it give it a vote too.

Cassandy 😇