Witch Lights (Nanowrimo)

Chapter Sixteen-Road Trip

When we reach the shade of the oak trees surrounding the boy's school, I slow to a stop looking around for my friend. Two boys lean against one of the larger trees, huddled close together as if they are discussing something that is tremendously important. The shorter boy looks up as we approach, crunching dying oak leaves beneath our feet, and waves a hand at me, gesturing for us to come closer. I make my way towards them, noting that both girls stay a centimeter or so behind me.

"Finally! I was beginning to wonder if you made these girls up, Cole." The boy slings an arm around Cole's shoulder, and I raise an eyebrow as Cole fake-shoves him with a giant grin. 

"Of course not. You've met Amara, right?" His gaze flickers between his older brother and I, and I only nod, my face blank. I can't say that I am overjoyed to meet the boy that abandoned his brother for so long without notice, but I guess I can pretend for Cole's sake. 

The older boy meets my eye, raising an eyebrow at my chilly expression, but it does nothing to stop the grin spreading across his lips. "Yeah, we met once or twice." He shrugs casually, and I feel my gaze harden. We would have been better aquainted if you hadn't left.

Jackie shifts beside me, and my eyes flit to hers as I wonder what she sees. She hasn't met either of the boys before, and doesn't have any prior experience, so she is viewing everything with a critical eye. Does she notice that Cole and his brother both have the same shade of green and hazel in their eyes? Will she see that while his brother has shaved his hair close to his skull, Cole has left his dark locks in a tangled mess? Can she see the beauty in each while still noticing how different they each are? Nathan is the model of what Cole will look like when he's twenty two. 

"Why are you here, Nathan?" My voice isn't as impartial as I was aiming at and I wince at the raw anger hidden there. You can't just dump your little brother off to make his own way in a new town, no matter how important your other business was, and think that I will forgive you. Someone has to look out for my best friend since he seems perfectly content letting people flit in and out of his life without notice.

Cole narrows his eyes at me, furrowing his eyebrows, and I adjust my face to a neutral mask again. "That's what I was actually about to talk to you about." Nathan says as he ignores me to look at Cole. 

"What do you mean, Nate?" Cole asks, an oblivious grin skipping across his face. Look at him. He's so excited that Nathan is back that he isn't looking at the situation in perspective. Did he really think his brother would come for just a social visit?

Nathan surveys the girls and I before turning back to Cole who gestures at him to continue. "It's okay, Amara said she trusts these girls, and that's good enough for me." He explains waving the concerned look on Nathan's face away. His brother turns to look at me, pursing his lips as if this isn't a good enough assurance for him. 

"Okay, I guess if your absolutely sure." He scans us all once more before facing his brother head on. " I bite my lip in anticipation and lean forward a bit, curious despite myself.  "The real reason I'm here isn't just to check up on you," Nathan pauses when Cole frowns, and he reaches out to ruffle Cole's hair with an affectionate smile. "Although that was a nice bonus. I'm actually here because our family's in danger."

Here the pause stretches out longer, and thankfully my girls stay silent, not willing to break into this obviously private moment. His family is in danger? I didn't even know he had any family left besides his brother. "What?" The heartbroken whisper cuts through the tense silence and I scrunch my eyes closed for a second before glancing to look at Cole's reaction. His mouth is hanging open and his eyes are narrowed slits, the green barely visible. For a second I want to reach out and hug him, but I stay still, leaving him to process all the new information.