Vanish {Book two in the Coriana Johnson series}

Radcliffe is Crazy

I stared out the window absentmindedly as Fitz drove to Radcliffe's. It was good to get out and do something outside of the Shield base, even if it was to watch a game I cared nothing about.

  "It's too bad that Simmons couldn't come with us," I commented, trying to start a conversation. 

"Yeah," he mumbled, obviously still disappointed. 

   I glanced back into the backseat, noticing the pack of beers sitting there. 

"I hope you brought something that I can drink," I said, raising as eyebrow.

"Oh, uh, sorry, I didn't think about that," he said. "Uh, maybe Radcliffe will have something?"

I rolled my eyes. He knew perfectly well that the only beverage Radcliffe had was beer.

 We were silent for a few moments, then Fitz spoke.

"So how are you doing?" he asked me. 

   "Fine," I said, trying to sound normal, but it came out a little sharply. 

"Are you sure?" I heard Fitz ask, and I sighed. 

   Why are people so concerned about me? I'm not a little kid, I'm eighteen. I don't need to be babied! 

  "Yes!" I exclaimed. "Perfectly fine."

"Ok, I'll take a hint," he said, sighing. "But just so you know, you still have a bit of work to do before you're as good as May at lying." 

   "So you're saying I'm lying?"

"No, I didn't-"

   "You implied. Same thing."

"Not exactly-"

    "Fitz!" I cut him off, exasperated. "Sometimes I think you try too hard to be like an older brother."

"Is that a bad thing?"

    "It is when you're being overprotective and stubborn, yes."

"Hey, you're more stubborn than me."

   "I am not!"

"I'm not going to continue this pointless argument like a little child, but you know I'm right."

  I rolled my eyes and continued staring out the window.

Yeah, he was right. But I wasn't going to tell him that.

  "Look, the point is, we're overprotective sometimes because we care about you. Is there anything wrong with that?"

I sighed. 

  "I suppose not...sorry, sometimes I just feel like you all think I'm some little child that needs so much protection."

"No, like I said, it's because we care a lot about you. I don't know if you've noticed, but you're like a little sister to me." 

  In spite of the slight frustration I was feeling, I couldn't help but smile when he said that. I took a deep breath, calming myself. He cared about me, and that was a good thing. Being overprotective is better than some of the alternatives, which I have experienced. 

  "Look, Fitz, I'm sorry for getting frustrated. These past few months have just been kind of difficult, but I really don't want to talk about it," I told him, hoping he would listen. 

Thankfully, he nodded.

"Ok, that's fine. What do you want to talk about?" he asked, glancing at me.