The Insiders

Chapter 22

Chapter 22- Coren

I impatiently sit on my bed. I fiddle with my fingers and stare at the floor. Sharlene didn't come out of that room. Steve told me to give her her space but this is harder than I thought. I stand up and begin to head to the door.

"What are you doing?" Thomas asks as he leans over the railing of the top bunk.

"What do you think?" I spit back. I hate having roommates. Even if one of them is never here.

"You know you're not supposed to find her. She'll come back."

"How do you know that?"

"Why wouldn't I? Gift of knowing remember." He smirks while pointing to his head. I go back to my bed and sit with a heavy sigh. I know he's right but I still have doubt in this. Thomas suddenly gets out of his bed and sits on the floor in front of me.

"What are you doing?" I ask annoyed.

"I don't know." He replies. I know he knows. Even though he's gotten better at keeping his answers to himself, his poker face is still terrible.

"So now you don't know anything." We both laugh a little although it's almost impossible for me to laugh without her here. All of sudden there's a soft knock on the door. Thomas and I both look at each other to check to see if it actually happened. Before my brain can process what is going on, I'm opening the door. As soon as the door is open relief washes over me. Standing in front of me is Steve and Sharlene. She quickly jumps into my arms and wraps her arms around my neck. I place my arms around her waist. I bury my nose into her neck. I try to control my strength while I hug her but it's harder than it sounds. Steve gives out a small cough that smacks us both into reality. We part from our hug but I keep my arm around her waist. I never want to let her go.

"Will you be staying here tonight Sharlene?" Steve asks her. She turns her head to me.

'Can I?' She asks in my head.

'Of course.' I think. I know she heard me because she nods back at Steve.

"Alright. Have a nice night." Steve dismisses himself. He begins to walk down the hall. I let go of Sharlene and shut the door.

"C'mon over." I say as I grab her hand and walk her over to my bed. The small smirk that always plays at her lips isn't there anymore. I want to ask her more than anything where she was but I don't need to. She'll tell me when she wants to, right? She lets go of my hand and sits a foot away from me. Even this small distance between us kills me.

"How are you?" Thomas breaks the silence. I shoot him a stare. He can't ask her that! It's obvious none of us are okay. I hear a giggle to my right. I look to see Sharlene with a big grin on her face. Suddenly Thomas starts laughing too. The laughing is contagious. I begin to laugh too. The question is so strange but the laughing is the strangest thing.

"How are you?" Sharlene mimics Thomas. "How do you think?" We all continue to laugh. The honesty behind the question is covered with laughter. We laugh until our stomachs hurt. Our laughter slowly disappears as reality begins to slip back in.

"Amy," Sharlene begins. "How is she? Where is she?"

" She's in your room with Bryce. She's um" Thomas begins to explain.

"She's alive like the rest of us." I finish for him. Sharlene doesn't smile. She barely looks at me. She looks at Thomas then back at me. Suddenly she launches one arm around me and the other around Thomas, bringing us all in for a hug. At first I'm tense with shock, then I begin to relax as I remember one thing. This is my family and I'll never let anything happen to my only family I have ever had.