Retaliation: the beginning

Chapter 11: "A secret spoken finds wings."

"Good you're awake."

Elias blinked before he turned to see the school nurse by his side writing down on a chart.

"How are you feeling?" She smiled in comfort.

"Uhm I-I feel fine, I guess." He paused, his vivid features disturbingly still, dark whiskey eyes glazed and distant.

"Alright," The nurse gave the chart a last look before she turned her attention to him "Well, you had a slight wave of fatigue so what I recommend is a healthy meal and an after school activity to keep those muscles moving."

The boy blinked looking momentarily startled that he was in the there and then, not wherever his mind had taken him to, but the haze was gone, his eyes clearer. "Activity?" he wondered out loud.

"Yes, there's a swimming club and basket ball team," she informed "you can fill out the form at the faculty office."

Great.

As if he had time for a school activity.

Elias snorted as he sat on the steps leading from the school entrance down to the grassy yard. Leaning against one of the timber support posts, he tilted his head back so he can look up into the sky. It reminded of Derek's ring, blue and infinite.

Derek.

They still haven't figured out what to do with that book. Sure keeping it will give them advantage over whoever is manipulating Derek, but it'll still cause them problems. Who knows what this person is capable of to get back that book?

The answer was bright and clear, giving the book to Derek and watch him deliver it, the perfect trap to lure the culprit.

Two birds in one stone.

The only thing left is how to contact him; Derek said something about Brian knowing where to find him.

And Brian's being watched.

Great, another problem, fix one get another one for free!

He stared at the phone in his hand longingly as he walked with no destination, like he had been for the past fifteen minutes, the school being almost deserted gave him space to think. It had been two days since he asked Brian to wait for their rescue. Sure Brian Reilly was a brand new addition to his friends' list. But truthfully, he missed having him around.

What if he didn't want to hear from him? What if he was preoccupied by something?

Elias shook himself out of it and dismissed the idea each time, he leaned his forehead against the fence of the soccer field. The real question was if the sheriff would catch him doing it and starts asking questions.

Again.

He picked up the phone, turned it about in his hand, thinking the decision over. It's just a call from a friend. The idea of it was to exchange pleasantries, friends do that, he could do that without drawing attention.

He finally pressed dial and held his breath as he held the phone to his ear.

The first beep passed.

He wondered what he must be doing.

A second beep.

Was he ignoring his call?

A third beep.

"Who're you calling?"

Elias jumped out of his skin and for a moment he froze holding the phone to his ear when a hand caught his shoulder and span him around.

"Jeez chill, it's just me." Aaron laughed.

"God Aaron did you have to sneak up on me?" He hissed "I'm calling Brian; he's the only one who knows where to find Derek."

"Wow Derek what? Did you bump your head when you passed out?"

"Aaron we need to get him that book so he could leave us alone this pressure is killing me I'm lying to my uncle for god sake!"

Eh...Hello?

"Oh hey hi Brian how are you doing?"

Not good after hearing you yell? Who are you fighting with?

"It's fine, Aaron here is just being a pain."

Aaron tsked "Oh yeah well the pain is thinking not to get involve with a dangerous guy such as Derek."

Derek? Did he do something again?

"No and he's not about to, if I give him the book he's going to leave us alone, plus I made a copy what are we keeping it for?"

"It's not the stupid book," Aaron clarified "I'm worried about you moron."

"excuse me?"

Brian made a sound.

I'm really confused right now.

Aaron bit his lip as he snatched the phone from Elias' hand "Brian listen to me do not tell him anything-" he shouted.

"Hey gimme my phone back!" Brian heard Elias yell in the back ground "well, I can't tell him something even I don't know about." He said.

Aaron nodded instinctively "Good, now get back to your nap."

I wasn't nappi-

Aaron hang up.

"Are you kidding me?"

"If keeping you alive is a joke than haha!"

Elias took a few breaths to calm down, "Will you stop thinking about me. What about Brian?"

"Brian is protected by who knows how many guards; you're the only one that keeps jumping into his own death!"

"Well maybe I want to die, have you ever thought about that?"

Aaron bit his lip, he was getting ready with a retort, but the other didn't give him time to.

"Just leave me alone, will you?"

He tensed up. "I'm not leaving you,'' he repeated stupidly.

"If you're going to be a coward, go be it somewhere else."

This was it. Aaron wasn't going to let him keep yelling at him without receiving some back. He glared right back . "You've been working things out for hours and hours every day, for the past few weeks!" He said. "You are obviously stressed, yet you won't let me comfort you!"

"Why?" Elias asked "why would you?"

Aaron closed his eyes painfully tight,he wanted to say something to him for a long time but there was always something holding him back, something in his guts twirling every time he tried to get it out.

 "You're right," he said with a shrug. "Maybe I'm a coward."

Elias watched him walk away, nervously running his hand over his hair.

He was already starting to regret this.