Bonded by the Blues | A Sander Sides Book

Chapter 26 - Green: Part 2

This chapter was an absolute delight to write. We continue my obsession with Wickedisms as we get to know Snow better!

Please let me know if you come across any spelling and grammar mistakes or plotholes, I'm really bad at spotting them! 

The section in Italics is a flashback. 

---Roman---

Virgil sprang away from me. My empty hands fell away, missing the harsh scratch of his uneven beard that my fingers would now remember him by. Why was he afraid? I had more to lose than he, and right now the safety of my secret was in great danger.

He hunched lower, his eyes watchful, studying Snow as she descended the steps with an expression of slow realisation dawning on her face.

"Hello!" she said politely, her voice bells and chimes. "And what is your name?"

Virgil's eyes shifted to mine, as if to ask if she was for real. I didn't know her that well, but in all honesty, she was among the nicest girls I've ever met. I had to tell her the truth, or at least a part of it, and set things straight. Heh.

"Hey Snow! Sorry I had to bail, but my friend Vir – ow!" Virgil pocked me hard in the ribs. "Why did you do that for?" I rubbed my side, annoyed. I suddenly realised that I had almost said his name out loud. I gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry." Oh shoot. I've given the cops his name at Martha's apartment. "And uh... sorry about before..." I couldn't exactly explain in front of Snow. Virgil raised an eyebrow. Sheesh, why was everything spiralling out of control.

Both faces were turned to me, his was guarded, calculating my next move and hers was shadowed with suspicion. "Vir?" she asked.

Alrighty, time to salvage the situation, this oughta be easy peasy. "Oh, my friend were just running into a spot of trouble." I flashed a smile. "And you know me, I had to swoop into rescue."

"You must be quite the friend if you succeeded in getting Roman run after you all hot and bothered without a word of explanation!" she arched an angular eyebrow innocently at Virgil.

"He's just really fast on his feet." I said with a shrug. "That's the only reason I ran."

Virgil gave me a guarded look. He's clearly not buying my pretext, but hopefully Snow did.

"Is that so? Well, Roman, I hope you put your own fast running after skills into good use. We have a few more places I'd love to visit before we head back. I hear the lake is at it's best when fall meets winter. And I simply must see the chapel before all! I'm looking forward to taking a walk down the aisle, your mother said that to gaze up at the painting and woodwork on the ceiling as you stroll was to feel closer to celestials than any planetarium. Unless you have some place in mind you'd rather take me? Lead the way. Would your... friend... like to join us?"

There was a strand of familiarity on her face. It was a look that my mother wore often. It was an expression effortlessly painted on with years of practice, and I know by now to know that meant Snow saw right through me, but she'd play along on our "date" because... what was her side of the bargain? What does she want from me? There must be a reason why she came with me today... it couldn't be only because she liked me. My mother's caustic words from before bubbled to the surface like bile....

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Snow walked ahead of me down our white stone drive way. It had taken a surprisingly few words to ask her out to come to see . She seemed to have almost expect it, little miss hoighty toighty. She reached my car, and leaned casually against it. If I were straight, I'd definitely be into her, she was beautiful in a Galatea come to life way. I hope she liked my car, it was the latest model, that should impress her. My father must have returned the car overnight, for which I was glad, as I no longer had my bike. I spun the keys around my index finger when my mother appeared round the front door.