I DON'T KNOW YOU

22.) no place like home

• K Y R A N •

Aly stood and watched as the two disappeared into the woods, their footsteps becoming distant as the empty noises of the world around us filled the silence.

   Aly turned back around and crossed her arms, frowning. She wouldn't say anything as she walked back into the small house. The three of us gave each other a confused look before we actually asked her why she was so bothered.

    "I trust them, I do. But their behavior is weird, different than what they're normally like. Don't you see? Getting phone calls, running away, ditching us, constant noises from their phones, keeping to themselves, it's all something! Something they won't tell us. But why?" Aly pointed out, throwing her hands into the air.

   I didn't say anything as I considered her words, the thoughts planted in my head by her. She was right and had a point; they were acting differently, like they were hiding something. But what? And why?

Did they not trust us enough? Was that it? Maybe we weren't as close to them as we thought. I guess everyone could have their secrets, including me, but at least it wasn't like I had to keep it hidden from all of my best friends. They knew majority of myself, with barely anything I hid from them. I didn't have many secrets. Besides a few, I mean. But those I would tell them if they really wanted to know.

But they wouldn't tell us.

Aly stomped her foot down on the ground, the heel of her black shoes making a click noise as the wood creaked with her abrupt movement. Despite her being a year younger than us and shorter by like three or four inches, she was probably the scariest if she wanted to be.

   Though, she mostly was just the little sister of Alec that seemed relatively harmless. And she was, except for when she played against Lucas in Mario Kart. She would absolutely crush him every round with no mercy. And I mean no mercy.

Scary, I tell you.

    "Come on, guys," she instructed, striding past us and back out of the house, "we're going to follow them."

    "Aly, we can't just—" Aly interrupted me, shooting me a look as she replied, "Listen, Moral Compass, we're going to follow them and see what they're hiding. It's suspicious, don't you think? I trust them and I just want to know that they aren't up to something. My gut says they aren't, but I want to make sure."

    "Moral Compass? I'm not a moral compass!" I whined, following behind her as she picked up her pace.

    "You're more of a weeb," Evan laughed from behind me, earning an agreeing chuckle from Alec.

    "No, I'm not! And that's offensive to everyone who does like anime!" I argued, spinning around to face them as we walked with Aly groaning in front of us.

"The only one who gets to act like a kid is me 'cause I'm the youngest here. If any of you start arguing, I'll smack you square on your head," Aly hissed, stopping us before we could even start our quarrel.

"Alec, your sister is terrifying," Evan whispered to Alec, who rolled his eyes.

"More like annoying sometimes," he chuckled bitterly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I can hear you, you know," Aly deadpanned, shooting a look as she snapped her head around.

"Trust me, I'm well aware. And let me finish my sentence," Alec shrugged, earning an eye roll from Aly, "she's annoying at times, but she's still my sister."

"You can't just pause in the middle of what you're gonna say!" Aly exclaimed, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I can see where she would get her annoying trait from," I mumbled, "since she is your sister after all."