Blood and Gold

Gone. Gone. Gone.

Just as dawn broke over the horizon, Ivi was tying her shoelaces, workout clothes on as she started her morning run. She didn't take too long, she did have a party to go to after all. It was just so that she wasn't groggy or drained from the night before. As expected, it worked like a charm, and by the time she got home, she was smiling at the birds chirping again. Just live in the now. That was what Will had always told her. Speaking of William. Ivi glanced at her phone as she got back to her room. No notifications from Sarah. Zilch. Maybe they were busy. She did have a baby to fuss over, and he was in the Middle East. Oh well.
Ivi got cleaned up and pulled on her swimsuit, a simple blush pink bandeau and bikini bottom. Some shorts and a jean jacket completed the look as she grabbed her bag and sandals. One o'clock. Mikaela would be here soon. She and her boy-toy Trent were picking Ivi up to go to the lake party. "Shorts!" Her father shouted as she walked out the door.
All the girl did was stick out her tongue and walk down the path that was laid out. She had learned numerous times not to walk in the grass. Just as the giant truck that belonged to Trent drove up, Ivi patted their pet dog, Mojo's, head goodbye and hopped in. "Hello!" She smiled brightly, hugging Mikaela softly.
They all started chatting about school and other gossip -something that always twisted Ivi's stomach to listen to- and Mikaela turned to the girl quickly. "Thanks for coming with me, I promise I'll go to the library with you next one you want," she said.
Ivi nodded, but her anxiety flared up. What if she did something dumb in front of everyone at the lake? Or worse. It wasn't really a secret that the girl preferred books to people, but when you have a preppy friend, there is no getting out of parties. Besides, some were a bit fun. Not the ones with gross stuff going on though. They weren't safe. Ivi just hummed to herself until they got to the lake, then allowed Mikaela to drag to her to the water where they set their stuff down in towels and got ready to go in the water. "So, any guys catch your eye?" Mikaela asked, pointing around at all the shirtless boys around them.
Some were a bit cute, but nothing special. Mikaela knew better than to start them down this topic. "Nope!" Ivi laughed, "You?"
Her friend pushed her into the water, shaking her head in disbelief. "One day, some guy is going to pull that rug out from under you!" Mikaela laughed, jumping in after her.
If she was lucky. Ivi couldn't lie, she was a bit jealous of all the couples. "Maybe," she giggled.
Then, to get the topic of her 'single as a Pringle' lifestyle, Ivi switched the topic to cars. Their shared interest and secret talent. None of the boys at school really knew it, but the best friends were probably better than most guys on the street at fixing cars. Especially muscle cars.
The hours passed blissfully peaceful, until Ivi heard the telltale throaty roar of a certain Camaro. Her car. "Oh my god," she growled, climbing out of the water and drying off as the car pulled to a stop by Trent's truck.
"Is that your brother?" Mikaela asked, unimpressed with Sam's scrawny tendency.
"Unfortunately so."
After she pulled on her shorts and jacket once more, the brunette stalked over to her brother, who looked like he was about to be pummeled by Trent. "Why are you here?" She hissed while Mikaela soothes her boyfriend.
Sam makes a pointed look at her best friend and the girl sighs, until Trent pulls her arm. "Hey," Ivi growled, but she was ignored.
"Lennox, you know this dweeb?"
Ivi's hands curled into fists, but she still kept a pleasant face up. "Yes, this dweeb is my brother," she said through gritted teeth.
Then, Ivi turned on her heel and hopped in the backseat of the Camaro, ignoring Sam's dumb friend Miles. Small arguments broke out, and Ivi was surprised to see Mikaela give Trent a disgusted face before walking away, starting the ten mile walk to her house. "Uh," Ivi started, but before she knew it, Sam was kicking her and Miles out of the car.
"Hey, Sam! My car too," she cried, but he ignored her and sped off.
What a jerk. The girl looked up at Miles, who was giving her a disgusting grin. "Can I take you home?"
"Not on your life," she spat as she started the even longer walk to her house.
This was not the best time to be wearing revealing clothes, even if it was because she had been swimming. She arrived back home around nine, Sam it would seem had already been home for a bit, because the Camaro wasn't even warm. Oh he was going to be in for it when she got a hold of him. The girl pushed the door open to the sound of the news, and her mother had a terrified look on her face. She had been alone out at night because of Sam. "At this time, we cannot confirm there were any survivors," the TV churned out.
It was the voice of the Secretary of Defense though, and it was that knowledge that had Ivi sprinting to the living room. Qatar bass attack. "Which base?" She asked quickly, but neither adults were answering fast enough.
Ivi ran out into the garage and pulled out her phone, quickly dialing Sarah's number. "Ivi? Oh thank god, I have been trying to call you-"
"Have you heard from Will?"
Choked sobs came from the other end of the line and Ivi felt her whole heart shatter. She couldn't lose him too. Ivi hung up the call and sat down. Not her brother. She pleaded to whatever deity was listening that he would be okay. That he was still alive, just lost. Something didn't feel right, though, and Ivi couldn't help the unholy cries and shouts that left her. Her eyes burned and tears flooded her cheeks. In her anger, things began to lift from the shelves with the light that was the telltale sign of her power, and she threw them to the floor. Why?
Why?
Why?
The question circled through her head long after she had quieted down and was rocking back and forth, her arms circled around herself. The last time they had spoken, she had been angry with him. What if that was the last thing he remembers of her? Her anger at his service to their nation. Ivi was so broken she thought she heard the Camaro start outside, where Sam had left it in the grassy part of the backyard, for no real reason. As the throaty roar got closer until it went down the street, Ivi realized she hadn't been hearing things. With her eyes puffy and spinning from the sudden movement, the girl sprinted outside to see the car driving down the street. What the hell? Just as she was about to call Sam, he sped past her on his bike, calling the police. Then who was in their car? Realization smacked her over her head and she quickly hopped on her own bike. Someone had stolen their car, and she would be damned if that was taken from her too. Ivi easily caught up with her brother just as he was telling the police to send everyone. Just for a stolen car. 'Seriously?' She mouthed to him, but he pretended not to notice her and she pulled ahead, beating him to where their car had just broken into. Thankfully, she was able to cross before the train passed, but Sam was still stuck behind it. He was calling to her to wait, but she couldn't just let the guy escape. Ivi three down her bike and sprinted for the area that clearly said 'Do No Enter' with trespassing threats too. Oh well, it might as well happen. Ivi hid behind a noisy machine, watching the person drive their car up to the cell tower. Sam joined her not too long later, and they both cussed as they saw the car... stand up. Ivi didn't know why Sam was cursing, but she was because after all those years, she finally had proof that those giant robots existed. Their car was proof of that. He wasn't the same, but it was enough to strike fear inside her. Ivi barely had time to register that Sam had been recording when the police showed up. Ivi sighed softly complied as the cops shouted at them. "Put your hand sin the air."
"The guy is right there," Sam pointed, but the cop kept his gun up.
"Shut up! Walk towards the car," he shouted.
The cop was kind of cute, but there was no way Ivi could talk themselves out of this. She was barely conscious herself. In fact, the girl had to breathe in and out to stay standing. Then, of course, she fell over anyways, unconscious.

A bright white flickered above her, and Ivi tried to shield her eyes from it, but her hand was held back by something. The girl blinked and looked at her wrist: handcuffs. Damn. She was on some hospital bed, which means her biggest fears did indeed come true, she had passed out in front of people. A nurse poked her head behind the curtain and smile softly. "Hi, good to see you awake. You gave those cops quite a scare, missy. They thought you might have overdosed or something. You just got scared," the nurse left quickly and came back with the same cop from before.
He looked absolutely tired, and frankly irritated. "Uhh, sorry," Ivi said, sitting up.
He nodded and took the handcuffs off her. "Your parents paid bail, you can leave. Stay away from areas that say don't go into them from now on."
Ivi nodded, standing up even though her head was spinning. She didn't even realize her father was there until he wrapped her arm in his and led her out. "Don't go chasing cars!" He scolded.
"Where's Sam?" She asked, but didn't need an answer as they got in the car.
There he was, slightly greenish as their parents sat in the front. "You both better count yourselves lucky they realized you were only chasing after your car."
Ivi nodded, rubbing her temples to try and get rid of her sudden migraine. She had probably fallen on her head. "You two need some sleep, and maybe a shower. Let's go home."