The Tale We Lived

Chapter 2: Part 1

Carina's head shot up and she saw Syren's frantic eyes burning into her. She motioned with her hands and then she was knocked to the side by Naya, who was only more panicked. Heart pounding and legs wobbling, Carina stood up and grabbed the umbrella, scrambling to the door and yanking it open—

"Come on, I hear his bike—"

"He's this close—"

"Hide behind the trees—"

They were shouting at once. Carina ran to the bike as Syren dragged her back, but she broke free.

"Are you stupid?!" she cried, as the roar of Stevie's bike sounded down the road, "If we hide, you think he won't notice your bike parked in front of his trailer?"

It felt so good to see the dawn of realization on their stupid faces.

"You're right!" Syren cried, hopping on and leaving the two to scramble on after her.

She accelerated, nearly toppling over twice as she struggled to gain balance of the bike and her breath at once. None of them had the courage to check if he was behind them. The thought of him catching them with his lime-yellow umbrella was too much to bear.

When they were a good distance away and they managed to calm down a bit, Carina opened the umbrella and held it above their heads. Then she thought better of it and handed it to Naya.

"No way, you hold it." Naya said.

"Not if you want me to tell you what I just read in his trailer— wha— ow!" Carina cried as the bike came to an abrupt halt.

"What?!" Syren breathed.

"Oh, come on Syren." Carina cried, handing the umbrella to a ticked off Naya, "I kind of have a curfew you know. Keep driving!"

As Syren began to drive once more, Carina cleared her throat excitedly.

"So apparently... Stevie broke up with Sierra."

Her friends gasped at once, nearly causing them to topple over again.

"Syren, if you can't handle it—" Naya began.

"Oh yeah, by the way, Elaric crashed a hot air balloon into my backyard. But anywa—no!" she cried, catching their expressions, "I'm finishing this story first. So he was writing a letter to Marcus Saddler, you know the guy that moved to the city last year, apparently the guy that got Stevie and his friends into all that gang stuff in the city?"

"Oh yeah, Murillo said he's bad news and all."

"Yeah. So he was writing a letter to Marcus saying that he's at a cross roads and he broke up with Sierra."

They were quiet for a while.

"Did he say why?" Naya asked.

"Did you let me finish the letter?"

"Well, I mean, Sierra is always getting super involved with someone, only to break up later when she doesn't get her fairy-tale." Syren commented thoughtfully.

"Yes, but they were pretty stable, still." Naya said, "I bet you're happy about that, right Carina?"

"Why would I—"

She was cut off by Syren's laugh.

"What were you even doing? Stroking his jacket—"

"I just think he has a cute face! Last I checked, so do you."

"Hmm. You know what would be news?" Naya said, "Anastasia and Robin breaking up."

"I heard they're already engaged or something."