The Bird That Couldn't Sing (GBFF)

Chapter 45 - Sang

The sun is dull and the clouds hang over the sky like big, grey, ubiquitous puffs of dread. I'm scared--no, terrified--but I refuse to tell my boys that. Especially not after what happened earlier in the classroom--what was, and will probably always be, my favorite memory, stored away in my most precious vault.

No, I won't tell them how scared I am, but I will finally tell them about the note I got yesterday. Wow, that was just yesterday. It feels like eons ago. My stepmother died, and I moved in with one of the boys I love, and I still managed to make it to school the next day, to which I then did some amazing things with my Meanie and Honey. So what does that say about me? I don't know; frankly, I don't really want to.

We finally make it back to Nathan's house, and I'm about to hop out of the car I rode in with Nathan, Kota, and Victor, before my prince gets out and opens the door for me--like he always manages to do when he's around. I give him a small smile of appreciation as he takes my hand and I step out of the vehicle.

Walking to the front door from the driveway, I feel a particular set of eyes watching me; one that doesn't belong to any of my boys. So, once I reach the door and before I step in, I swing my head in the direction of where I feel the eyes, only to land my gaze on some bushes across the street, beside a vacant house.

I almost turn away before I somehow notice a small flick of light--almost too slight to be seen. My hand instinctively reaches up to my lip to push it in, and I hurry to reach out to the closest boy to me: Silas.

My hand snags his big, muscled arm and his head snaps down to look at me in an instant, dark clouds of worry roaming his irises. He can tell I'm distressed.

"What is it, aggele? Are you okay?" I can tell he knows I'm not, but he doesn't want to push me too far.

I shake my head no a little too quickly and I point over to the bushes across the street, next to an empty house.

"Did you see something in the shrubs?" he asks, worry clouding his dark and handome features as he towers over me like a protective shield.

I hum a yes as I also nod, dropping my hand from my mouth but keeping my lip in place with my teeth. I don't even realize I'm biting on it so hard until he says, "Oh my gosh, Sang."

His large hand gradually lifts to my face as he cups my jaw, his thumb gently pulling my lip from between my teeth. And that's when I taste the blood on my tongue. "Aggele," he mumbles, his voice sounding a little too broken for my taste.

Suddenly, all the boys are crowding around us, their faces filled with just as much worry as Silas. I hadn't even realized we were taking so long that we'd been the last ones out here.

"Cupcake, what is it?" Luke asks, his chocolate eyes darker, appearing less sweet than I wish for them to.

"She saw something in the bushes. Guys, she's terrified," Silas answers for me.

"What was it, darling?"

I let out an unintentional whimper as I sign, "I saw light. But... it was a flash. I-I think it was a camera. I think Volto was taking pictures of me. And... they're probably still watching us right now. And after the notes we got today--"

"Wait, what do you mean notes? I thought there was just one," Kota asks softly but authoritatively.

My face pales and my eyes widen a little. Crap, I didn't mean for then to find out like this.

"Actually, that doesn't matter right now," he quickly corrects himself, then goes on to say, "Luke, Silas, come with me to check it out."

They do as they're told without hesitation, and then the three of them are gone before I can blink, scoping out the situation.