The Gala

Turmoiling Thoughts and Pretty Lights

He stiffened when he heard the familiar voices. Turning around the corner he saw them. Catherine and Gage. Sitting there… together.
Shit.
Gage punched her in the arm, his face was red. She laughed, rubbing her arm. They sat and talked and he watched.
'they really get along'
He went to back up... and bumped into someone.
"Woah, woah"
He spun on the spot, he was met with a pair of ironically comforting red eyes.
"Ray, what the sam hell are you doing you scared the bujeebers out of me" the older boy's stare didn't falter, the same calm and soothing look swirled within his irises. Wyatt felt a knot of phlegm build up in his throat, he swallowed in attempt to push it down.
Raymond ever so slightly poked his head around the corner. His brow arched.
"Jealous... of Catharine"
The southerner backed up a bit, his face fixed into a scowl. He didn't want to have this conversation, especially not with Ray it would be awkward. It was his younger brother for fucks sake.
"No! Uh… I mean ye- no, maybe. I don't know"
He leaned against the wall and let himself sink. The older Janets boy followed.
"You know she has a boyfriend… right"
…
Oh.
Yeah.
He had completely forgotten that she had a partner back in Mexico. Damn it.
"Well now I feel stupid" he ran a hand over his head and rubbed the back of his neck the hairs standing on end. He closed his eyes and took in the darkness, it felt calm and relaxing like jumping into a pool of water and just wading in it. Ray put a hand on his shoulder.
"C'mon stand up Mr. Sulky-pants" he pulled the boy to his feet and stared him directly in the eyes.
"You are going to march around this counter, get him somewhere romancie-ish and pour your heart onto a silver platter. Whether he takes it or not will depend on whether or not you do it so…" he spun him around and shoved him forward.
"Go get him" Wyatt didn't have time to protest.
------_
Gage turned at the noise, seeing Wyatt standing there he smiled.
"Oh hey Wyatt"
He shuffled and stepped forward.
"Hey... uh, Gage"
"Yes, Wyatt" his voice carried some unexpected cheer, it surprised him. He cleared his throat attempting to hide it.
"Uhm... w-what do you need"
The boy infront of him seemed to stiffen, then relax.
"I uh want... to-" his voice trailed off as he looked behind him, seeing no one there he turned back to them chuckling nervously. He pulled the collar of his shirt and breathed. He smiled posture regained.
"I want to show you something… follow me"
Gage turned to the girl next to him, she wore a smile bigger than her whole head. She nodded vigorously before giving him a sneaky thumbs up and winking.
"Ok" he stood.
"Lead the way Mr. Swav"
The younger sidestepped to left and bowed.
"After you, your highness"
Gage laughed and started walking, briefly waving to his brother has they passed. As he passed Wyatt grinned ear to ear and gave Ray a big jump. The elder chuckled deeply.
"Good on you yellow"
----_
They walked through the garden until Wyatt stopped infront of a large hedge wall. He turned to a confused speedster a smirk decorating his face.
"A hedge, Wyatt you dragged me all the way out here to show me a wall of leaves" Wyatt simply shook his head.
"You remember how in the letter Uncle Kyle said there was a special contest with a prize"
He nodded.
"Well if I know my uncle then there is only really one place he would hide said specail contest prize. He hold very few things close to him, but this one" he gestured a hand toward the rectangular bush, Gage could ever so slightly see bits of branches, thorns and thistles sticking out of it, it looked like a leafy prison. Wyatt stepped closer to the prism of foliage.
"This one is little more important" he couldn't help but ask.
"Why" Wyatt smiled.
"Watch and observe my friend, watch and observe" he straightened his back and puffed up his chest. Placing a hand confidently on his hip he plunged the other into the hedge.
…
Then he opened it like a leafy drapery.
It opened to reveal a long dark corridor that led to hell knows where.
"Wyatt if you're taking me to a secret murder den then I will literally kill you"
Wyatt snorted and waved his hand.
"No, no it's nothing like that it's something much better"
The southern boy pulled out his phone for the flashlight, he started down the corridor letting the veil of vines fall behind him.
"So… a torture den then" Gage followed his friend into the darkness.
----_
As they walked Gage felt his hand subconsciously float to Wyatt's, it was when their fingers touched did he realize. He yanked his hand away immediately after.
The walls of shrubbery lined down beside them for awhile. He could swear it was getting darker.
BOOF
He came to a sudden stop when he rammed into Wyatt's back, his drink rocketing to the ground within seconds.
SPLOOSH
He silently cursed under his breathe as the cup landed on the ground, the fruity strawberry liquid sloshing all over the lawn (at least he thinks they're still on the lawn) leaving nothing but a near-empty cup and a damp patch of grass in it's tracks.
"What's up… oh uh sorry" gage merely shrugs picking up the cup he smiles.
"Eh no biggie, a little fruit punch on the ground isn't gonna hurt any just have to remember to bring the plastic in" they kept waking.
He wasn't sure is it was the light from Wyatt's phone or his eyes adjusting but the tunnel was getting lighter. He decided to take a gander on both. Wyatt came to another stop, this time not as sudden.
In front of another leaf wall.
"Que carajo" in response Wyatt moved this drapery like before to reviel what was probably the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on.
It was a large blue and purple weeping willow. Or rather the under side of it. Its leaves hung all the way down to the ground, the large brown trunk was decorated in a few really big really long fairy lights, the cables wrapped around the trunk and weaved in the branches beautifully, at the base of the tree was a small wooden bench with hearts carved on the back. Under that bench where the gap between the legs should be was a cupboard, a key hung from a hook on one of the benches arms. It was gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. He walked toward the tree, placing a palm on its trunk he turned to his friend.
"Wyatt this is"
"Magical"
He nodded the words stuck in his throat.
Wyatt trotted over, he grabbed the key and slid it into the lock.
He turned it.
Click
It opened to reveal an old note book. On the cover was the drawing of two hearts and a pen. He opened the book.
"Uncle kyle showed me this place when I was about six, he said that it was called the weaving tree, as it weaved yours and your partners souls into one if you wrote your names in the book. Some sort of commitment thing oh but boy did I believe it. One day when I was eleven I snuck into the garden and found my way back hear, I found the book and read it" he flipped through several pages and then stopped.
"Here we are" he turned the book over and pointed to two names.
Natasha Myer and David East
"Your parents" he nodded.
"Yours to and Brandon's… not Rhett's though"
Gage snickered.
'seems fitting'
He shook his head regaining his posture and train of thought he addressed his stunt loving friend.
"Why show me first, I mean would the others want to see this to"
Wyatt gained a nervous expression.
"Well it doesn't work like that, you see my uncle said that people are drawn here when they find their life partner, maybe that's why Rhett's parents aren't in the book. They aren't ment to be together so they weren't allowed to sign. I was drawn here shortly after I realized…"