STATIC; JR [2]

7.1

The first thing I registered upon regaining my sense of self was Ellen pushing past me, her shoulder barging into mine with an intent so sharp it nearly smacked me into Felix — he quickly tried to calm her in case she fled to tell someone about the insane situation we were in but she barely whipped her head around to spare him an ounce of her limited patience. He was reckless, proclaiming notions of Andy's true whereabouts for all of Bremin to hear — lucky there was nobody around the back of the school oval.

Just as the thought crossed me, I wondered in a lot more depth about where we appeared as opposed to where we were when Felix cast the spell. I stared after her and I said his name real quiet and thoughtful as my brows creased my forehead. He didn't look at me — didn't hear — still moving to follow Ellen in case she blabbed to someone about what she'd seen. I twisted my head around on my neck and then physically spun on my heels to break past Jake's stature behind me; there was something equally as unsatisfying about our surroundings as the trip we took that brought us here. 

"What? Where are you going?" The blond asked me, apparently now relishing in the fact that he was able to safely touch me again; he reached out for my arm and tried to stop me from disappearing behind the fence. I shook him off and waved his protests away, still mad and unforgiving over everything we'd been through, but it was truly my pure curiosity that drove me to do so. "Why do you always do this? Just tell me what's going on." He demanded, stern and uncharacteristically hurt by my actions — I stomped where I stood on the thick wet grass and frowned at him, not sure what to say.

"We aren't supposed to be here." I mumbled, shaking my head in disbelief as Felix finally let Ellen alone. 

"What?" Sam questioned — a dull and common response.

I stepped forward with purpose and intent, clearly onto something that was freaking me out. "Felix, tell me why we dropped out here and not inside the old rooms at the school?" I pointed at the ground first and then up towards the buildings we weren't too far away from. "That was where we did the spell." 

In the beginning, it seemed like he couldn't reply — like he was stuck in some kind of warped freeze frame — but then he locked his eyes on me and there was an abrupt hesitation behind his lashes.

"Did you see that weird place, too?" He asked me, longing in his features.

I felt my head shift — an involuntary movement drafted from my confusion. "What place?" I wanted to take a brief moment inside his mind, find the intricate spot in his brain that took him somewhere else I couldn't go, and judging by the stunned expression on his face he wanted me to see it.

"Forget that! What about Andy?" Jake shrieked, intruding on the thoughtfulness between us. He watched Felix, incredulous and desperate. "How are we going to find him?"

"We'll figure it out, alright? Give me a break." He snapped. 

This only prodded Jake further — a searing glare overcoming him. "No, you don't deserve a break. You need to find him." He retorted, broad stance working to intimidate Felix; they saw each other as opponents now, and no matter how silly or covetous it became, I knew they wouldn't let up until either one got what he wanted.

It wasn't to my surprise but Felix rose to the occasion, proceeding to provoke him in a way that was different to earlier when we were in his yard. "What do you think this is, Jake? Maybe you should try and come up with a solution instead of just pinning it all on me."

Unfortunately, the confronting comment didn't put an end to things; it only escalated them and then began to rattle Sam as a result — he drew fearful and small, like he was anxious now about their lasting arguments. "I'm not the reason why Andy tried to disappear in the first place." Jake mentioned, fists balled at his sides in an attempt to control his inner anger. 

I turned to Felix and grew protective, instinctively offering Sam a subtle shake of my hand — a motion I hoped would relax him. "Okay, that's enough." I interrupted, the vexation surfacing on my face and in my voice. "We don't need to play the blame game." 

Felix was pissed but either way I knew he'd stiffen at my direction and when he sighed I knew I was right. "Fine." He mumbled, teeth grit so intensely I mentally questioned if that was what held him back. "I've got to go after Ellen." He told me, stepping away and slinging his bag over his arm. 

"It doesn't seem like she wants to be followed." Sam interjected, raising his head as the boy began to trek the way Ellen had a few minutes prior. 

Felix didn't turn around, just remained scowling as the wind blew at his eyes. "Yeah, well, she's got a big mouth." He informed, deadpan tone cutting through the cool air before he suddenly stopped completely a few meters away just to turn around and look at me; there was an expectant twitch in his orbs and I didn't particularly enjoy the jealous and overzealous attitudes he and Jake were regarding me with — especially not the wanted possession of my being. "Come with me, or don't." He said, addressing me with a sound of unusual nonchalance. 

At the request, Jake scoffed — I heard the click of his tongue and without speaking I just knew he was bored of this back and forth. I wasn't yet ready to take any responsibility for the way things were, and so when he began to storm off I said nothing — actually, I didn't try to stop either of the two boys in competition for my time and affections; I let them both hurry off to be alone and turned to Sam with a hopeful smile. 

"Will you have me?" I asked him, sheepish and sorry for everything else I was putting him through amid the search to locate Andy. 

His arms were neat across his chest and closed over his jacket but even with the abrasive body language he graced me with a little smirk, one that only consisted of the rise in the left side of his mouth. "Always." He stated, sweet and tender so he was certain I really knew. "Until you don't need me anymore." 

His added pronouncement brought a swell to my chest and warmth to the next breath that left my lungs — Sam would always be a true friend to me. "I'll always need you, Sam." I supposed, minor tremor in my words that truly accented the way I felt about him. "Always."