Blood Wars

Chapter 10

The walk to Micah's house takes about ten minutes and, true to nature, we travel in silence. His steps slow as we turn onto his street and near a single-story house. There is no garage, but a black pick up truck in the driveway. Grass covers the way to the door without a path, so I follow behind him and he turns the knob- I notice it isn't locked- and we walk inside. Immediately there is a low thud followed by a much louder "Dammit!" from what sounds like the kitchen. Micah sighs.

"I'll be right back." He tells me, with apology written all over his face as he walks through the living room. I scan the contents of the room as he talks to a man that I assume is his father. There is a small tan couch, a cushioned armchair and a low sitting coffee table, and not much else. There is a TV, an older model but it looks like it is more for show than for use. I squish my sneaker-ed feet into the carpeted floor, wishing that we had this at our own house instead of the hardwood floors that easily give away footsteps.

I almost don't notice the sound of footsteps coming near me. At first, I expect them to belong to Micah until I realize the feet are running, and there are four. When I look up, I see a little barefoot girl with the same chestnut hair as Micah clumsily making her way into the living room, followed closely by another girl with similar features. She is older than the little girl but younger than Micah. About thirteen if I have to guess. They both stop the second they notice me.

"Hi." The little one speaks first. I nod to her. "Are you here to rob us or something?" She asks.

I do a quick scan around the room, pausing like I'm appraising each item for value. "Nope," I answer.

"Like there's anything to steal." The older girl says what I was thinking and slightly rolls her eyes giving the girl a playful little nudge.

"Well, she didn't knock." She reasons with a shrug.

"I came in with Micah." I offer. Both girls visibly brighten at this.

"What's your name?" The younger one asks. I tell her. "That's a cool name." She says. "Mine is Addison and this is my sister Hadley."

"Hey." She raises her hand slightly in a half-wave. I realize she was the girl who called Micah. My eardrums expand to isolate the frustrated conversation coming from the kitchen and I understand why she called her brother home.

The voices from the kitchen stop and Micah joins us. He walks up next to his sisters and lays a comforting hand on Hadley's shoulder before walking over to me.

"You two need to keep it down a little," Micah tells his sister.

"I'm trying," Hadley says, running her hand through her hair with exasperation. "But Addison wants to play, and she doesn't want to play quietly." She shoots her little sister an accusing look. Addison remains unbothered.

"I like your girlfriend, Micah," Addison says. "She's pretty."

"She's not my girlfriend, she's my chemistry partner," Micah says.

Addison pouts. "Well, she should be." Then she looks right into my eyes. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I do."

"See?" Micah says. "Now leave her alone." He walks over and picks her up, pretending to drop her playfully. Addison laughs when he sets her down.

"Micah you should challenge her boyfriend to a duel like they do in movies," Addison says, still laughing.

"What movies?" Micah asks, looking genuinely confused.

"On the Disney Channel." Addison shrugs.

"Don't look at me, I have no idea what she's talking about." Hadley shrugs.

"Hads, can you take her back to her room and play quietly? Read her a book or something." He gestures towards the kitchen.