RAINDROPS

Chapter 14

What does he mean? 'What do you mean?' I ask him. From the start we've known Magnus did not have any good intentions. He literally tried to kill me and one of his followers tried to kill Nick. Jack looks at me with doubt in his eyes, as if he's trying to find an appropriate response. 

'No, no. He's the worst.' Ace says quickly, laughing nervously at the same time. Why did he say it like that? Ever since I've met him I get the feeling he's not telling me everything, with the way he sometimes says things. It's like he's trying to be quick enough with answering so that we don't suspect the opposite.

'Nothing. Nevermind.' Jack says, answering my question from before. 'It was a stupid suggestion to make.' He looks sincere, but there's also a frown on his face. I feel like he's keeping something from me. Why is everyone acting so weird? It is so frustrating.

For the time being I'm not going to ask them about it. I don't want to undertake the confrontation right now and I'm too tired. It's been a long day and I need my sleep.

'Okay.' I tell him. The easiest way I could think of to end the conversation, without being rude. I don't want to be rude, but my brain just doesn't have the capacity to think about this right now.

Jack is nodding continuously now, seeming completely distracted from what I said. He must just be tired too. I think we all are. A lot has happened today. Everyone stays quiet, lost in their own thoughts. 

'Maybe it's time to part ways. It's been a long day after all.' Jack says. I nod, to show that I agree with him. I could say something, just to be polite. It is what I would normally do, but sometimes I just reach the amount of tired everything seems to be too much. All I want to do is jump into bed and sleep.

'Yeah, sure. Ace and I have to go back to see my dad tomorrow.' Nick says. He is already taking a breath to start a new sentence, when Ace interrupts him.

'We are?' he asks.

'Yes. Yes, we're going back.' Nick answers, slightly irritated and angry now. His face changes from angry to calm again when he turns to look at Jack and me. The next he says is also directed to us. 'You can just go to school tomorrow, if you want. You could try to find out more about the sword. I'll send you a picture of it.'

I nod again, but this time it's not all I do. 'When will we see you again?' I ask him. It just sucks to be separated from him. I don't know why, but it seems like he's always lingering in the back of my mind. 

'We'll be back in a couple of days. I'll come find you then.' he answers. Once again I nod at him, agreeing. When I'm this tired I always get the urge to just nod instead of saying something. It is almost a perfect way to still stay polite, while practically being impolite.

'Alright. Bye, then.' Jack says. He really wants to get out of here and is already halfway to the door. I follow him, while looking at Nick apologetically. He nods and smiles, as if to say it's okay. I return the gesture with a tired little smile.

Once we're outside Jack and I walk to the car together. 'I'm sorry if you wanted to stay longer, but I really had to get out of there.' he tells me.

'I want to go home too. I'm really tired.' I answer him. He gives me a sad smile, looking slightly disoriented.

We both walk around the either side of the car and enter it. Jack slams the door shut.

'Are you okay? It looked to be pretty rough on you.' he asks me, with a worried look on his face. 'When you touched the sword I mean.' he adds a bit nervously, stumbling over the words. I smile at him, also with a sad look on my face.

'It was... a lot.' I tell him. 'Touching the sword had made me feel things I've never felt before and it had made me immensely sad. Not just because the feelings were sad, but also because of the love I felt. A love that I've never before felt for anyone. Yet at the same time something that I've been longing for what seems to be ages. And I guess that has made me sad, but there's nothing I can do about it now, except know that it won't last forever.'