Being Shot

P h o t o #24 - Muddy Denim Jeans

P h o t o #24 - Muddy Denim Jeans

We ignored my muddy jeans. We ignored the fact that I was basically sitting on Kayla's lap in the back seat because the boys forgot that their expensive car only sat five people. We also ignored the fact that Cooper and I both seemed to blubber about different things. Him being a "bad older brother" and me, well, repeating how I was sorry.

Finally someone seemed to take notice.

"Cooper, chill out!" Kayla yelled practically in my ear because of the closeness between us we couldn't help. "You too, Emma," she spoke softer towards me, which only made Cooper grunt unhappily at the difference in tone. She ignored her younger brother and went on, "I'm sure Connor and Kae are just fine."

I sighed, knowing that Kayla was right. Connor didn't hold the average intelligence of a child his age, and what with the high-tec security in the Appollo household, we we're guaranteed that the two children were safe and sound. I understood somewhere that if we kept worrying, we'd only stress everyone else out with us. But I still couldn't shake the guilt that stirred inside me.

We had left two young kids home alone! One couldn't even walk yet! The other was barely seven years old! I drew out a shuddering breath, feeling the guilt only worsen.

In the silence of the car, I leaned forward slightly and slowly rested my hand on Cooper's shoulder, who sat right in front of me in the passenger's seat. "I'm sorry," I said softly, barely registering how he slightly tensed up under my faint touch, "Really. I didn't mean for anyone to worry like this."

"I-It's not your fault," He began, his light voice mirroring mine, "It just slipped our minds, I'm sure they're fine."

I nodded, knowing he probably couldn't see my movement anyways, and removed my hand. Elliot grunted loudly, then slammed on the breaks.

Red lights flooded my vision for a moment. I blinked the sharp pain it sent into my retinas away.

"Damn," He slammed his hands on the steering wheel, "A fucking car pile up."

Sirens wailed around, cars in front of us honked, and people shouted as police officers tried to direct traffic.

Parker sighed, nervously tapping his pen on his black notebook. Jonas and Cooper grumbled and reasoned, trying to figure out what to do next. Kayla whimpered quietly, helplessly next to me. Elliot was the only one silent, watching the whole scene unfolding, an unreadable expression on his face.

As commotion rang around me, I pressed my face up against the cold windows of the car, only taking moments to realize, even through the blinding lights and motion of angered people, that this was not the route I took to get to the park.

"Turn left."

Eyes, worried, surprised, and maybe a little bit hopeful met with mine. I was suddenly filled with determination, now that I knew another path we could take to get to the house.

I turned to Elliot, who's hazel eyes were facing me, probably wondering if they should trust the muddy, troublesome girl in front of them. I nodded in assurance. "Turn left."

Suddenly we were jolted forward, cutting between the traffic and turning left into the intersection in front of us. I breathed a sigh of relief as we smoothly drove down the barely lit neighborhood Kayla and I had ran through only forty five ago.

The rest of the car ride was ridden in a slightly awkward, slightly tense silence as my voice cut through from time to time to bark out directions.

Next thing we knew we had pulled through the shiny gates of the the Appollo's yard, stopping with a screech and jumping out of the expensive car like our life depended on it. Foot steps thumped up the concrete stairs.