Date at WcDonalds

Chapter 4 - Phone Home

At some point while he was waiting for Seliel to come back, Cole realized that he probably ought to call his friends to let them know he was alright.

When he looked at his phone – which he always kept silent – he saw that he already had more than a dozen missed calls and texts. He felt a pang of guilt for making everyone worry.

When he dialed the Bounty's number, the phone hardly rang once before Jay's frantic voice sounded on the other end.

"Cole! What happened? Where are you? Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine, Jay," Cole answered calmly. "I'm in a little fast food place in the city. I'll be able to come home as soon as the storm clears up. For now I'm just gonna —" He was cut off when someone else picked up from a separate location on the Bounty.

"Is that Cole?" said Kai's voice. "Dude, where have you been? We've been worried sick!"

"I'm alright, Kai. I just went out for a little while. Like I was saying –"

"Cole? Is that you?"

"Brother! Where have you gone?"

Cole bit his tongue to keep himself from losing his patience. "Guys, relax!" he said. He threw a glance at the stairs to make sure Seliel wasn't coming back yet, then continued in a low voice. "Now listen: I just went out for a while to clear my head. I saw the storm rolling in but got caught when it started raining. Now I'm in this restaurant, and I'm gonna stay here until this little spritz is over. I'll be back before you know it."

"According to Pixal's calculations, this 'little spritz' is due to last for quite some time," Zane informed him.

"Believe me Cole, I know storms," Jay insisted, "and this one is going to be a doozy!"

Lloyd piped up. "If we land the Bounty right outside the restaurant, I'm sure we can find some way to get you one board without you getting wet."

"He's right," Kai agreed. "Hang tight, Cole we'll be there in a jiff."

"No!" Cole practically shouted. Then he remembered he was in a public place and recomposed himself. "I mean, no. I'll be fine, I promise."

"We can't leave you—"

"I don't need rescuing," he insisted. "I'll be fine. Just don't you dare, any of you, come here. I'll see you all later." He could already hear sounds of protest but hurriedly hung up the phone before any of them could make a coherent argument.

"Problem?" Seliel called as she approached.

Cole tucked away his phone and shook his head. "My brothers are just worried, that's all. I guess I would be, too, given the circumstances. But they can be a lot to deal with all at once."

"The manager said we can stay," she informed him. "I told them we live too far to even consider heading back in this weather."

Cole nodded his approval. "Good thinking."

"I think you're lucky," Seliel said as she sat back down. "I'm an only child, so I don't have siblings to fuss over me. But I guess my dad does that enough for a dozen potential siblings."

"Well, I grew up as an only child," Cole reminded her. "It wasn't very long ago that I met these guys. Still, it feels as if I've known them all my life."

Seliel rested her arms in the tabletop and leaned forward. "Well, since there's no telling how long until this storm lets up, why not tell me how you all met?"

Cole grinned. "Now that's a long story."