Hunt

Chapter 14: The Calm Before

I didn't end up going to school the next day. Or the next after that. It was only on Friday that I felt like I pull myself out of bed. I couldn't keep faking a cold, especially since I was going hiking with Reyna after school. It wouldn't do me any good to stay home another day, no matter how much I longed to just rot away in my bed a little longer. 

Locking the door to the bathroom I tentatively look down at my arm, slowly peeling back the bandage. I try my best to not disturb the wound, but the sudden sting up my arm causes me to suck air through my teeth. The gashes on my arm were healing nicely. No signs of an infection or anything, but they'd likely scar. I had already accepted it at this point. It would just be another mark that I'd have to justify with a lie to anyone that asks, adding to my growing collection of false stories I'd have to keep straight. Quickly applying fresh bandages, I continue to get dressed. Wearing something comfortable, just some sweats and a tank top. A hoodie over top completes the extent of my fashion sense. I deserved to be comfortable, despite not mirroring the current trends.

I end up running into Julie in the kitchen, who flattens herself against the fridge at my sudden presence. Like a cat that's just been caught doing something it shouldn't.

"You okay?" I say with a raised eyebrow, crossing my arms.

"YOU okay?" Julie questions in response. "The creature lives! I'm surprised to see that you've emerged from your lair! I thought you'd not make an appearance until the weekend." 

"I really can't afford to miss any more school." I say solemnly as I gently remove Julie from the fridge door, picking her up by the shoulders and readjusting her about five feet to the left before I begin my search of the fridge. She doesn't say anything, seemingly too shocked to argue against the forceful relocation.

"You sure it's not about your date?" Julie quips.

I hesitate to reply, blushing as I could feel Julies smug gaze melting its way through the open fridge door. "Reyna's awfully worried about you, ya know?" She continues to say as I slowly close the fridge without a word. I turn and approach Julie, who flattens back out against the counter. With a few hastily worded complaints she is relocated back in front of the fridge again. "H-hey!" She protests, but it's too late.

The rest of breakfast was quiet and relatively normal. The drive to school was even quieter. Very few words were said between us in the short jaunt to the school.

"I see you put new bandages on you arm. How's it doing? What happened again?" Julie eventually asks as we're pulling into our usual parking spot.

"I got into a scrap with a stray dog a couple nights back on a walk remember? Took a bad tumble trying to jump a fence. It's healing alright. But it'll scar." I say to my sister, giving Julie a reassuring smile pressed against a face that was anything but. I couldn't shake the feeling she was trying to find me in a lie. Testing my story from a couple days ago for any cracks she could find.

"Another scar..." She mutters with a sigh. "You gotta start taking better care of yourself Kyle..."

Julie and I quickly split into our cliches. I spot Reyna sitting where we shared our first lunch together, looking rather glum. She quickly spots me as I approach, her whole demeanor shifting in an instant.

"Kyle! You're back! Feeling better?" She hops up to meet me halfway.

A smile tugs at my lips. "Yeah, feeling much better," I respond.

"That's good to hear! It's been lonely here without you." She says with a kind smile, swaying back and forth on her heels.

The bell rings and we're yanked in opposite directions. She grabs my wrist as the sudden wave of students rushing to class threatens to push us apart. "Hey! I'll see you at lunch alright?"