The Kings IV II

17

Henry

"Hey, champ," I said, sighing as Hero walked in on crutches.

He shot me a smile, shrugging. "I'm good."

"How'd you manage that shit?" I asked, kicking the bottom of his crutch.

"Bro, I literally fell off the bleachers. That's it."

We began walking down the hallway, and of course everyone was beyond curious as to why Hero King was on crutches. Had he managed to injure himself in another fight? Had he willingly jumped off of another roof for a dare? The world would never know.

"Hey," Josie greeted, wrapping her arms around his neck, "how are you?"

"Fine," he said, "couldn't talk Mom into a day of letting me stay home. How rude?"

"So rude," she said, smiling up at him.

"Hey, have you guys seen Eros?" She asked, as we began walking.

"Trouble in paradise?" Hero asked, stopping in his tracks.

She turned around, rolling her eyes. "Very funny."

"No," I said, "I haven't seen him. Nor Cordelia. And I don't even care to see her."

"That is trouble in paradise," Josie said, looking over at me.

"Trouble in hell."

Hero chuckled and patted Henry's chest. "Bro, I told you about letting a girl tie you down. It just doesn't work, man."

"It does for some people, Hero," Josie said, looking up at him as we continued to walk through the halls.

Hero stopped, shaking his head. "I forgot that walking on crutches was this physically demanding."

"Have you eaten?" Josie asked.

He looked down at her, hesitantly nodding. "Y-yeah."

I narrowed my eyes, knowing he was lying.

"Whoa, whoa, twelve o'clock. Satan's mistress."

Josie lifted an eyebrow and folded her arms over her chest, her eyes obviously focused on someone. I looked towards whomever held her attention, and noticed that it was Cordelia.

Cordelia's eyes met mine and she noticeably sighed, pushing through the rest of the people standing between us. Hero wrapped his arm around Josie's neck and grinned, his eyes locked on Cordelia.

"This should be good," he whispered.

"You didn't call me back," Cordelia adamantly stated, looking up at me.

"And neither did you, the night of the gala."

"Very mature of you, Henry," she said, "can we go somewhere private? Please? For just a few minutes."

"I don't know, I'm afraid just a few minutes with me is just too much for you."

Hero snickered, looking away from us.

"You are being so immature, Henry," she said, in apparent disbelief.

"You deserve to be immature," Hero said, patting my shoulder with a broad smile.