Never Really Gone

Chapter 21

Grian's POV

The last few hours have been a blur. After waking up alone, my initial instinct was to head directly to my mothers house. Needless to say, she's surprised

"Is that really you Sunshine?" She asks, holding a hand to her mouth

I nod, starting to cry heavily.

"Yeah... it's me mom"

She wraps me in a tight embrace, one I never realised how much I'd miss. I thought I'd never be able to hug my mom again, never be able to tell her how much I love her or be comforted by her when I was scared. It feels so surreal to be with her after 6 years.

After standing in the doorway hugging and crying for nearly 8 minutes, she pulls away.

"We have a lot to talk about" She tells me, guiding me to the living room, where she has me sit down and tell her everything. So, over the course of two hours, I do. It includes awkwardly coming out as gay, which she thankfully is very accepting of. I even show her my small wings, which are still growing, but only because I needed to let them out.

She seems surprised that I met Nora, immediately wanting to know if her sister was ok. I had to explain she was left behind, as my friends and I hadn't planned to escape. This worried her a little, so I proposed maybe trying to find her once I found my friends.

"No way" she vetoes "I'm never letting you go back to those monsters ever again. As much as I love Nora, you're my number one priority"

I nod understandingly. I didn't particularly like the idea of going back anyway. Then my thoughts shift back to my friends, Ezra specifically. He had scrambled out of the window with blood all down the side of his face, I can only hope he's ok and with the others.

"Are you alright Grian?" My mom asks "You suddenly seem very on edge"

"Worried for one of my friends in particular... when I last saw him he was hurt really bad"

"Would that be the one called Ezra?" She asks curiously

"Um... how did you know?"

"You talk about him differently then the others. You two seem very close, and you do worry a lot for those you're close to."

I feel an intense blush turn my cheeks red. There's no way to hide things from your own mother, is there?

"He may or may not have been my boyfriend... I just miss him a lot"

"It's ok. I'm sure he's fine and with the other two. We'll help you find them somehow."

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Ezra's POV

I miss Grian.

Tears roll down as I sit alone in the cave. Could they really have left me? Hels said he saw them leave, but I'm not sure if I can trust Hels. The knight seems to like me, why would he lie? But the others would never leave me to die...

Would they?

I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump with a gasp.

"Don't worry" Hels cooes "It's only me. You ok?"

"Why would my friends leave me?"

My voice is drained of all emotion, echoing around the silent cave. Hels bites his lower lip.

"I don't know. It wasn't fair of them to leave you though. You deserve better..."

I shudder a little, his lips awfully close to my ear as he strokes my hair again, my head resting on his chest. Hels has been very flirty with me over the past couple of hours, and it's a little uncomfortable considering I have a boyfriend.

"Do you though?" Hels asks thoughtfully as he reads my mind once more "I mean I certainly wouldn't want to call someone who left me for dead my BOYFRIEND, wouldn't you agree?"

"Well... Grian said he loves me... right? There's no way he'd abandon me"

"Well you're here, he's elsewhere, and if that isn't abandonment sweetheart I don't know what to call it" he remarks, raising his eyebrows. This really breaks me, and I burst into tears. Maybe Hels is right. Maybe Grian and Xisuma don't love me anymore. Maybe they do think I'm helpless and weak. And maybe they're right.

"Hey, hey, you aren't!" Hels assures "They aren't the ones who got slashed across the eye. They aren't the ones pushing through heartbreak like this. Trust me. I think you're very strong and brave. I'd never abandon you"

I smile a little at the knight's comforting words as he helps clean the tears away. I begin to feel more trusting of him. Wiping the last few tears from my face, I grin confidently.

"You know what, you're right. And if my friends can't see that, then screw them."

Hels smirks as the Brit begins to fall asleep. Keep infusing these thoughts into the boy's head and soon he'll hate his twin. His plan will work perfectly.