Broken

Chapter 18

Atlas's jaw clenched,
"I have a lot of studying to do."

"Alright."

"I'll send Killian the where and when." Makenna said as she walked backwards, "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye." "Bye, sis." Thea and Killian said as she turned around,

Makenna raised her hand in a wave as she walked down the block, Atlas watched her for a moment before he turned to Thea and Killian.

"I'll forward the details to you just in case you change your mind." Thea said to Atlas,

He smiled,
"I've got to go." He took a step forward as Thea stepped out of Killian's arms and hugged her brother,

"Thanks for coming."

Atlas nodded as he pulled back,
"Killian, it was nice to meet you."

"Same here."

The two of them shook hands before Atlas turned and headed in the opposite direction leaving Thea and Killian alone.

Not that he was going to mention it to his sister but he didn't like the idea of the party and he didn't very much like the idea of Killian being with her at said party. Before he got to his apartment, he'd decided he was going to go to the party after all, but just to keep Thea out of the bad crowd because he didn't trust Killian to do that.

Later that day, Makenna went to fill her cup for the first time since she arrived at the party. The girls were right there with her and they made their way through the bodies that got in their way as they headed in the opposite direction leaving the hard-hitting music that blared through the speakers. It was the kind of music that made you want to join the dancing bodies they had left behind them, outside the main house, or rather bop your head with a few shaking limbs.

They arrived at the kitchen where the kegs were. Makenna grabbed the handle when they got closer and filled both Hee and Lexi's cups before filling hers.

"I don't know how Collin does it." Hee said,

"Does what?" Lexi asked,

"He always finds the next and the best parties." Hee smiled as she sipped on her drink,

"I guess it's because he runs with Brandon's circle."

Makenna dropped the handle and lifted her cup to her mouth for a tiny sip when she spotted Killian and Thea walking in through the back door which was a direct view from where they were.

Makenna felt a slight panic but kept it cool even if she had no idea why she felt panicked.

Killian scanned the room, keeping Thea close to him.

"Are you going to be able to find Mac in here?" Thea leaned close to him to speak into his ear above the loud music,

Killian was about to answer when he caught sight of her in the kitchen with two of the girls he'd seen her with countless times.
"There."

Thea glanced at him and followed his line of sight and caught sight of Makenna who had her eyes on them. Thea smiled and began heading towards her with Killian having no other option than to follow her even though he knew not to. Makenna didn't like mixing her personal life with whatever life she had outside her personal life.

Makenna felt the panic increase a notch as they headed toward her. She shifted her gaze towards Hee and Lexi,
"Why don't we head out?"

"Yes, pl-"

"Hey, isn't that your friend heading towards us?" Lexi interrupted Hee,

Makenna knew exactly who Lexi was referring to, so she didn't follow her gaze to find out.

"Hi, Mac." Thea smiled when they were closer, the music slightly muffled enough that they didn't have to scream to hear each other,

"Hi." Mac smirked in a nonchalant way,

Hee and Lexi glanced at Makenna with curious gazes before looking back at the couple.

"Hi." Killian said to Hee and Lexi before he leaned in and whispered to Thea, "Don't mention the siblings' thing."

Thea pulled back with a frown as she looked at him in confusion and then quickly looked at Hee and Lexi with a smile,
"I'm Thea."

"I'm Lexi, this is Hee."

"Nice to meet you." Thea said,

"Like the accent." Hee sipped on her drink,

"Uh, thank you." Thea said which sounded more like an uncertain question than gratitude,

Makenna shifted her gaze from them to the entrance to see if anyone else was going to walk in but she quickly looked away catching herself and wondering why she even cared if he showed up or not. She realized that was part of the reason she had felt panicked when her brother and Thea had walked in, and she quickly brushed it away not wanting to accept whatever that meant.

She looked at Thea and Killian before looking at Hee and Lexi,
"We should join the party."

"Yea, please." Hee walked around Killian and Thea with Lexi and Makenna looked at her brother for a moment before she went after them.

"What was that about?" Thea asked Killian as Makenna, Hee and Lexi headed towards the entrance and towards the party, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you guys weren't related."

"Well, those two girls don't know better."

"I thought they were her friends."

"Friend is a strong word."

Thea and Killian stared at Makenna and Thea's gaze shifted to the entrance and she smiled,
"I can't believe it."

Hee and Lexi walked ahead of Makenna and stepped out of the house just as Atlas stepped inside with Will next to him. Makenna stopped in her tracks with such abruptness when she almost came close to bumping into him. Atlas was already reaching out to steady her in case she needed it but dropped his hands when he looked down and realized it was her. Makenna looked up at him and he caught her gaze.

There it was again.
She thought as she felt that sense of panic again, only this time it was mixed with something she very much didn't like.

A hint of fear.

She felt it back in the café when he looked at her like he could see right through her and he was doing it yet again. Atlas couldn't help but notice she'd not only changed her outfit, but the way she looked at him was different than the last two times she'd looked at him. It was more guarded like the first time they'd met in metro coffee and her expression was little to none, almost none existent which made it harder to read her like he'd been able to at the café earlier that day.

"Atlas!" Thea broke their short-lived moment,

Atlas looked up to find Thea and Makenna chose that time to sidestep him and head outside. Atlas turned his head and watched her walk away.

"Who was that?" Will asked which made Atlas turn to him,

"Just someone." Atlas headed towards Thea and Killian with Will,

"Hi." Thea smiled at Will, "I'm Thea."

"The sister." Will shook her hand, "Will, the classmate and study buddy."

"Killian." He shook Will as well,

"My boyfriend." Thea added as she looked up at him with a smile,

It was still a new title for them and they both loved using it any chance they got.

Not for much longer.
Atlas thought as he looked at Thea and Killian.