If I Stay✔️

86

a/n; 12000 words of lombardis actually talking about their issues... wtf — also 280k reads... wtf x 2

Killian could feel his sisters eyes on him.

Swallowing audibly, he lifted his exhausted azure gaze to hers. She was glaring at him, as he expected she would be. He sighed tiredly, blue eyes rolling in circles before he dragged his attention back to his text book, the same text book he'd been reading over and over again for the last fourteen hours. Nothing was sticking; like a cave on the edge of the ocean, the water entered and left with each shake of the tide — never fully taking it in.

After fourteen hours of pointless work, Killian was one hundred percent sure he'd be working in a drug den by the time graduation came (in well over two years), instead of living his best, introverted, socially anxious college experience.

In simple terms; Killian was terrified.

Leo stared at him, blue eyes drifting from Killian to Lily as he tried to work out what had gone on between them. It was strange to see someone glare at the youngest of his older brothers, Killian was the nicest and most sensitive of them all, which only made the current situation even more confusing.

"What's up with you?" Kaden asked the question Leo had been wondering. He looked at his twin, eyes curiously confused; how he managed to share a confined space with this kid for nine months, Kade had no clue.

"Studying," came Killian's reply, not bothering to look up from his worksheet. He already knew the look that would greet him; that blank huh look that Kade always seemed to wear whenever he mentioned something school related. And right now, that one look would make him want to resort to violence, and Killian never resorted to violence — especially not after last time, he could still feel the dull ache in his knuckles whenever he looked at Ace.

It wasn't pleasant, not at all.

"Huh?" Kade was indeed wearing said face, looking at his twin as if he were an alien. "But - but why?"

Killian pursed his lips and sighed. "You know why."

"Yeah," Kaden nodded. "But Alex is gonna help you with it later, he said so in the car." His eyes drifted around the room as if just realising something. "Where is the tragic trio anyway?"

Carter snorted.

"We've been in this room for twenty minutes and you've only just thought to ask?" Callan tilted his head and stared at his little brother with a look of wonder.

"Duh," Kaden rolled his eyes. "I only just noticed."

"Alex wanted to try and work things out them, they're probably arguing as we speak."

After hearing Callan's exclaim, Zac stared at all of them with a thoughtful expression, blue eyes lingering on Lily and Killian before drifting to the door as his other three kids came to mind.

"I'll be back in a sec," he announced, heading to the door.

"Where are you going?" Grey asked, pausing his in-depth art conversation with Leo as curiosity got the better of him.

Zac sighed, running his hand along his sharp jaw as he addressed Grey's question. "I'm going to call the boys up here. And then, we're going to lay all our cards on the table."

"Lay all or cards on the table?" Kade scrunched his nose. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

—

"I don't get it."

Callan rolled his eyes and turned to Kaden, "You never get anything."