reticent

70

• AMALIA •

I wake up when someone nudges my side and hisses my name. I peel my eyes open, immediately feeling discomfort. I blink the sleepiness from my eyes and realise I'm on the living room floor, beside Camila and Silas. My gaze travels to the doorway, which I can see my dad walking past behind Silas's father.

I sniffle and stand on shaky legs before rushing out after him, my head pounding with a horrific ache. He walks into the kitchen, oblivious to the fact that I'm trailing behind him. Or maybe he does realise I'm trying to silently get his attention, but he's just too mad at me because of what happened to Mason.

The thought of my brother makes tears cloud my eyes, and I sniffle again. He turns around, eyes softening, and I glance down at him, finding splatters of blood decorating his crisp white shirt, the sleeves of which are pulled up to his elbows.

"Is Mason okay?" I whisper, voice hoarse. I'm not sure if it's because I'm about to cry or because I'm losing my voice from screaming song lyrics last night with Silas and Camila.

     "He'll be fine." He tells me, and it's only now that I notice the eye bags beneath his eyes and the tiredness weighing him down. "Go back to bed and sleep for a little bit, okay?"

     "Are you going to sleep?"

     "No, I'm gonna go back." He tells me. "I just need to grab some stuff."

     "Can I come?" I ask. "Please?"

     His expression warms again. He sets a heavy, tattooed hand on my shoulder. "I can take you later, sweetheart. Just stay here for now, alright?"

     "Oh," I whisper, "okay."

     He smiles, but it lacks what it usually does: actual happiness. He leans down to kiss my forehead, then turns and goes into his study. Once the door closes, I look around for a moment before deciding to follow his instructions and go to bed. Petal is in my room when I get there, curled up in her dog bed in the corner, but she wakes up when I enter and rushes over to me. I lift her up as my eyes trail over the mess we made last night. I sigh and walk to my bed, deciding to clean that up later.

     I get under the ruffled covers and as soon as my head hits the pillow I fall asleep.

• XANDER •

"Shut up." I mutter. "Shouting down my fucking ear." I add with a grumble.

     "I'm talking. Not shouting." Grayson replies matter-of-factly.

     My eyes narrow into a glare. "Whatever you're doing, go do it down someone else's ear."

     He moves closer to my ear and shouts: "no!"

     I shove him away, rolling my eyes. "Idiot."

     He scowls, opening his mouth to say something but pausing when Cole opens the door. He's supported by the crutches he has to use since his leg broke last night, and he has an annoyed look on his face as Elijah talks to him.

     "Here, let me help—" Elijah begins.

     "Stop coddling me." Cole says.