The Infinity Trilogy

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I didn't get back home until later that night.  It had been dark for a few hours when I was walking up the driveway.  I didn't know how I stayed out as late as I did, but I managed.

I couldn't see any lights on when I looked toward the house so I made my way around back so I could just get in through my balcony door since I left it open.  When I was underneath it, I pulled the air from under me, making it lift me until I could let it go and drop to the balcony.

When I looked up, I could see Owen's curtains were open and I could see into his room.  He was sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands and Arin was pacing in front of him.  She was saying something, but I couldn't hear what.  But just then, her face turned toward me and her eyes widened.  She rushed over to the door and flung it open with so much force that it banged against the wall of Owen's room.

"Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed as she came over to hug me.  "We've been so worried!  Where have you been, Lola?  We've been searching for you everywhere for hours!"

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, hugging her back.  "I didn't realize I'd been out so late."

"Well, you're back now," she said pulling back and looking at me. 

She stepped away from me and I looked over her shoulder at Owen.  He was staring at me like he was relieved to see me.  He almost looked like he wanted to come up and hug me.  Even though I was supposed to be mad at him, I wouldn't mind if he did either.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

I nodded, just looking at him.  "Yeah, I am," I said.

Arin looked between the two of us.  "Well, I'll leave you two together so you can talk," she said.

Both Owen and I watched as she walked toward Owen's open balcony door.  She looked back and smiled at us before closing the door behind her.  We stayed standing there, looking at the door for a few moments before we looked at each other.

"Hi," I said quietly.

"Hey," he said.

We stood there looking at each other for another moment before we both spoke at once.

"I'm sorry," we both said.

He smiled a small smile and we tried again, only to speak at the same time.

"Okay, you go first.  No, you."

We both smiled then and laughed slightly.

"Okay, ladies first," he said.

I nodded my head toward where there was a set of table and chairs.  We sat down across from each other and leaned back in the chairs.  I fold my hands in my lap and looked down at the different colored tiles that made up the top of the table.

"I'm sorry for running off after what happened is morning," I said, looking down.  "I know it didn't do any good for the two of us.  You and the others were looking for me while I was busy chatting with my brother, who no longer loves me and thinks I'm a freak because of what happened to me and because I got sent to Rutherford..."

I didn't realize that tears had welled up in my eyes until they started falling down my cheeks. 

I think everything that had happened that day had started weighing down on me all at once and I couldn't take it anymore.  Before I knew it, I was uncontrollably sobbing.  I couldn't stop either.

I felt my chair being pushed back and I looked up through my tears at Owen kneeling in front of me.  He had a worried expression on his face as he rested his forearms on the arms of the chair.  I continued to cry as I looked at him, his eyes blazing into mine.