MADE

So, It Speaks

They were on my heels like a pack of wolves as I made my way out to the car. An overnight bag draping over my shoulder, mom called from the front door, "drive safe please."

An angry grunt came from behind me. "Please don't tell me that is what we are taking," Alaric barked from behind me. His voice was rough and the way he said the word 'that' meant he thought my car, was once again, minuscule, much like the rest of me.

He may be a bit of an ass on the inside as well as the outside.

"Oh! So, it speaks," I shouted in frustration as I glanced over my shoulder. He only glared back. "I don't suppose you have a better idea," I said turning around and continuing to walk backward toward the car.

Alaric's black hair flopped against his forehead, easily longer than Elijah's. The wind tossed strands of black over his moon grey eyes making me almost wince at the ferocity in them. The contrast of ebony and slate made my spine shudder.

"Well I am not driving that," he said disgustedly. His mouth twisted into a ragged snarl.

"You aren't going to be driving it. It's my car."

"Alaric, just get in the car. We can get our rentals tomorrow," Elijah's annoyed voice spoke. I didn't need to look at him to know his eyes were trained on me. I felt them, like a knife to my back.

"Oh, noble Elijah wants me to do the right thing. Oh, for fuck sakes! Why can't I just f..."

"Alaric," Elijah snapped glaring at him. "Just get in the car."

Alaric grunted but slid into the passenger seat as I got around front. Elijah took the middle position in the back and was apparently not impressed with his companion. His face was sour as he starred at the back of Alaric's head.

I was aware of how much less air there was within the car. These two looked like they were riding in a fun house theme park ride for children with the way they made my car look like a toaster. They looked like they were riding in a Fisher Price children's toy Mini Couper with my little car.

As I drove, the car was silent except for the quiet drumming of Alaric's fingers on the dash. I looked over to the passenger side to see Alaric gazing out the window. An angry stare made its way on to his face as he watched the road. His eyes were grey and shallow, and his jaw was sharp as a knife. If he did radiate such an ass like persona, he might have actually been attractive.

There was no doubt in my mind that the two men in my car were the most beautiful people I have ever laid my eyes on, but they look too good, far past the point of human beauty and into something else. Godlike perhaps, with the way Elijah talked, how their bodies radiated strength. It was starting to annoy me actually.

The whole car ride was quiet except for the occasional sighs from Alaric grumbling about my car. I was glad when we reached the house. Alaric didn't even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before he had jumped out.

"Well isn't this nice," Alaric said standing in front of the house with his arms over his chest. "I feel like I'm getting sucked into an episode of 'The Young and the Restless,'" he mumbled as he walked up to the door.

I sighed; he had such a lovely personality.

Elijah and I walked up the steps to meet Alaric side by side under the covered porch, the tension between us building like a stretched spring.

The house was the same as I remembered it. I half expected for the inside to be entirely different, remade as if we were in one of those crazy movies, but the gray walls and white trim were familiar. The big staircase in the living room was as glorious as ever. The modern kitchen, spacious rooms, and luxurious bathrooms were just what dad wanted. There were six bedrooms in the entire home: two in the basement, two on the main level, and two more on the third story. I gave Alaric the far bedroom on the main floor, and Elijah and I took the two up top.

With it being my house I took the more extravagant room. The space was big; it had a walk-in closet and a connected bathroom. It was all done in grey walls except two were painted a dark muted blue. The queen size bed was like the one I had at home, and had a big glass door with a balcony.

Suddenly, I wondered how dad had even come to pay for this place. He was a low scale insurance broker and as far as I knew the yearly income wouldn't even cover a down payment for a place like this. Maybe it was inherited?

Before we turned in for the night, Elijah promised to tell me everything tomorrow and that Alaric was going to get a rental car in the morning.

His voice alone had lulled me into sleep. Sleep that I had been missing for several days.

I made it to the kitchen the next morning to see Elijah standing over a pan of eggs - without a shirt. Every muscle moved as he flipped eggs and the sweatpants hanging low off his hips let the bright waistband of boxers show. I swallowed uncomfortably, my throat freezing up in embarrassment at the idea of getting caught staring.

The only thing that kept me from freezing up entirly was the scolding shower I had moments before.

"Good morning, Mari," he said with his back still turned to me. "How did you sleep?"

I jumped, startled. "It was alright, how was yours?" I asked coming around the counter and sitting at the island.

"It was good," he said smiling at me. He dumped two eggs on a plate with some toast and handed it to me.

"Elijah," I asked letting his name roll off my tongue, "Why are you here?"

His smile fell, and he pressed his lips together. "We can talk after your done, alright?" he coaxed me. Apparently, it was too big of a subject to say casually over breakfast. I raised an eyebrow.

There was a pause for a while before he turned and began to clean the mess he had created. I wanted to say thank you, but the words didn't come.