The Elemental Circle

Chapter Eight

When I wake up and I check my phone for the time to find it's almost nine. I go downstairs to grab something quick to eat, settling on a banana. I then go to the living room and flop down on the sofa. I hear Nick's loud footsteps bounding down the stairs. Once he gets down here I realize he has bedhead, like a lot of his red hair is sticking up everywhere. This is when I make my conclusion that he does own a hairbrush and his normal messy hair is a style choice.

"So, did you sleep well?" I ask with a grin.
"No, I only slept for about a hour," he grumbles out making my smile faulter. He walks in the kitchen and comes back with a glass of water. "Why? You need to sleep, you can't just skip sleep," I state. He looks at me like I should know the answer to that. I instantly feel guilt start to eat away at me.

"I know Ry, but-"

"No buts about that! Being sleeped deprived is one of the worst things, especially for a fire barrier. You can kill yourself like that," I say. My mom went on and on how sleep is crucial to us. That's why Josh and I almost always have seven to eight hours of sleep regularly. A full nights of rest will help control your element.

"Go get ready I need to go get stuff from my house and I don't want to leave you by yourself," Nick says quietly while messing with his nails.

"Okay, just give me a minute," I mutter and throw away the peel. I go in my room then I put on a pair of sweats and brush my hair. Nick then walks into my room, without knocking might I add. He still has the gloomy look on his face.

"Wear this just in case," he says almost pleadingly and hands me his bright red jacket. I put it on and zip it up. It's actually a really comfortable jacket. Then we walk to his house because apparently someone decided to run here instead of driving. Every car that passes Nick flinches and the same if a person passes us. He seems so on edge which makes me feel guilty. We walk for about forty five minutes to a cozy looking two story house with a drive way, which has two cars. Nick puts his hand in the jacket pocket and pulls out a key to open the door. He makes me go first, and follows. "Mom! Dad I'm back! Riley is here too!" Nick screams. That's when a woman with bright red hair comes in the living room with a bright smile. She is about as tall as me and her eyes are the same as Nick's eyes so, Nick must also have another tatle tale mark somewhere. Withen a second Arik comes in with a big smile on his face.

"Dad can I go on a three day trip with Riley's brother? The guys are going, like Philex and Ben and them." Nick asks his dad. Nick looks at his mom."Please it's really important."

"Only if Riley stays for lunch. I don't really see anything wrong with it do you Arik?" His mom says while looking lovingly at her son then her husband.

"No, Sara I'll go finish lunch," Arik says. He walks out of the room and Sara smiles as he goes.

"You are so beautiful! Your hair is exquisite. I guess you are Spirit with the purple hair and all. Nick go shower you smell and your hair is sticking up everywhere," his mom says making me laugh.
"Okay, I know when I'm not wanted," Nick says as he waves his hand dismissively before leaving.

"Thank you and yes Spirit is my element. So did Nick take after you?" I ask. A proud smile lightens up her face.

"Yes, his father is an Earth barrier. You can go up there he should be done soon. The boy takes showers faster then anyone I've ever met. It's last door when you walk up the steps should be in front of you." "Oh, um thank you," I say and walk up the stairs. Like she said it's the first door I see. I walk down the hall and open the door. His room is pretty big and the walls are a dark orange. He has a TV X-Box and PlayStation 4. One wall has a bookcase filled with games and movies. I walk over to where he has a computer hooked up with a picture of Nick when he was maybe 10 and a boy with dark red hair and dark gold eyes who looks like he is 14. I gently put the picture down before walking over to an open closet filled with Nick's clothes. I decide to go through his clothes to see what his style is really like. There's mostly dark or washed out jeans and T-shirt's but there are some button ups and tank tops.

"I need in there unless you want me go around naked," Nick says making me jump in surprise. I then step back only to hit Nicks body and we fall on the floor, me on Nick.
"Oh um," I mutter which only makes Nick laugh. I set my hard gaze on him. His hair is still wet and darker then normal from the water. I let my eyes travel from his hair to his surprises face and then his bare chest. Wait, he doesn't have a shirt on. That's when I realize the only thing he is wearing is a towel around the lower part of his body. "Oh um," I say again as I start to blush. "Oh little brother, who's your girlfriend?" A guy asks making me blush even more. He must be the boy from the picture, his brother.

"Not my girlfriend Parker," Nick grumbles as I quickly stand up.
"So you really have a brother?" I ask. Nick looks at me with a shrug. Parker walks over to me and picks up a strand of my pale purple hair.

"No, sweetheart I'm not a brother I'm the bother," Parker says.
"Parker this is Riley. Yes, Parker is my older bother he is 22," Nick groans out.

"Now, Riley come in my room while my little brother gets dressed and I'll tell you stories of our childhood," Parker grins but Nick quickly grabs my hand. "No, she's staying in here and I'll just change in my bathroom. Parker you can go," Nick says. I get the feeling he doesn't like his brother.

"I know when I'm not wanted but please don't get the girl pregnet." Parker says and leaves shutting the door leaving me a still blushing mess.

I sit on the bed to try to keep myself busy with playing with my hair. "You still need clothes," I remind him. His face turns red as he turns back to his closet. "Oh yeah. Sorry," he sheepishly says as he digs through the closet.
"Lunch is ready Kids!" Sara yells loudly from downstairs.

"You can turn around," Nick say, "Parker is actually good guy we get along like me and Philex. We just butt heads a lot."

"I'm sorry about falling on you while you were nude," I mutter with complete embarrassment.

"It's fine Ry," Nick says and sits beside me. " Nick you don't have a shirt on." I say with a pointed look.

"Oh, I know. So we need to talk about last night."

"What do we need to talk about?" I ask. Does he mean what happened with Ash and Asher?

"You know," Nick with a accusing tone. He slides closer to me and nudges my arm with his own.

"Lunch is ready!" Sara says as she opens the door I jump up as soon as she walks in.

"Okay we're coming mom" Nick says clearly irritated with the interruption.