Shortly after that, she took her leave, after thanking Robert. She drove home, feeling better and not at the same time. She felt better on the one hand, because Robert didn't hold her responsible for Bane's accident, and had even tried to help her work through her guilt.
Bane's lucky to have him... she told herself. And he's probably right. Bane wouldn't let me feel guilty...
And yet at the same time, she didn't feel better, because it didn't help Bane, or her own culpability. She sighed as she shut off her engine outside her house, then climbed out and went inside to her room after checking on Hannah, who was playing quietly in her room. She tried reading in her room for a while, but she soon gave up. Just then, the doorbell rang. She went down the stairs, since her parents were both at work. She opened the door and blinked.
“Oh, hey guys,” she said.
Before her, stood Isabelle, Emily and Jesssica. She didn't remember them planning to meet up, but she was always happy to see them. But as she looked at them, something didn't feel quite right. They were smiling, but she could see a hint of uncertainty in their eyes. She looked at them in turn, trying to read their faces.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“Uh... can we come in?” Jessica asked. “It's kind of cold, out here...”
Andie realized they were still starting on the threshold.
“Oh... right, of course, come in...”
She stepped aside to let them in. They went up to her room where Andie went over to her desk to get her notes.
“I'm glad you're all here,” she said. “I wanted to work on the plan again...”
“Andie, hold on,” Jessica said.
Andie looked at them.
“What? Why are you all looking at me like that?”
The girls exchanged uncomfortable looks.
“Listen... we all understand that you're going through a tough time, right now... we miss Bane too... but...” Emily began slowly. “We're... we're worried about you.”
“You're scaring us,” Jessica said abruptly.
“Jess!” Isabelle whispered reprovingly, but it was too late.
Andie looked from one to the other, blinking.
“What? D'you mind explaining what you're talking about, because I'm lost.”
“This,” Isabelle said carefully, indicating the notes on Andie's desk. “... We all want to help you and Bane get better, but... we're talking about breaking an entering and theft... I know it's not for profit or anything petty like that... but...”
Andie looked at her friends.
“... I know it's crazy... maybe I am... but... I can't just... sit back and do nothing. I know none of you would if it were me.”
The girls hesitated.
“... Of course not,” Isabelle agreed. “But you have to agree this is rather... extreme.”
“I'm not doing it because I want to,” Andie said, getting up, annoyed.
She looked out the window. After a second, she took a deep breath to calm herself. They hadn't seen Zarias. They hadn't felt Bane's limp body in their arms, felt Zarias's power, her helplessness... she couldn't just sit back and let things end like that.
“I'm sorry... I know what I'm planning is dangerous and probably not the smartest thing to do. And I won't mind if you want to stay out of it. But I'm seeing it through.”
YOU ARE READING
Four Elements Book 1 - Hidden Powers
Fantasy#70 in Fantasy Fire. Water. Earth. Air. The four elements are not just elements. They are incarnated by four people. Four teenagers. who were chosen by the original masters of the elements. But of course, being the incarnation of the elements isn't...
