The Hummingbird and the Expelled

Chapter 12

"Will, are you packed yet?" I hear Emma yell.

It's been a month since the crash and my hand is fully healed so I can play guitar again. It's Christmas break and I managed to talk Emma and Shawn to come visit home with me.

We're getting on the plane and leaving in less than an hour.

"Almost." I tell her as I zip my bag closed. I decide to leave my guitar here so I don't have to lug the case and the amp all the way through the airport and shit. Plus I have a few guitars there.

I quickly throw my bag over my shoulder and we all go to the airport.

"Why'd you talk us into this?" Emma asks as we sit on the plane.

"Because you guys are basically family. And I like spending holidays with my friends and family. Jake and his dads come over almost every holiday." I answer.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about Jake. It's not like you've talked about seeing him and your parents again since you've been out of school." She says sarcastically.

"I know I'm annoying. But I'm happy to go back. And see the rest of my family. Like my grandparents. They always make me play my newest song at some point before everyone has to leave." I explain.

"So I can finally hear that song you've been working on?" She questions.

"I've been trying to get it done specifically for Christmas so, yeah." I nod.

"Finally." She sighs.

We spend the rest of the flight talking until Emma falls asleep on my shoulder and I end up falling asleep against the window. I can't tell if Shawn falls asleep since he's sitting behind us.

I wake up as the attendant says we're getting ready to land so I lightly shake Emma awake.

"We're landing." I tell her as she sits right and yawns.

"Awesome."

When we get off the plane and get our things we meet mom outside.

"Dan's at work and Jake's at school." She tells the three of us.

"Okay." We all get in the car and mom drives us to the house.

"We have two extra rooms that you guys can stay in and Dan's bringing home stuff for spaghetti tonight." Mom says as we all go inside.

I quickly go to my room and change into a hoodie and jeans before going back to the living room.

Emma comes into the living room in jeans and a black t-shirt.

"Want to see my hangout spot?" I ask her.

"Yeah." She smiles and I grab my coat before Emma grabs hers and we get boots on.

"We have to climb to get to it." I tell her as we walk through the snow covering the ground.

"Is it a treehouse or something?" She asks.

"Kind of." I nod. We walk for a few minutes before we get to the right spot in the small forest. "And here we are." I gesture to the two treehouses in the trees with a small, wooden bridge between them.

"Holy shit. Did you build these?" She asks.

"Well. Dad built mine for me when I was little and then built Jake one and we made a bridge between them as we grew up." I explain as I go to the rope hanging from mine.

"That's how we get up?" She gestures to the rope and I shake my head before pulling it. The rope ladder comes falling from the treehouse and hangs in front of us.