Oh, Ara

Chapter 1

Ara

My mind remains blank as I open my eyes. I scan my surroundings and find I'm in an unfamiliar car with unfamiliar people. Memories start flooding back and panic starts setting in. I'm being kidnapped. No scratch that. They've succeeded. I have been kidnapped. This is bad.

"Ahhh you're awake," Ralph remarks and I turn to glare at him.

"How could you?" I demand, my voice breaking.

"I have my reasons," Ralph stiffly responds and looks away. My other bodyguard, well I guess former bodyguard and current assailant, Sergio, also refuses to make eye contact. Bodyguards. Marcus.

"Is Marcus okay?" I ask, quickly.
"He's fine, we just knocked him out,"Sergio pipes up.

I sigh in relief,"ok good."

"Now no more questions or we'll knock you out again," Ralph threatens.

I gulp and sit back in my seat, ringing my hands together nervously.

Carter
"Hike!" I sprint down the field and analyze my options. I find a hole and hurry through it. I turn around and make eye contact with Will. He smiles and sends the football soaring towards me. It's a beautiful pass. I catch it with ease and barrel down the field and into the end zone.

Coach throws his clipboard on the ground and starts jumping up and down excitedly. I make eye contact with Ryder and he nods proudly. Our team is so in sync we're gonna crush it this year.

I glance back and Coach and see him deep in conversation with a man. His back is to me but he looks incredibly familiar. I hand the ball back to Will.

"Good job man I-" Will starts and I cut him off and nod towards Coach and the man. The man turns around and it's Marcus. What is he doing here? He has a huge lump on his head. His eyes suddenly meet mine and his face shifts into remorse.

No.

I run over to him as do the rest of the team. Jason flies down from the stands and comes towards us. All of my brothers and I stand together and Scott is the first to get there.

"What are you doing here, where's Ara?" Scott demands.

"I'm so sorry. Ralph and Sergio, I tried so hard but I couldn't fight both of them off at the same time," Maris rambles.

"What are you saying?" Jason demands.

"Ara has been kidnapped."

I fall to the ground and tears automatically flow out without any instruction from me. I wrap my arms around myself and try to find a way to breathe. Unspeakable pain and grief courses through me. I- I- I- can't even put it to words in my own mind. Ara.

Anger suddenly uproots me and the tears stop. I jump back up and storm off the field. I look behind me and see my brothers, Will, Clint, Sam, and Gerald flanking me. I grab my stuff from the locker room and don't bother to change. I power walk through the silent halls out to the car where Jason is waiting.

"Meet up at the house," Ryder instructs the guys. Wordlessly Will nods and our friends scatter. The Jensons pile into the car. Jason seems to be falling apart at the wheel. His eyes are red and puffy and his hair is sticking up in a thousand directions. I'd offer to drive but I'm too much of a mess myself. There's a knock on the door and Clint's there.

"Let me drive, Jason," Clint says softly. It takes a minute for him to process it but Jason nods his head and exits the car. He squeezes in beside me.

The ride is full of silence. The air is tainted with utter agony.

Clint stops outside the house and shuts the car off. None of us moves a muscle. We need something, a spark to get us going.