Secrets

Braydie and I were excused until dinner, which Barrick had already started to prepare. He was chopping up chives, and Archie offered to help him. We were only just out the door when Braydie stopped me from going any further. I turned as eyed her curiously.

                “There’s something they’re not telling us,” She informed me. “And I’m going to find out.”

                “Barrick will know you’re eavesdropping.” I told her.

                She sighed in exasperation, “You didn’t see Archie’s Aura the way I did. He wants to tell us, but Marcus won’t let him. Don’t you want to know what’s going on?”

                I lowered my voice, “Of course I do; but I don’t want to disobey my Master.”

                Braydie folded her arms. “Grow some balls, Flynn.”

                I stiffened. So she thought I was scared? Yeah, right. I pushed past her and lowered to a squat by the crack in the door that led to the kitchen. Barrick and Archie’s voices were low, so I could barely make out what was being said.

                “…can’t keep it secret long…” Archie said reproachfully.

                “I won’t see him…hurt.” Barrick hissed. I ground my teeth together. No one had said anything about me getting hurt. Barrick continued, “No one knows…It’s impossible…”

                “You know the signs.” Archie said, his voice getting louder. “We were told this story when…children. Now it is coming to…”

                “No!” Barrick snapped, “Not Flynn!”

                “You think I want this to happen to Braydie?!” Archie shouted, “She’s a free spirit! She’s not going to go into this without a fight.”

                “Then why are you giving up?!” Barrick roared.

                There was a startled silence before Archie said, “I’m not giving up. I’m just embracing the inevitable; trying to make it work.”

                I heard footsteps and I nudged Braydie. We scampered to the stairs just as Archie walked out of the kitchen. He grinned at us as though nothing were wrong, his Aura encouraging sienna. He walked out the door, reaching for the keys in his pocket. When the door shut behind him, Braydie looked worried.

                “He’s angry. But not at Marcus, or us.” She said.

                “He seemed fine to me.” I commented, sitting on the lowest step.

                She leaned on the banister and stared after her Master. “You don’t know him like I do.”

                I looked up at her sad face and suddenly felt like crap. I wondered if she, like Archie, could impose her mood on others. I cleared my throat and asked, “So, should we go up to your room and unpack?”

                She brightened. “Race you up.”

                ***

                I have never seen so much pink in my life. For an hour and a half I was subjected to every single shade of the horrific color imaginable. Braydie seemed to be in heaven, though I couldn’t understand her love of the color, due to the fact that pink was often connected to the emotion of mild irritation or embarrassment. It sure irritated me.

                I sat on the window seat and watched as Braydie unloaded her mounds of clothes. Archie had even packed her bedclothes, which were a powder blue color, interrupting the Pepto Bismal theme with a clash that made me want to gag. I finally could take no more of it.

                “We’re NOT spending any time in this room.” I announced. “I can’t survive in this environment.”

                Braydie looked around. “What’s wrong with it?”

                “There’s a reason Bismal rhymes with Dismal.” I told her. “This room makes me itch.”

                She rolled her eyes. “You’re such a boy. Why don’t males like pink?”

                “Because,” I explained, “It’s gross. And you more than anyone should know that.”

                Braydie huffed. “Okay…I’ll put all the pink clothes in the closet.”

                I glared at the pink bunny slippers. She growled and stuffed them under the bed. I wondered why she couldn’t have liked yellow or something. What was it with girls and pink?

                We finally decided that the pink throw was dulled enough to keep, and the fuzzy rug could be dealt with. Thankfully I could wrap my head around that much of the despised color; Braydie would have killed me otherwise. It wasn’t much longer after that that dinner was ready. Barrick had made lasagna, and we all sat around the dining room table to eat. Dinner was quiet. Archie didn’t seem to want to speak, and Barrick seemed colder than usual.

                “So…” Braydie finally said, “Flynn. What do you like to do?”

                I shrugged. “Read, I guess.”

                Barrick cracked a smile, but Braydie grumped, “Geez, why couldn’t I have been connected to a normal boy? Do you play sports?”

                “No good.” I said swallowing a forkful of noodle.

                “What about video games?” She asked.

                “Don’t have any.” I told her. “Barrick thinks they melt brain cells.”

                “It’s been proven.” He said firmly.

                Braydie gaped. “So you guys just sit around and read??”

                Archie took a drink of water. “Some people are just very introverted, Bray.”

                “Whatever,” She said, “This isn’t going to fly. If I have to live with Mono, I’m broadening his horizons. No questions asked.”

                I didn’t have the energy to protest. In fact, I had little to no energy left. I looked at Barrick reproachfully. “Can I go to bed early, please?”

                We had never missed a session, but Barrick seemed to understand my state of mind. He put down his utensils and nodded. Relief surged through me. I wanted nothing more than to escape into sleep. I looked at Braydie’s empty plate. “I’m going upstairs.”

                She sighed and got up to take her plate into the kitchen. After I loaded the dishwasher, we both went to our respective rooms, and I was out as soon as I hit the pillow.

                ***

                A pillow to the face woke me while it was still dark. I sat up straight and grabbed it out of reflex. It was powder blue and smelled familiar.

                “Get up, sleepy-head.” Braydie said loudly, “I want to shower.”

                I yelled and scurried to cover my boxers with my sheets. She rolled her eyes as if she saw that sort of thing all the time. “What the crap??” I cried, “Don’t you knock?”

                “I did genius.” She said, “You sleep like a log.”

                I looked around the darkened room. “What time is it?”

                “Five thirty.”

                I gaped at her. “You’re crazy.”

                I then promptly went back to sleep. About five minutes later a hot sensation on the back of my neck made me yelp and fall out of bed. Braydie was standing nearby with a smug look on her face and a curling iron in her hand. I growled, “Are you trying to burn me??”

                “Get in the shower.” She said sweetly, “The water will wake you up.”

                I grumbled, but I was smart enough to know that she wasn’t going to let up in the least. I stumbled to the bathroom, Braydie on my heels.  I stopped at the door and gave her the eye. “You’re NOT coming in with me.”

                She shrugged and sat outside the door. I stripped off my boxers and ran the bathwater, waiting for the hot water heater to kick on. I glanced at the door nervously, and then dashed into the shower, closing the curtain behind me. I sighed in relief as the hot water burned into my skin, relaxing my tense muscles. I was reminded of all the things that had happened the previous day, and I let them flow down the drain with the water. It didn’t matter. Life had changed, and it seemed that for the moment, it was going to stay this way.

                After the water turned cold, I shut off the shower and scrubbed myself dry with my old green towel before slipping my boxers back on, and opening the bathroom door. The cool air hit my skin and goosebumps erupted on my skin, but more because Braydie was standing with her hands on her hips, her Aura annoyed.

                “What?” I asked, shrugging. “I’m done, now.”

                “What took you so long?” She asked.

                I shrugged again and pushed past her, a smile spreading onto my face as she shut the bathroom door behind her. I realized that my room would be a little too far away for comfort, so I was forced to sit in Braydie’s spot while she showered. It was worth it though. I heard the water start up, and then an ear-splitting shriek ripped through the air.

                “Where’s the hot water???!!”

                I grinned: Revenge is sweet.

Reviews

[Rose of Gondor]

"Revenge is sweet" LOL!!!!

[Rovy1]

I want to catch up to you great stuff

[Jasmine Thousand]

ROFL this is funny XD
~Jasmine Thousand~