Project Alaric: Book One ✔️

Chapter Four

Alaric Benson

I stood outside the Jeep, leaning against it while I stared at the front of Emery's house with sunglasses pulled over my eyes. We'd gone shopping yesterday, and the little ray of sunshine seemed to have a bit of cloud covering him. But I was already learning things about him, and I couldn't conceal my excitement about it. I was determined to have him open up so I could do the same with him.

If he can give me information, I'd be more than willing to hand him all my deep dark secrets. Even if there wasn't much more to me than being in a car with my Mom when she decided to drive drunk. I hardly remembered it anymore. I hoped that when I told him about it, he didn't give me the look of pity everyone gave me.

Everyone expected me to shed tears when I spoke about it. I haven't since I was a kid. Trauma was different for everyone who endured it. For me, I was lucky to have my Dad and my two half-sisters. Even my step-mom. If it weren't for them, I would have struggled. I didn't meet Axton and Apollo until six months after the incident, and even then, I became very close to them. We've been inseparable for almost fourteen years.

However, Apollo and Axton have been close friends longer than that. Since birth, if I understood that correctly. I never delved deep into their friendship because they never treated me less than the way they treated each other. Apollo was a little more protective of Axton than he was me but that had everything to do with me not wanting his protection. Axton wanted it. He'd never openly admit it, but he wanted it. He appreciated it.

Sometimes the world became too loud for Axton to handle.

Emery stepped outside, glaring at the brightness the sun offered before he dropped a suitcase in front of him, and a backpack beside it. He turned to stick the key into the house lock and then finally faced me. I swore I saw his eyes light up ever so slightly until he wiped it away a second later.

Before he could pick up his things, I strode across the lawn and grabbed both his suitcase and backpack. "We're burning daylight."

He looked at me and then his luggage. "I can do it." He met my gaze. "And we have several hours. Even if we don't get there right away. Oh, I did print off..." He reached into the top zipper of the backpack in my hand, producing several sheets of paper. "History of the places we're going to. If you want to read them. I can tell you. But..."

"I'll take that option. I want you to tell me."

He seemed flabbergasted by my eagerness. "Oh."

"I'm more of an audio type of person, so telling me would be better." And how was I supposed to get to know him if I didn't let him know I wanted to hear him talk? "Are you ready to go?"

Emery nodded, and I gestured for him to pass me before I followed behind him. He climbed inside while I put his luggage in the way back of the Jeep. When I was inside, I buckled my seatbelt, and Axton took off down the street with the GPS directions talking to him through the dashboard.

Everyone was silent, and I could feel the tension that needed to be cut in half. No one knew what to say to the other, and I realized it was me who put everyone in this situation, which meant I was the one who needed to rectify the situation. But how did I fix this tension-filled car ride? Emery was twisting his hands in his lap like he did when he was nervous.

He often did it when we met up with Declan and Aurora. Dylan and Celine, too. I noticed. I always noticed. Maybe I shouldn't notice the small things about him, but I did. He never noticed that he wasn't the only one who had an art in staring. I found my eyes lingering on him a little too long sometimes. Long enough to notice the small things about him.