Project Alaric: Book One ✔️

Chapter Fourteen

Emery Gray

"Who wants to know what causes a volcano to erupt?!" A screechy voice caught my attention from behind Alaric. "I'm not going to study volcanoes when I'm an adult. Why the heck do I need to know this?"

My heart was in my fucking throat, but the girl struggling with her homework about volcanos immediately caught my interest. I followed closely behind Alaric, gripping his jacket as he led us through his house. Apollo and Axton already disappeared somewhere outside when we pulled up. I was too anxious to listen to where they said they were going. Nope. We were at Alaric's family's house. I felt like I was about to explode like a damn volcano.

What was I supposed to say? What did I do? Do I keep my hands to myself? Well, I already failed the task of keeping my hands to myself with the death grip I had on Alaric's jacket. He was tall enough for me to hide behind him. I've never met someone's parents before. What if they hated me? What if his sisters hated me? They were definitely at that age where they hated everything that wasn't interesting to them. Just like the one who was shouting from a different room about volcanoes.

We must have entered the space a member of his family was in because he stopped, and I bumped into his back. Goodness, he still smelled so good. Oh, and the house had that southern home-cooked smell to it. It was so comfy. But it did nothing for my anxiety. I was spiraling into an abyss. Someone pull me out. Or rather, someone taught me how to be a normal human being so these people liked me.

"Lark!" The same girl who was complaining about volcanoes screeched. "What are you doing here?!"

I backed up several paces when she launched herself at her brother. There was a panic attack crawling up my throat, and when the girl looked at me from over her brother's shoulder, I almost vomited all over the floor. She was the younger one if I were to guess, Harper. She dropped from her brother's embrace and approached me like a bomb-sniffing dog. I straightened up, holding my breath in hopes of passing whatever test she was giving me.

Her blond hair was much like Alaric's, but her eyes were brown instead of green. And holy shit, how long was this inspection going to go on? She was literally circling me. What did she think she'd find? I'd answer anything she asked. I'd probably answer with more honesty than she ever needed in the first place. I was nervous. I tended to spew more than needed when I was nervous. Fuck. Someone make this stop.

She did stop.

Right in front of me.

With the tilt of her head, I watched her earrings get caught in her hair as she tried to figure me out. I couldn't help it. The shiny object drew my attention away. But I returned to find her gaze, and it didn't seem hostile. I'll take that as a win. Fifteen-year-olds were brutal. One wrong step, and they will add you to their shit list until the end of time. I'd know. I was friends with Lyric Armstrong.

And when Lyric was fifteen, wow. She didn't put up with shit. She didn't let anything slide. Sure, she is the brightest in regards to sunshine, out of all of us. But that didn't mean she took shit from anyone. I, on the other hand, was the weakest one. Exhibit A, I wasn't introducing myself. Standing my ground. Or otherwise. No, I was letting her judge me based on what she saw.

Harper finally snorted as she crossed her arms. "You're a quiet person, yet loud when you're with people you enjoy. I can tell your thoughts are more often scattered instead of filed neatly. I think you like to talk, and when you talk, you go on several side quests before you get to your point. And you're nervous right now. Far more nervous than when I met Declan, Celine, and Dylan. Which tells me..." She paused for dramatic effect, and I was reeling from her results. "My brother means something to you."