Calm Before The Storm

Shit, fine. I’m going to stay at Kaden’s tonight. Parents are leaving tomorrow and they wanted you to come for breakfast. Just wanted to drop by and let you know if you wanted to show up to that.

“I can come to breakfast if you want me too. I don’t want to intrude on your breakfast with them, though... If you need to talk, knowing my parents, I can spare some more time.” 

“What if I don’t have any time left?”

“Then you’ve just go to do what you can in the time you have.”

“You’re the second person who’s told me they don’t drink coffee. I thought New Yorkers were all about their coffee. Where do you get your tea?” 

“Don’t worry, I know plenty of New Yorkers who live up to that stereotype. I was born in New York but not in the city, so that’s my excuse. Not far from here, about four blocks.” 

“I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. After everything that happened.”

“Of course, I’m fine. I mean I wasn’t, but life keeps moving.” 

“What did you do to upset them so badly?”

“Oh, just some crap about me being a traitor. Nothing new.” 

“Thanks, I really hope so too.”

“At least you know not what to do. It being your second first day does have some perks.” 

“Where can I get a good cup of coffee?”

“I can tell where you get a great tea, but I don’t drink coffee.” 

“I know what you’re thinking, but I swear I didn’t do it.”

“You say one thing, your guilty as hell expression says another.” 

“I’ve never actually seen someone get screamed at through a window before. I thought that only happen in movies.”

“Can’t say I was expected it either. It’s not like it’s something that often happens to me.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m a total poser, but it’s my first day of school, so I figured I needed to look the part. Coffee, laptop, the whole nine yards for looking like a productive student.”

“Look the part feel the part, right? Whatever does the job. I hope it all goes well for you.” 

I don’t know what to do…

“You might not now, but sometimes clarity comes with time. Did you want to talk about it?”

Everything had started to change for Kevin. He was fighting with Antonia, one of the few people who didn’t think he was a complete screw up. His best friend was now a werewolf, which completely blew his mind. How he had never picked up on it, he didn’t know. Lately, he just tried to forget about it, staying high practically the entire day. Until this moment, at least. Kevin was walking home from a fight and need to cool off. His wounds were pretty much healed now, but the outdoors was making him relax. He was caught off guard by a familiar voice, furrowing his eyebrows as he got closer to her. “Everything alright, Tarryn?”

Tarryn glanced up from her phone at the sound of her name, not realising that anyone had approached her. Usually, Tarryn was a very observant person and was always aware of her surroundings. Since that night Tarryn walking around more like a zombie, unaware of pretty much everything going on around her. Tarryn forced a small smile as she recognised Kevin, slipping her phone into her back pocket and nodded. “Everything’s fine. Perfectly fine. My phone just died, that’s all. No big deal.” Tarryn tried to seem like her normal self like everything was alright because she feared just falling apart completely. It was quite clear that not everything was alright by the bags under her eyes, her nervous fidgeting, how her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes and that small crack in her voice when she spoke. 

As the tears began to fall, Kyle looked away, the blood rushing like spikes into the crevices behind his face. It hurt to move his hands to touch his face, to make sure that there wasn’t a torture device prickling his skin. It hurt to try and move his legs into a curl. It hurt to even breathe. Somewhere in his mind, it hit him that it wasn’t a concussion. He didn’t want to believe it. What Tarryn was saying wasn’t true, in no possible way could it be. Everything was a prank. Andrew wouldn’t help him. Maybe it was an early graduation prank. Denial – it was the strongest form of catharsis in a shock victim. With all of the groaning and the wincing, a few seconds passed before Kyle was able to bring one of his legs up. “Stop this shit, Tarryn,” he laughed, the sound coming out more menacing than joyous this time around. “Stop fucking crying because I know it’s a fucking prank. So fucking stop.”

Tarryn shook her head, letting out an exasperated and sad sigh. “Pranks are one thing, but do you really think I’d try to pull a prank like this?” She asked seriously. “Because if this was a prank it would be far from funny. I wish it was some ill thought out prank. That would at least be better than this.” Tarryn said as she wiped any traces of tears from eyes, only smudging her makeup even more. The sound of his bones cracking and his face shifting was still fresh in her memory and Tarryn had no doubt that all the details of last night would haunt her forever. “Kyle, you’ve got to believe me. If you keep denying what I’m sure you can feel to be true it’ll only make things worse! What else could cause the pain you’re most likely in? Not a hangover, that’s for sure.” Tarryn wasn’t sure how much longer she could continue trying to convince him. She couldn’t blame him, who wouldn’t want to try a deny such a thing? It made things much harder, though, for the both of them. Tarryn already felt exhausted and the conversation was zapping away the rest of her strength. 

“That’s what the drinks are for. To make it better.”

“That is too true, and you can at least let me buy you one for being rude.” 

There was still a sadness to Tarryn’s eyes and she checked her phone far too often out of worry, but the distraction Pratt was provided so far seemed to be working to a certain degree. For one, her smile was real. It was nice to talk about things that were normal. About things that were connected to the days when she still thought vampires, werewolves, witches and warlocks were all myth and legend. “I can do the odd trick as well. You pick a few up when you’re a semi-pro soccer player, especially when you’re one in a city like this.” 

Andrew nodded, relieved to know Tarryn wasn’t going to do anything risky. At least not for the moment. Still, her obvious guilt and fear for her cousin was difficult to watch, especially since he knew there wasn’t anything either of them could do to help at the moment. It was easy to empathize with her pain, Andrew couldn’t imagine being in her position, and feeling so powerless. He stood up to walk over to her, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Tarryn, come sit down,” he requested, voice even but firm. “You need to rest. After all, he’s going to need you there to help him through this. That’s the only thing you can do for him right now, be ready to help him when he needs it.”

Tarryn knew that Andrew was right. She had to be at her best in order to help Kyle as much as possible. Tarryn nodded and let go of the counter, allowing Andrew to lead her back to the sofa. She was never going feel 100% but she had to get as close to that as possible for Kyle. Tarryn couldn’t let herself fall apart. She had to be strong, or at least act like she was. Tarryn wasn’t always the best at hiding how she was feeling at the best of times, nevermind in front of Kyle who could read her like a book. “You always seems to know exactly what to say to me.” She said with an amused smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.