Too young for war

chapter 5

(If you don't remember what happened in the scene where Castle talked to Warner, it was about Castle telling Warner who Juliette really is:)
(Warner is going to tell Juliette the truth, so that's why he is stressed) [you will understand while reading]

I'm with James and Adam.

James found me in my room just some minutes ago, I was still waiting for Aaron, but he never came.

I went to see if everything was okay yesterday, about an hour after I left Aaron with Castle.

He was acting nothing like himself, he was sitting at the enge of his bed with his head in his hands.

There he sat for a good 15 minutes, I tried talking to him, but he seemed thoughtful. I didn't want to bother him, so I went back to my room.

I don't know what happened, but I know Castle have said something.
Aaron doesn't just ignore me like that without a good reason to.

I have a weird feeling about all of this, and it's really bothering me.

I hate seeing Aaron like this, he seem so lost, thoughtful, and I don't know what I can do. I try everything, but it doesn't seem to help.

I would do anything to help, to make things better, to make the situation he is in right now better, but as I see it, it's impossible at the moment.

I hate that he ignores me, that I only get short answers back, that he doesn't actually have time to check on me, and if this doesn't change, I don't know what I will do.

"Elena?" It's James.

Warners pov:

I'm pacing the length of the hall just outside of our room, impatiently waiting for Juliette to finish her shower. My mind is ravaged.

Hysteria has been clawing at my insides for hours. I have no idea what she'll say to me.
How she'll react to what I need to tell her.

And I'm so horrified by what I'm about to do that I don't even hear someone calling my name until they've touched me.

I spin around too fast, my reflexes faster than even my mind. I've got his hand pinched up at the wrist and wound behind his back and I've slammed him chest-first into the wall before I realize it's Kent. Kent, who's not fighting back, just laughing and telling me to let go of him.

I do.

I drop his arm. Stunned. Shake my head to clear it. I don't remember to apologize.

"Are you okay?" someone else says to me.
It's James. And beside him is Elena.

She looks at me in surprise, yet there is something else in her eyes that bothers me.

I take a careful breath. My hands are shaking. I've never felt further from okay, and I'm too confused by my anxiety to remember to lie.

"No," I say to him. I step backward, hitting the wall behind me and slumping to the floor. "No," I say again, and this time I don't know who I'm speaking to.

"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?" James is still blathering. I don't understand why Kent won't make him stop.

I shake my head.

But this only seems to encourage him. He sits down beside me. "Why not? I think you should talk about it," he says.

I look at my sister.

She is now looking at the floor, then looking behind her. Why doesn't she say anything?

"C'mon, buddy" Kent finally says to him. "Maybe we should give Warner some privacy."

James will not be convinced. He peers into my face. "Were you crying?"

I see Elena looking at Adam, he looks at her, places his hand on her shoulder for a quick moment before she looks back at the floor, and Adam is looking at James talking.

When did they get so close?

"Why do you ask so many questions?" I suddenly snap, dropping my head in one hand.

"What happened to your hair?"

I look up at Kent, astounded. "Will you please retrieve him?"

"You shouldn't answer questions with other questions," James says to me, and puts a hand on my shoulder. I nearly jump out of my skin.
"Why are you touching me?"

"You look like you could use a hug," he says. "Do you want a hug? Hugs always make me feel better when I'm sad."

"No," I say, fast and sharp. "I do not want a hug. And I'm not sad."
Kent appears to be laughing.

Elena doesn't laugh, she doesn't say anything, she doesn't smile, and it does bother me.

"Well you seem sad," James says.
"Right now," I say stiffly, "all I'm feeling is irritation."

"Bet you feel better though, huh?" James smiles. Pats my arm. "See—I told you it helps to talk about it."
I blink, surprised. Stare at him.

He's not exactly correct in his theory, but oddly enough, I do feel better.
Getting frustrated just now, with him—it helped clear my panic and focus my thoughts. My hands have steadied. I feel a little sharper.

"Well," I say. "Thank you for being annoying."
"Hey." He frowns. He gets to his feet, dusts off his pants. "I'm not annoying."
"You most certainly are annoying," I tell him.

"hey, James, can I meet you back in my room?" Elena suddenly ask, smiling small.

James nod, unsure of her behaviour I believe, and she walks away.

I have not read through this chapter either, so I hope you still like it<33
I have gotten really motivated to write again, if you can't tell😶‍🌫️