Finding Everett | ✔️

Chapter Five

I wish I had an excuse for the ridiculously delayed chapter. But I don't. In fact...I got nothing. Lol just know that I am very sorry for taking forever!

I just want to say thank you for all the lovely comments I've been receiving and for all the reads and votes! :) You make me smile.

Enjoy!

The next morning proved to be overly quiet when Everett exited his room freshly showered and ready for the day.

Narrowing his eyes, he realized something was off. A specific noise went missing in the last twenty-four hours and it bothered him that he couldn't figure out which noise now ceased to ring out. His brow created a crease in his forehead as it pushed down, confusion spreading.

Giving a shake of his head and walking to the table, Everett asked, "What chair is this?"

Instead of Jesse's voice, like usual, his father answered the question.

Everett's face showed a bit of surprise. As odd as it may have sounded, that had been his and Jesse's thing for the longest time. It was their routine.

"Uhm, thanks," he replied confusedly, walking to reach his seat and plant himself in it.

Picking up his spoon, Everett shoveled some cereal onto it and shoved it in his mouth, washing it down with some orange juice.

Then it hit him.

The missing noise.

"Where's Jesse?"

He knew something sounded off when he entered the kitchen and he finally figured out what went missing on him.

Jesse wasn't in there slurping on his cereal and making strange eating noises with every second that passed by. So where did he go?

"He left for school a little early. He said something about meeting up with Lizzie," his mom answered, the clanking of pans ringing out and the door to the dishwasher being opened.

Everett felt his shoulders slightly slump and his forehead crinkled with thought.

"But don't worry, sweetheart. I have Cole all dressed and we'll take you to school."

She sounded pretty excited that Everett and her would have somewhat one on one time. But Everett couldn't muster the happiness alongside her. His mother sat down at the table with him, a dull thud telling him that her coffee sat there as well, and she began telling him about her plans for the day.

His mother had no problem just jabbering on about things, even though most of the time Everett wasn't listening. Now was one of those times, but this time, Everett didn't ignore her because he didn't care. This time, he just had his mind focused on the rift he had caused with his brother.

For the first time in his life, Everett stood on the other side of the fence. Unlike how he normally shut everyone else out, now Jesse shut him out. In the back of his mind, Everett tried to remember any time that his younger brother completely blanked him out.

No such time came to the forefront.

Everett couldn't say that he really liked the feeling. In fact, he hated it in every way possible.

But, because he had a stubborn streak, he would never say it out loud. He would just think it a lot.

As breakfast came to a close, Everett stood, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders before stalking out of the home and following his mother out of the house to her mini-van she prized. Everett took the front passenger seat as his mother began strapping in Cole, the two of them exchanging noises and gibberish to each other.