I Can See Two - Sanders Sides

Chapter 18

(Mentions of but no rape. Nothing happens but it does mention it.)

I walk up the stairs to where Caleb's soul is coming from. 

"This is the universe paying you back for interrupting me and Roman before," I jokingly say to Ethan as the three of us walk into what I assume is Ethan's room. I've never actually been here before so I look around. Its nice. A full sized bed on the opposite wall as soon as you walk in. He has a dresser with a TV on the right wall next to a closet. On the left wall is a computer set up and a door that I think leads to a bathroom. 

"Hey Virgil. Roman," Caleb says sweetly. 

"Don't go acting all innocent now," I say sitting next to Caleb. Caleb goes beet red and I just laugh. I nudge his shoulder with my own. 

"Shut up," Caleb mumbles but is smiling. I stop teasing him and stand up. I walk over to Roman and hug him because I just want to hold him.

Ethan sits next to Caleb and wraps an arm around his waist. 

"Oh yeah. I got a call this morning," I say. 

"From the neighborhood grocery?" Ethan asks. I nod an he asks what they said. 

"They said I can start this weekend. I'll be working weekends and most days after school," I explain. Roman, Ethan and Caleb already know I had an interview last week. Caleb is already working at a clothing boutique and Roman works in his dad's store on the weekends. The only one who doesn't have a part time job yet out of the four of us is Ethan. 

"I might apply for neighborhood grocery as well. Since they're still hiring," Ethan says pulling out his phone. He does something on it and then sets it on the bed.

We hang out for an hour and a half before Logan, Patton and Darren show up. Then we all sit in the living room to watch TV. 

"Iron Man?" I ask as we look through Ethan's DVD collection. 

"Thor," Darren suggests. 

"How about we watch the Avengers? It has both Thor and Iron Man in it," Caleb says pulling it out. "Fair enough," Darren and I say at the same time. We watch the movie and when it's done we look for another movie. "Let's watch this. It has a dog in it," Patton says holding up I Am Legend with Will Smith. Ethan and I share a look but Logan is the one who says, 

"Let's not." Patton pouts and says that he really wants to watch it. "This is awkward," Darren mumbles. I spot the movie Hotel for Dogs and show it to Patton. 

"Ooh. Yes!" Patton says happily and puts down the other movie.

"I'm going to get something to drink. Anybody else want some?" Ethan says standing up. 

"I do," Caleb says and follows Ethan into the kitchen. Just as the movie starts I sense an unfamiliar soul approaching the front door. 

"My brother's back," Ethan calls out. I focus on the soul and see the small aura behind his regular one. Yep, he's a Soul Searcher. Ethan's brother Adam opens the door with two large pizzas. He seems surprised to find a bunch of teenage boys in the living room. 

"Oh. Hello everyone. I'm Adam. You all must be Ethan's friends. That or we need new locks," he jokes. We all laugh or smile and each introduce ourselves. Ethan and Caleb come back each holding a soda. Adam walks into the kitchen and then comes back with the pizzas and some napkins.

He sets the pizzas down on the coffee table and tells us all to eat. Not long after Adam says this everyone has a pizza. As I'm eating I sense another soul approaching, also unfamiliar. 

"Is that your dad?" I ask Ethan. Ethan looks at me and nods. 

"So you do have Soul Search. I also heard you puke up that black stuff. Any idea what it is?" Adam asks. Ethan's dad comes in, greets us all and then grabs some pizza before heading to his room. I explain all about Soul Cleanse and I even show him how to use it to calm someone down. He thanks me.