Scream

Makai Keanu

"I'll scream. I swear to God I will get your ass arrested," I threaten as the man with amber eyes and black hair locks the door behind him – here to question me. He comes at me with a predator's stride. His fingers drum against the bedrail and I glare at him. "Get away from me." 

"You know Aero, right?" he asks in his raspy voice.

I stare, unwilling to give him answers. If I don't say anything, then he'll never know the-

"I'll take that as a yes. It's all over your face, Makee Canoe. Anyways, Aero is my half-brother."

"No way you're related to Aero. He's actually a human," I protest.

"Ouch." He sits down, long legs extended parallel to my bed, hands folded as he watches the TV. "I'm Enzo, by the way. But Reyna likes to call me 'daddy.'"

"Reyna would never like someone like you."

Enzo laughs his jackal laugh, but it's lighter than usual. "I'll admit, I thought the same thing. But she likes me, kiddo. Maybe even loves me, who knows? Anyways, I'm supposed to interview you, but we all know how that went last time.

"Yeah, I think I remember – you kidnapped and tortured me, asshole."

Enzo claps his hands together. "Perfect! No need to refresh your memory! Look, I come here bearing news. You can't report me to Sheriff D."

I snort. "Oh yeah? Why can't I?"

"Because then I'll turn Reyna in for murdering Freddie – that's why."

I huff and sit up a bit straighter, already feeling stronger after last night's rest. "Reyna said we didn't have to worry about you anymore." 

 Something in my ex-captor snaps. He straightens and his eyes flick to me. He notices me taking in his shift and tries to cover it up. "Really?" 

"Uh-huh."

"What did she mean?" he questions, right foot tapping the ground.

"Don't know. Why would I tell you?"

Enzo shrugs. "I think we should be friends, now, after I rescued you." I gape.

 "You're the douchebag who put me in that situation in the first place!" Enzo puts his hands up in a hopeless gesture and smirks. "Whatever, man. You can thank me for not being dead." 

"You left a serrated needle in my stomach, cock sucker!"

 Enzo places a hand on his chest and pretends to be hurt. "Language, Kai...anyways, anything I can help you with?" 

"You can help me figure out why you're doing this..." I supply. 

 Enzo stares at me with curiosity. "I just want you on my side, that's all. And I think Reyna wants you on my side, too." 

I scoff. "Once she finds out what you did and who you are –" 

 "She did, Makee," he snaps with a violent expression. "She knows. And you know who still slept with her last night while she fell apart? I'll give you a hint: me.

"I don't believe you," I protest. That isn't the Reyna I know, is it?

 He rolls his yellow eyes. "You will in time..." There's a silence as I cross my arms and scowl at the man. "I saw your dad," he picks up. "Your mom not in the picture?" He doesn't maliciously ask me, but a genuine question.

"Hardly. But it doesn't matter," I end. "I don't want you here." 

 "K," he sounds, abruptly standing up. Did he just verbally text-K me? "I'll see you around...a lot, actually. Get used to it, Makai." 

He stands and leaves me basking in questions. What's his deal? Why the change of motive? And what the hell, Reyna? I throw my head against the pillow, also wondering what time my preoccupied mom will get here tomorrow. 

Della came into my room last night and we talked for a while. She said she'd never take me for granted. I agreed to the same thing about her. I gave her a brief rundown about what happened to me. She apologized for everything that happened – with a kiss. We agreed to try and be "a thing" again. For real, this time. No tricks or games or riddles or fooling around. We're going to try and be a real, dedicated, long-term relationship. 

The door opens and Reyna comes in. She sits where Enzo sat. "Hey, Kai," she softly says, looking tired and strained. "How are you?"

"I'm better. How about you? You look worse than me."

She laughs, tilting her head up as she does so. "Thanks, Makai." Too quickly, she sobers up. "Things have been rough at home, but I'll manage."

"What's going on?" I ask, worried. "Is Enzo harassing you?"

 "No, no, he's not. Not at all. Look, I know what he did to you and it's terrible. But he also the one who covered my tracks from when I...you know..." From when she killed Freddie.

"Yeah, I know," I assure. "But what do you want me to do, Rey? Take him in and call him brother?" 

"Of course not. I can never expect that of you. Just...maybe give him a chance?" she pries. It's hard to say no to Reyna. She's like a sister – the responsible one – who finally did something terrible and is asking me for help. 

 Nevertheless, I say: "I don't know, Rey. I don't know."

 Biting her lip, she nods. I didn't give her the answer she was wanting, but the answer she was expecting. "I get that. Totally. When can you come back to school?"

 "I could go on Monday, but..." I wink. "I can totally milk this to keep me out of school for at least a week."

She chuckles. "There's the Makai Keanu I know," Reyna peps. "I replay finding you in4512 and losing you...now here you are in Solaris Hospital room 4512. It's ridiculous."

Reyna's phone goes off and her face grows dark. "What is it?" I inquire.

 "My mom texted me and we aren't on good terms, exactly. And Hanzo said he got my call to come but I never actually called. Now, someone's been texting me from Allister'sphone since this morning..." 

Anger flares up and makes me grit my teeth. "What're they saying?"

"That they have a plan..."

And then all the lights in Solaris Hospital went out.