Blood Siren

𝟚𝟜 - 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 ℙ𝕚𝕖

"Can I help?" He asked excitedly, his boyish nature coming to the surface as I giggled, rolling my eyes.

"You can cut these while I make the rice." I instructed, stepping aside so he could continue cutting up all of the vegetables.

His nose scrunched up as he looked at the pile of carrots I gathered. "Why did you cut them like that Gray?"

I rolled my eyes, walking away. "They're going to get eaten eventually, why do they have to be pretty?"

"So that they're bearable!" Johnny argued. I rolled my eyes, slapping him in the back of the head before turning around to cook the rice.

The energy in the air was lighthearted and full of laughter as the three of us cooked together, enjoying each other's presence and messing with each other every so often. I was having the time of my life, finally feeling alive again for the first time in months. I spent days imagining moments like these and spent nights dreaming of memories where the love between us was as prominent as it was now. I couldn't stop smiling.

"While you were gone, Jordan met this girl that he has a crush on." Tyler chuckled as he began sprinkling seasoning onto the chicken.

"Yeah! Her name is Anastasia but she goes by Asia and she's totally Jordan's type! He kept asking me and Tyler for advice but we're clueless when it comes to girls and we tried to tell him the only one who could help him was you but you were gone and-"

I continued slowly cutting the cucumber in my hand, though my mind wasn't focused on it at all. Johnny's words rung in my head, imagining clueless little Jordan liking a girl and looking to me for help playing over and over. It broke my heart that I wasn't there.

I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Johnny looked down at me with a sad look. It was clear they had been through a lot in the past couple of months and that my absence had taken a toll on our little group. After Lance's departure, it was hard enough. And then I had to leave.

"Don't feel bad."

I looked over Johnny's shoulder and up at Tyler, who was giving me a sympathetic smile. "I do feel bad. I left you guys." I said before turning back around to continue cutting the vegetable, though I was really just trying to conceal the sadness on my face.

"You were dealing with more shit than any of us could've ever imagined, Gray." Tyler said, taking the knife from my hand and turning me so I was facing the both of them. I turned to look at them with a deflated demeanor.

"You had to make impossible decisions, Gray. You've been through so much, more than any of us and you were doing your best. Now that we understand everything, we don't blame you at all. You had to leave. We understand." Johnny said, rubbing my back comfortingly.

"The last thing you should be worried about is us, Gray." Tyler assured. "We have your back 100%. No matter what. Yeah, it hurt for a while. But you told us everything and you're here now. That's what matters."

I nodded, looking down at my hands as I let out a heavy breath. "Jordan probably hates me now."

"Jordan doesn't hate anyone. He's hurt, yes. But once you tell him about your superpowers he'll be brand new!" Johnny said animatedly.

I giggled, rolling my eyes as I pulled the both of them into a hug. Our mess of limbs gathered together, the tension in the air now gone and the weight on my chest just a bit lighter. "I'm sorry for leaving guys."

"All is forgiven, as long as I get to have the Hershey bar."

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Not anymore!"