Two Birds On A Wire

ch 09

Ivan looked at his phone screen and his eyebrows jolted up.

Well...

He answered the call and before he could even speak into the phone, the other person shouted from the other side of the line, causing him to flinch. "Ivan, where the hell are you!?"

"I--"

"I'm turning the whole school upside down, looking for you and I still can't find you!"

"Barry, I'm not in there" Ivan said in the most calm tone he could do.

"Where the hell did you run off to!?"

"I'm at a cafè down the street--" Ivan gestured towards Julian, asking him for the name of the place. He really was bad at remembering names.

Julian mouthed the name "Joe" to him and Ivan nodded. "Joe's Coffee Shop", he spoke into the phone.

"You went there all by yourself!?"

Ivan heaved a sigh. "I never said that"

"Who are you with?"

"Julian"

A pause from Johann's side and he continued his questions, his tone turning even more doubting. "Who the heck is Julian?"

Ivan rolled his eyes. "You met him the last day"

Another long pause. "The one we saw at the cafeteria? With Ryan?"

"Yeah"

"Fine. I've been wanting to talk to him, anyway. You wait right there" the line went dead and Ivan blinked in confusion.

He looked at his screen and heaved yet another sigh.

"Well,...?" Julian raised his brows.

"Just him acting like he is my father" Ivan clicked his tongue. "Like always".

"What are you, eight?" Julian scoffed.

"I guess he's been looking for you too"

"Me!?" Julian jolted, gesturing towards himself.

"Yes, you"

"Why, what did I do!?"

"How am I supposed to know? You'll have to wait and see" Ivan shook his head as Julian leaned back on his chair, anxious. He leaned the chair back, rocking it on its heels.

A few minutes later, the bells on the café's door jingled and the boys looked up in unision.

Johann walked in with a girl behind him and Ivan waved at them, demanding their attention.

As soon as he spotted Ivan, Johann pursed his lips and did a little speed walk towards him, leaving the girl behind. "Hey Johann, wait for me!" She squeaked and ran after him, her curly hair dancing in the air.

Ivan blinked as Johann pulled a chair and sat beside Ivan, glaring daggers at him.

"What?" Ivan snapped.

"What the fuck did you do, Ivan?" Johann leant forward, keeping an arm on his knees.

"What did I do?" Ivan crossed his arms over his chest.

The girl who came with Johann rolled her eyes and took a seat beside Julian. "Will they ever stop fighting with each other?" She asked, turning to Julian.

Julian really had no idea about what was going on or how exactly the other two had been in the past. So he just shrugged it off.

"Ivan, why the hell did you give my pendrive to Jonah!?" Johann gasped out, his eyes wide with frustration.

Ivan smirked at the already annoyed boy. "Because he ought to know what his little brother has been upto"

"Are you crazy!?"

"I already told you I would do the unthinkable if you wouldn't listen to me, didn't I?" Ivan raised a finger accusingly at Johann.

Julian turned to the girl, his eyebrows shot up. She just shrugged at him.

Here, he had thought Johann was just genuinely concerned for his best friend. But it turned out he ditched school and came all the way  here to argue over something like this?... A pendrive!?

Johann raised an arm and gave Ivan a hard whack on his head, causing him to yelp out.

Matt looked up from the counter and Julian rose to his feet. "They are just messing around" he called out with a fake smile plastered on. He really wasn't all comfortable with the whole situation.

"Johann, just stop. It isn't like your brother doesn't know of the little shit you are" The girl spoke from her spot and Johann turned his glare towards her, immediately cooling down. "Shut up, Isma. It's still embarrassing" he murmured, earning a chuckle from the girl.

"So, who is this new guy?" Isma asked as Julian plopped back down on his chair.

"Julian Nicoles" Julian extended his hand towards the girl and she shook it. "Isma Zaya"

"Ah yes, I almost forgot" Johann pulled his chair closer to Julian, making the other boy feel a bit intimidated.

Ivan grinned at Julian.

"I heard you gave my boy a concussion?" Johann asked, tilting his head.

Julian pursed his lips. "It was a mistake"

Johann nodded. "It better be"

Julian passed a smile and looked at Ivan who was trying hard to hold in his laughter. "Barry, stop it. You aren't really as scary as you think you are!" He patted Johann on his back, earning a disapproving grunt from him.

"Yeah? Say that to little Julian right here" Johann said with a lopsided smirk, a glimpse of his pride showing in his tone.

"Well..." Julian crossed his arms and smirked. "You really ain't that scary".

Ivan and Isma erupted into laughter.

"It's okay, Barry. It's okay"