Saved

Chapter 39

"Who?"

I paused. "My er friend."

I saw her smile to herself not replying.

"Stop."

"Stop what?" She asked innocently.

"Knowing everything," I shook my head.

She laughed. "I can't help it." The doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" She jumped off my bed and ran downstairs before I could even register that he was here.

I heard her gasp as she opened the door.

"Hey kid. Didn't think I'd see you again," Phil smiled, ruffling her hair.

"You're 'the friend'?" She asked.

He laughed. "I guess so."

"You know each other?" I said, meeting them at the foot of the stairs.

"Met him at the park a week ago," Rowan smiled. "Anyway, that doesn't matter. Go have fun with your 'friend', Daniel," she smirked at me, heading back up the stairs.

I flushed red and Phil chuckled quietly.

"Come on," he led me outside to his car.

"Where are we going?" I asked, when he started to drive.

"Pick a number, 10-20."

"Why?"

"Just pick a number," he grinned.

"Ok 14. Why-"

"Here," he handed me a nickel. "Flip this every time we get to a turn."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion but did as he said.

We came to a light and he looked over at me, expectantly.

"Tales." He turned left. "I don't understand- heads." He turned right.

"It's like a game. We don't know where we're going until we get there. Then we see what happens."

12 more turns and we came to stop.

"Hmm," Phil looked around. "The aquarium."

He stepped out of the car and walked to my side. "Thanks," I said, taking the hand he offered.

He didn't let go but I didn't mind and he proceeded to lead us towards the entrance.

"What's an aquarium?" I asked him.

"You'll see."

I was too busy looking around to notice that Phil was trying to pull me away from the front desk.

"Come on. The best parts are down here."

My eyes widened as I the huge tanks come into view. Fish swam around inside.

"Woah," I breathed, moving closer to the glass. "This is amazing." I turned to see Phil smiling at me. "Look," I pointed a big grin on my face.

"You're too cute," he muttered.

I blushed.

"Want to see something even cooler?" He brought me out a door. "This is where the dolphins are."

"Dolphins?" We were outside now. There was a large tank with bleachers set up around it. People filled the seats.

"This show is nearly over," Phil said. "My brother works here so I can get us some advantages."

We waited while the dolphins did flips and other tricks until the people started to clear out.

"Hey Phil," a guy jogged over to us.

"This is my brother Marvin," Phil told me. "And this is Dan. Think we could see up close?"

"Why not? Hey Cecil!" Marvin motioned towards us and the girl nodded.

We made our way up to the platform where she was standing. "Hi," she grinned. "I'm Cecil." The dolphins swam up and splashed. "And this is Skipper, Kitty, Wylie, Chef, and our newest born, Olaf."

The dolphins swam close to the edge of where they stood. Cecil called out some numbers to them and they started doing flips and jumping up in the air.

"Good job!" She awarded two of them with fish. "Wanna feed them? It's easy." Cecil extended her arm with fish caught in her fist.

Phil smiled, taking them and handing one to me. He threw it effortlessly after Marvin tossed his own. I followed suit, hoping I wouldn't be a complete flop, and somehow Olaf caught it.

The dolphins swam up again and Phil lent down to run them, pulling me with him.

"You want to see the rest of them?" Marvin asked.

I nodded excitedly and Marvin showed them around the entire building. We saw sharks, whales, seals, everything. It was the best.

***

"Until next time," Phil grinned as he walked me to the door.

I gave him a hug and he stiffened in surprise but quickly relaxed into it, squeezing back.

"This was the most fun I've ever had," I said quietly.

"Me too," he pulled back and waved as the door opened, driving away.

I felt a hand pulling me inside and pulling me upstairs.

"Rowan?" I could barely make out her frame in the dark. "Why are all the lights off?"

"I turned them off," she muttered.

I could hear yelling.

"What's going on?" I sat on my bed next to her.

"They're fighting."

"About what?"

I saw her shake her head. "I don't know. I covered my ears."

"How long?"

She shrugged. "15, 20 minutes maybe."

I stood up and closed my door, loud enough for them to hear. The voices stopped altogether.

After a few minutes, I could hear rushed, quiet bickering. Rowan had already fallen asleep. I lied down next to her.

The sound of water and sea lions drowned out the noise as my eyes shut close for the night.

Wrote this in school but whatever. I wanted to update again since last chapter was short. Double filler chapters yay!

Keep it real ~Logan