In Between

Chapter Twenty: After the Fire

And what did he say? Apryl asked, desperately trying not to laugh.

That he never really liked kids anyway.

Both of them fell into a fit of silent giggles. They probably looked like six-year-olds in the nightdresses Gilda had let them borrow which had unfortunately gotten quite filthy from the ashes, but they didn't care. Neither of them stopped laughing until the car pulled into the Kittson's driveway. Apryl realized how late it had gotten by the pitch-black sky and suddenly felt very tired. She apparently wasn't the only one—the four of them walked mechanically into the house and flopped onto the couches to wait for the others. They were asleep before Soren, Cain, and Mel made it back.

ஜ۞ஜ

When Apryl awoke, she was lying on the couch with Bri still sleeping at her feet. Kieran was pacing back and forth in the middle of the room, whispering something that she couldn't quite catch. She took a moment to discreetly watch him from her place on the couch—he really was quite attractive—and was in the process of admiring how long his eyelashes were when she realized that he was whispering to Draven who was seated in the armchair facing her. He could see that she was awake and had probably been watching as she'd been ogling his friend. Apryl quickly shut her eyes and pretended to be sleeping, but she knew that this was useless.

"Apryl, you're awake. Did you notice how anxious Kieran is this morning?" Draven asked. She blushed at his mocking smiling, because of course she hadn't noticed.

Now she could clearly see the worry lines creasing Kieran's forehead. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"It's the others. They never showed up last night," Kieran explained.

"Did they go back to Mel's?"

"No, I already walked over there before you woke up, and Mel's mother said that none of them had come home. I'm worried...Where could they have gone?" he said.

"He's getting himself all worked up. They're probably fine," Draven said, shrugging like it was no big deal.

"Well, where do you think they are?" Apryl asked him. Draven just crossed his arms, apparently unable to come up with a good retort. "No answer, huh? Then maybe Kieran has a right to be worried! After what happened with Gilda's house, don't you think it's plausible that something could have happened to your friends?" Draven shifted uncomfortably at the word "friends" but remained stubbornly silent, so Apryl turned to Kieran. "I think it's awfully suspicious that they just disappeared. Why don't we go look for them?" she suggested.

"Alright. Do you want to wake up your sister?" he asked.

"No, she needs her beauty rest. Let's go...just the two of us," Apryl said quietly. He smiled at her and nodded with wide eyes.

"I'm still here," Draven snapped irritably. "You can't be walking around by yourselves. Apryl is supposed to be dead, remember? What if the Warriors did do something to Mel and the twins and they find you too?" he reminded them.

Apryl had to admit that this was very practical thinking. "He's right. If that happens than we'll really be in trouble," she said, disappointed. It would be nice to spend some time alone with Kieran, but she couldn't risk being seen again.

"Maybe we could find something to hide your hair. I really want to see if I can find out what happened to Mel and the twins. They might need our help right now," Kieran said worriedly.

"I know, but I need to stay here," Apryl told him firmly, and Kieran sat back looking equally disappointed. "I want to help, but I'll only be putting you in danger if I'm out in public."