Where Do We Go from Here?

x.

     "Cobi," I call as soon as I see him standing in the highest tiered row. I take a few heavy steps with my hooves, with my last heave almost making me stumble into a few rows of seats, luckily Cobi has gotten a hold of me before disaster strikes. 

     "Yes, Warts?" His eyes trail from my hooves, to my hind legs, to my big brown warthog belly, stifling a laugh. When he gets to my face, his smile fades and his eyes collapse into concern. "What happened?"

     "Oh, I'm just waiting for Casey to get me my warthog head," I nod. 

     Yes, Granite Wood's mascot is a warthog. Now, I'm not quite sure if our founding faculty members were really digging the beast or they were just in on the whole Lion King frenzy. Either way, I hate them for letting me go through this hell. 

     "No, your eyes, they're puffy." He lightly touches my left cheek, just below my eye. "You cried. You good?"

     "Get a room!" someone shouts from afar.

     "Get a life!" Cobi responds.

     I sigh, "No, but I feel like Theo has it worse."

     "Dad problem?"

     "What else can it be?"

     Theo. 

     He's alone in our house, probably crying, or not, but he will hate it if he finally crawls out of his cave and realize I left him. 

     "Cobi, I have a favor to ask."

     "Sure, anything," he assures. 

     "Theo, he's alone in our house, can you keep him company?"

     Theo has other friends but I know for a fact, they don't have any idea who Theo is beyond the genius prodigy image he has out for the world. 

     Cobi doesn't know all the story, I'm not sure if it's enough to deserve to see Theo in that state, but he's the only one who knows some bits of our family story, so I have to risk it. 

     "Naomi, I-I'm okay with it but," He scratches his lips and bites it after, "but give me a damn good reason why I should leave you here, in this state, and go to Theo,"

     I wish I can tell him why but I can't put it into words. I know my brother and I know he'll need someone there when he finally finds his wit again. I appreciate silence when I'm in pain, Theo doesn't. 

     "Because I'll feel worse if he doesn't have anyone beside him right now," I confess knowing I should insert myself somewhere in the reason so Cobi will listen. 

     He looks away, thinking. 

     "Do it for me," I plea. 

     "But what about you?" He looks at me with his kind eyes. 

     "If you're worried about me doing a bad job being the uni's resident warthog, don't worry, you're right."

     He keeps his stare meaningful and concerned, not even fazed of the joke I made and honestly I'm offended. 

     "Cobi, I'll feel worse if Theo's alone." 

     He looks down his tapping right toe, "Okay," he begins, "but please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

     "Psh, what do you mean stupid?"

     "You know what I mean." He gives me a stern look.

     "And I thought Theo isn't here," I remark, "I promise."

     "Okay," he sighs, "I'll get going to my babysitting appointment then." He throws his key in the air and catches it mid-fall.