Kota's point of view.
Max paces back and forth in my room. It's been like this for a couple of days now, since Sang left. He senses there's something wrong.
"Max, get out"
But he doesn't.
Mom comes into my bedroom, looking worried. "Are you planning in getting out of this room?"
"Eventually" I answer.
She sights. "Some boys are here to see you"
I nod. I know I've been irresponsible for not keeping up with them. Something bad could've happend and I would never know.
North, Luke, Victor and Nathan come into my room. Max licks Luke in the cheek, but when he doesn't play with him as he always does, he leaves the room.
"Hey" I say.
North's answer is coming to me and punching me in the arm.
"Ouch!"
"You deserve it"
"I guess I do. I'm sorry. I've been acting with irresponsability ".
North doean't look happy, but still, he sits next to me in the bed.
"We have a plan" Nathan says.
"A good one"Luke adds.
I arch an eyebrow.
"For what?"
"To get Sang back!" Victor gets in the conversation.
"Guys. Sang asked for space"
"We know" Luke smiles. For a moment, it's like having him back "But we'll make it work just fine. We need to call a family meeting".
Mr. Blackbourn will not agree on this plan, but I still call him.
"Mr. Lee?"
"Mr. Blackbourne. Some of the guys are here. They're asking for a family meeting"
" We'll be there in a minute. Are all of your brothers there with you?"
"No. We are missing Gabriel and Silas"
"Since no on has a car, one of you will have to pick them up"
"I will".
"Very well"
He hangs up.
When Gabriel comes out his house next to Silas, my mouth drops open.
"Oh, God" I whisper to myself.
Gabriel growls something and gets in the car. I look at Silas, but he shakes his head, telling me to drop it.
Gabriel wears sweatpants and flip- flops. That is by far not the worst: the tips of his hair is pointing to every single direction and it looks like it hasn't been washed in days. Besides, he's not bitching on what we wear. And Silas, who looks lost and sad. Gone.
Something really wrong it's happening.
Sang.
When we walk into my house, the boys almost choke.
"The fuck?" Says a startled North.
"Bro... Is that a pizza stain in your...? I cannot call that a shirt. What happened to you? If Cupcake sees you like this..."
He growls.
"I tried to make him shower" Silas shrugs.
"Oy! Stop the shit. Why are we having a family meeting?"
"We'll wait for Mr. Blackbourne and Dr. Green" I state.
And we do. When they finally arrive, we sit in my living room to start to explain. Or well, the guys are. I don't know what we are doing to make her look into our eyes again.
I notice Mr. Blackbourne has dark shadows under his eyes and doc looks as sad as Silas.
Luke starts to explain how we are getting Sang back and I see the faces of all my brothers changing. Gabriel seems to sit straighter and even smiling a little. North, Victor and Nathan look satisfied with themselves. Doctor Green is smiling widely like the little kid he is inside.
Silas looks hopeful. And then there's Mr. Blackbourne, the one who never shows anything.
I think this is such a good idea. This might work: Showing her we're still here and that we're not giving up in any time soon. Maybe this won't work, too. There's that posibility. But I'm done sitting here and feeling sorry for myself.
"This is freaking brilliant!" Gabriel shouts " It was fucking time already for us to do fucking something. We should never have let her go in the first time"
"Language, Mr. Coleman".
"I agree" Silas says "I need to show Aggele mou how much I love her"
"Oh, Pookie. You don't have a chance about what's to come"
They're all smiling now. I can see the sparkle in their eyes. I can feel it in mine.
But Mr.Blackbourne is not saying anything.
"Mr.Blackbourne?" I call.
That's when my brothers wake up from their daydream to face the possibility of him saying no.
Please, don't say no.
"I think... "
Pause.
"This might work"
And he smiles.
All of us stand up to celebrate. Gabriel throws a punch at the air and takes off his shirt. He takes off his flip- flops too and throws them in the thrash.
I laugh with the rest.
"I'm taking a shower" He announces "I need to be presentable for my Trouble. Shit, she's always causing trouble"
He dissapears upstairs to Kota's bathroom and to grab clothes in his closet, in one of his own bags he had left behind.
"I miss my Sang Baby" North says, looking to the window at her house. Then he freezes.
"North?" I ask him. I come to his side and touch his shoulders but he still doesn't look at me.
So I decide to look out the window.
My heart breaks.
I hear the footsteps of all my brothers standing behind and next to us as we contemplate the scene. Sang is in a car, in front of his house. The window is rolled down and she's laughing with some other guy. She looks ... happy. Truly happy, not that fake happy smile she used to give us when we first met.
Happy with some other guy.
"Who is that bastard?" Nathan loses it first.
"She forgot us" Silas' eyes water up.
"We lost her! " Says a paranoic Luke " We gave her way too much space. We should've done this before! It's late now!"
"Shut up, Luke! Princess wouldn't do that to us! Shut up!"
I can count with one hand the times I've heard Victor yell, but this time it doesn't surprise me. It's Sang we're talking about here.
"Who's that motherfucker with Sang Baby?"
"Sang" I whisper.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10...
"Stop!" Mr. Blackbourn shouts.
15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21...
"As far as we know that might be her brother"
"Yeah" Dr. Green agrees, but I can see the shadow of the doubt in his eyes.
Some of the boys seem to get color back into their faces... but what if he's not?
"What if it's some of those Academy boys?" Luke has to say. He fills our insecurities.
"Sang wouldn't let a stranger drive her home" I state " She doesn't trust anyone but us"
Trusted.
Key words. Before. A different Sang.
30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38...
"Oh, God" Victor seems about to cry.
40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 56, 47...
When we look outside the window again, Sang is already out the car opening the front door. Next to her is that boy.
I can't swallow.
Is she...? Is she letting him in? To stay the night?
I try to make out his face, but is dark and we're not that close.
I hear cursing behind, but I can only look at the love of my life looking in this direction, but up, at my window.
"What the fuckity fuck is fucking happening? Who's that bastard son of a bitch with Trouble?"
Gabriel saw it too. There's not doubt.
He runs downstairs in his boxers and wet skin and hair. He looks furious, going straight to the door. Nathan grabs him from the arms and holds him tight. Gabriel winces.
"Get the fuck off me! I'm going for Trouble!"
"Mr. Coleman! If you cannot handle yourself you are most certainly not allowed to make a participation in this plan. Your behaviour might cost us Miss Sorenson, which I will not allow in any terms"
Gabriel slowly nods and slows down. Mr. Blackbourne turns to me.
"And you, Mr. Lee. If you are not capable of keeping your team in line then I'm guessing you don't deserve your position!"
The color drains of my face.
"Owen!" Dr. Green growls at him. We've been doing a lot of that recently "That is not fair and you know it! So keep it down before you say something you might regret!"
They look at each other, both angry. Mr. Backbourne might be Dr. Green's boss, but they are joined by the hip wheter they realize it or not. And even when Mr. Blackbourne scolds him all the time and seems mad, they cannot keep mad at each other.
Mr. Blackbourne lets out a frustrated sound and look at us.
"We start the plan tomorrow. I'll notify the Academy we're struggling as a family so we can get time with the asigments. You better enjoy your time now, gentlemans, because when we get Sang back we are going to be working a hell lot more. Get it?"
"Yes, sir" we say before swearing we'll obey.
When I look out the window, Sang and the new guy have dissapear. And I promise myself that no matter who he is or what he wants with Sang, I'll have her in my arms again.
Wrote this on the way back home from school of today and yesterday. It's the only time I have :( . Hope you enjoy.