Two teenagers drowning in their own emotions.
She was the 'I'm fine' type of girl.
He was the 'no you not, tell me what happened' type of boy.
Could I make it more obvious?
My head snapping in ever direction looking for something to tell give me verification for- hell if I even know. Slowly I look up when I hear loud footsteps approaching, signing when I see dad.
"Caden," dad said giving him a polite smile. After receiving the 'news' or whatever is happening Caden insisted on coming with me.
"So like..." I trail off not knowing how to put the words together. Dad seems to understand my thoughts as he nods.
"They're treating him right now," I can only imagine what Hudson had to go through, it takes no expert to know he's not very...well? At the moment. Soon as I walked in here I was kind of expecting Aunt Lee and Uncle Kio to be around here somewhere.
"And uh where's Aunt Lee and Uncle Kio?" I tap my feet anxiously. A hand smoothly interlocks with mine, meeting Caden's confronting gaze as he gives my hands a squeeze in reassurance that does some how calms me down. I squeeze his hand back before turning back to dad.
"There out in the garden." He answered. I wonder if they know about what happened, like with Romero, and mom. My guess is no since the two just kind of cut ties after everything that went down almost nine years ago.
"Dad what happened?" I finally ask.
"You know the man that almost kidnapped what was his name?" He snaps his finger trying to remember Mikeys name before he stopped. "Mikey." I nod at him to continue. "Well turns out he was the one who has been kidnapping children for years and turns out he was the one who kidnapped Hudson." My breath hitched at dads words, my eyes watering.
"Do you know what they did to him?" I whispered looking down at my soaked vans.
"They-" he croaked cutting off for a moment before continuing. "They shipped him all the way to Europe, and forced Hudson in to some shady things, like drug trafficking, gun trafficking. Also, he was also abused mentally and physically." He signed. "Not very severe injuries just-" he trails off not knowing what to say.
"Yeah." I understand. "When can we see him?" I ask nervously.
"Until the officers tell."
"Want to get some air with me?" I turn to Caden. He nods in response. "Okay well come find me if there's anything else?" I look back at dad. "And I'm sorry for what happened that other night." I referred to the night I was in jail. He nods understanding my meaning.
Caden and I walk out silently our hands still holding. We watch the pouring rain as I rest my head on his shoulder, he resting his head on top of him. Both of us finding comfort in each other on this cold winter day.
"Are you okay?" He ask after a moment of complete silence.
"I don't know," I confess trying to get rid of that daring tight knot in my throat that wants to break into a loud cry. "Just feel like everyone is leaving me," tears after tears start to roll down my cheek. "I grew up with my cousin and little brother, we had such unbreakable bond between us and they left, I just feel like eventually everyone is going to leave me again and again and again."
"I think it's different this time Aven." He whispers into my hair. "You know why?" I softly shake my head. "Any day, any time, anywhere I will always be there, I promise I will never leave you Heaven Carter, your an absolute treasure to this world, to my world. You might not even realize the things I would do for you." He admits. I smile at him with such admiration slowly taking my head off his shoulder and pull him into a heart welming hug, Caden instantly melting into my arms.
"And I don't think you know how much I'll do for you, you've been there for me and I just want you to know anywhere, anytime, any day, I will be there for you Cay." I confess using his words.
"Hey Aven?" He tighten his hold on me. "Wherever we are years from now you'll always have a special place in my heart," he chuckles. "Here that Carter? Your kind of my soft spot."
"Yeah Cay? Well your kind of mine too." I tighten my hold on him.
"Cheesy but cute!" A very, very familiar voice that sounds deeper now says. Slowly I turn towards the voice, seeing a smiling Hudson. "What? So this is how I'm greeted after all these years." He scoffs playfully with a eye roll.
"Wait how long have you been standing there for?" I ask looking at him skeptically.
"Geez thanks that's the first thing you say to your favorite cousin!" He jokes. "And to answer you question Heaven, I just heard the last part so you can fiddle down." He looks at Caden with a wide smirk. "And who may you be?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
"Uh Uh Uh." I shake my head in disapproval. "Come and give your awesome cousin a hug." I open my arms.
"Shouldn't I be saying that?" He smirks slowly approaching me, I enclose him in a hug. We stand there for a long moment. No jokes, no nothing. Just us, tears both streaming down our faces.
"I miss you cuz." I cry silently and he nods in agreement.
"I miss you too cuz." He says. "I'm so, so, so, so, sorry for everything." He apologizes which makes me pull away slightly looking at him like he's crazy.
"No Hudson you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. We all love you so much Hudson don't you ever forget. I don't want to hear such foolishness come out of your stupid mouth again."
"I forgot how much a softie you are." He teases. "Nah but foreal I fuckin miss everyone." He looks around. "Where's little R?" He calls Romero's nickname out. Slowly I pull away looking at him tensely. He notices furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "Where is he Hevs?"
"Hudson," my eyes blurry by my tears. Caden stroking my palm. "He passed." Now Hudson and I both frozen in place.
"W-what?" He's lips start to quiver.
"Few months ago, Romero and I were driving home on a rainy night and," I cry. "A truck crashed into us throwing us off a cliff and he died, only I surviving the accident."
Hudson, let's out a muffled cry as he buried his face into his sleeve. I quietly walk up to him giving him a hug. Three more pairs join in, looking up Uncle Kio, Aunt Lee and dad hugging each other in a family hug. Dad slowly turns to Caden ushering him to join in. Hesitantly Caden joins coming near me.
All of us gathered here for the first time in forever.
