The Reincarnated (Book 2A of Wolfcreek Series)

Chapter 19

Someone walked behind me and rested their hand on my shoulder after a moment's pause, and I took their hand, enjoying the warmth that they provided me. They squeezed my shoulder and cleared their throat, and I had a feeling that it was Commander. "Do you want to hold them?" he asked softly.

I shook my head, no. "No, Commander," I said and pulled my gaze off of the staffs to look at him. "Not yet. I would like to hold them later, but I don't want to right now."

Commander hummed and nodded in understanding. He cleared his throat and squeezed my shoulder again. "Come, let's show you around the building so that you can get accumulated. Do you have plans for this evening?"

I nodded in confirmation. "My parents are taking me out to eat tonight," I replied. "We're going to be going to Pablo's Grill and Chill. Do you have any suggestions of what to eat?"

"I'd go with the Cheese Dip with fries if you like cheese," Sergio said, and I looked at him, keeping my hand on Commander's, not wanting him to let go. He smiled and dipped his head while he looked at me, and sadness turned his eyes a darker shade of green. "It's the best type of cheese."

I nodded and licked my lips because that sounded good. My mouth watered, and all I wanted at that moment was the cheese dip that Sergio suggested. "What else?" I asked.

"How much can you eat?" Sergio asked and raised an eyebrow. He cocked his head while he studied me, and I could tell that he wanted to know if I could eat a lot.

"A lot," I replied and shrugged. "Why?"

"There is this burger that my friend "claims" to be the best burger at the place," he said. "I recommend that if you can handle it."

I raised an eyebrow in question. "What is it called?" I asked.

"Cass's Bass Burger," Sergio said. He smiled sadly and shook his head, and my heart skipped a beat when he said it. "There isn't bass in it, but they couldn't have Cass's Bad Ass Burger in the book because it is a family friendly place." He shrugged and looked nonchalant, but amusement chased the sadness away while he thought of the female that the burger was named after. "I have eaten it before, but I couldn't eat the whole thing."

"I've tried it before," Thames said, and I looked at him, "and it is good, but it is kind of big for one meal at a time."

I nodded. "It sounds good," I said. "I'm going to try it. Thanks for the advice." I smiled at them, craving that burger now he had mentioned it.

"Do you think that you will be able to finish it?" Sergio asked, and I nodded in confirmation. He raised an eyebrow in question, and he looked mildly shocked and impressed because I didn't even hesitate when I nodded. "How do you know that you will be able to finish?" he asked. "You haven't had it yet."

I shrugged and looked indifferent because I could eat a lot and did eat a lot, even though it looked like I didn't. "Past experiences," I replied. "I've been able to finish like five pizzas at once," I said, and the other eyebrow on Sergio went up to meet that one, and he looked at me shocked. "I mean, these aren't the small ones, but they are the extra large ones. I have to go last during potluck things because I eat a lot and will sometimes leave none for the other guests."

Sergio cleared his throat to hide a chuckle. "Have you ever thrown up on someone?" Sergio asked, and one of the eyebrows relaxed, and he didn't look as shocked as he did about hearing me eat a lot. A small smirk appeared on his face, and I had a feeling that someone had said something to him somehow.

Commander sent Sergio an annoyed look, but he didn't say a word when he looked at me. He waited for me to say something, and I could tell that he wanted me to either confirm or deny Sergio's question.

I grinned and nodded, the feeling of satisfaction washing over me like it had every time in the past when I told this story. "Twice," I said, and my grin grew eviler while my satisfaction grew. "And it was the same person because he was an idiot that didn't believe me the two times that I warned him that I was going to throw up."

"Who?" Sergio asked. He looked shocked and horrified, and for some reason, he thought I would do it to them, even though I haven't known them long. "And why?"

"Why was because I wanted to prove him wrong," I replied. "He said that I wouldn't do it, so instead of going to a trash can like a normal person, I said fuck it and threw up over him."

Sergio bit back a snort and nodded, and he slowly started to relax, but he was still cautious of me as if he thought I'd throw up on him without being provoked. He wanted to know the whole story, but he knew that I had to leave soon because my parents were waiting for me.

"His name is Jack," I said and shrugged. "I can tell you the details of both later, but I think that Commander wants to show me around before I have to go." I glanced at Commander to see if I assumed correctly.

Commander smiled sadly and nodded, and he didn't look surprised that I knew what he was thinking. "I do," he confirmed, and for some reason, I knew that he didn't want me to go back with my parents but to stay there with them and learn about a past that haunted me in my dreams.

And for some reason, I wanted to stay; I wanted to stay with them and to learn, even though I was afraid that I would love myself while I found out the past person that I once was.

However, we both knew that I couldn't stay. I couldn't do that to the people that raised me as their own, so with a signal clearing of his throat, Commander gestured for me to follow him and started the tour with both Sergio and Thames watching over us.

Goddess, don't let this be as hard as it is on him as it is on me, I prayed silently, hoping that Commander wasn't in pain that I couldn't stay. Please.