Nightwalker

Fifteen

Riordan

I had no visions. No warnings.

Sean is okay. Nothing's happened to him.

However, my gut was telling me otherwise. One thing I've known to do since I figured out I had psychic abilities was to trust my gut.

For Sean's sake, my gut can go fuck itself. It was wrong this time. It had to be.

If anything happened to him, I'd lose it.

It was the worst possible timing, and I couldn't stop replaying what my father said.

"He's not doing good. Hurry."

Sean rarely asks for me. He's an independent kid who doesn't ask for help when he needs it, no matter how much he needs it. We were alike in that aspect and I respected him for it.

Phoenix offered to drive me home on such short notice as if we hadn't been down each other's throats just minutes ago.

"Is everything okay? You seem pale."

Everything needed to be okay.

"Uh, I don't really know. I think something's happened to my brother."

"Oh gosh. I hope nothing bad. I'm sorry for cornering you and everything. I just wanted to let you know that I really like you."

I look at Phoenix while he pays attention to the road, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"I like you too."

"But not as much as you like Daniel, right?"

Daniel?

Thor.

Sometimes I forget that the silly Marvel name I gave him in sixth grade isn't his real one. We were once Danny and Danny to everyone, and it sure as hell confused the fuck out of people we knew. One day in class, I'd seen him write his last name down messily on a new notebook--Danny Thoreau. Thor, like the God of Thunder, I said, hoping he'd catch on to me shortening his last name. He did.

"Pheonix—''

"No, no, don't try to deny it. I've seen you and him around school. You two have unmistakable chemistry. At first, I was jealous—hell, I still am, but the way you melt into me...you sorta make me think that I'm competition. That and I'm sure he hasn't made a move on you yet.''

I scoff.

Cocky bastard.

''How're you sure?''

''You'd be dating by now.'' I roll my eyes, annoyed at the fact that he was right.

"I don't want to talk about Thor right now. Could we just...sit in silence?"

Phoenix gives me a questioning look.

"Please?"

"Fine."

We stayed in silence for the rest of the drive and broke it only when I was exiting his car.

"Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime, Riordan."

I shut his door and ran towards the house with my heart beating in my mouth.

I slowly open the door.

Please be okay.

"Riordan? Is that you?"

"Dad?" I searched the living room for Sean but he was nowhere to be found. 

My Dad rushes down the main hallway looking unkempt.