Evol

chapter ninteen

Monday 10th June, 2019

Brooke.

Julian sauntered forward, eyes like fire.

"Julian?" I asked him what's wrong with my eyes.

He grabbed my wrist, pulled me up next to him. Even though I knew he was angry, his hold wasn't tight.

"What's going on?" His head whipped between me and Carter.

I stared at him in confusion. "I was having a conversation--" I began, but he cut me off.

"We're going." He said, glancing around. "See you later."

Suddenly, I was being pulled away, down the stairs, and back into the throng. Julian's hand was tight on my wrist now, but I was glad. With every step, pain shot down my shin, and I was afraid of falling.

The smell of sweat was stronger down here, but sweeter somehow, than the normal scent. The music was louder here, too.

We were out soon after, climbing the stairs on the other side. Julian's broad shoulders were my focus point.

He placed his finger on a red keypad, and it flashed green, opening the steel door.

I was pushed into the red hallway, past Jerry, and through the other door. I never thought I'd be happy to see such a crumbling, wrecked house, but the air was clean here.

Breathing it in, I let Julian wordlessly tow me around, taking us back out the way we came.

His silence became worrying as we reached his car. Watching as he climbed inside, I followed suit.

With my seatbelt on, I turned to him. His curly black hair was in a disarray, falling into his eyes. They stared, unblinking, out of the windshield.

"Are you okay?" I asked, taking a chance.

His eyes wheeled to me. "Do you regret coming?"

I wasn't put off by the cold in his eyes. "No."

"How come?"

"It's interesting to see parts of your life."

"This isn't a school trip," he snapped.

"I know. . ." My gaze wandered out of the window, at the grey sky. It'd stopped raining earlier. "But you're not exactly forthcoming, Julian."

"What do you mean?"

"I have to find out things about you wherever I can."

He inhaled sharply. "You don't tell me things, either."

"You know more about me than I know about you."

Julian grumbled, "that's not true."

"How old are you?" I looked at him.

His dark brown eyes were wide, startled. "Eighteen."

"I thought so," I eyed his hands, convulsing around the wheel. "Isn't that a bit young to be owning a club?"

He rubbed his face with one hand. "Did Carter tell you that?"

"No, you did. Carter just confirmed it."

"I partially own it." He said, but I sensed a lie.

He wasn't going to tell me, so I let it drop. An agitated Julian was not an open Julian. Sighing, I raked my hands through the knots in my hair and stayed quiet as he pulled out, reversed, and drove onto the highway.

The black road flew by, the sky dimming. Street lights came on, white points of light. I'd already pretty much memorized the signs to get there on the way.