Chapter 5 5

RANDOM FACT: Rowan Draken doesn’t care about many things… except Kael and Riven

-————

“We can talk, if you would like—”

“I’d rather the fuck not,” I almost slam the door on his face… but luckily for him, Claire follows directly behind me so I can’t. 

I hold back the groan threatening to tear out of my mouth as I head for the stairs then stop midway so I can turn around to face him as I hiss at him, “You also shouldn’t touch a single thing, you’re not allowed to. Claire, come on,”

I’m already three steps up when I realize Claire isn’t following me. I feel my anger worsen as I grip the railings next to me and turn around, saying with gritted teeth, “You better get that perky little ass up—”

My best friend looks worried. And apprehensive as well as she signs hurriedly, her eyes moving to my father and back to me, “You should listen to what he has to say—”

“Okay,” I fake a smile at her, knowing I can’t bear to have a fight with her. As I turn to look at my grandfather— Draken Rowan… he looks different from the last time I’d seen him, but that was to be expected. Did I even remember how he looked? “You have three seconds to explain yourself,”

“Blue—”

The pain that flashes through my chest at that name feels like iron burning through my skin as I’m suddenly walking to him, hissing as I point my finger at his face, “You don’t get to call me that!”

Rowan… his hair is a light brown, and he has dark brown eyes as well. He wears glasses now… and he has a scent. Very faint, like a mix between caramel and a fruit, but it’s there. 

Like he’s here. 

“Alright,” He’s smiling at me as his eyes move over my body. I want to claw at his face. “You have grown so much, Riven,”

I roll my eyes. “Ugh, I’m tired. This entire conversation is tiring. Claire. I spoke to him. Come upstairs,”

This time, I don’t wait for her to come along as I head up the stairs to my room. And for a second, I worry that she didn’t follow me… but the second I’m about to close the door, she’s right there. 

I grab her arm and pull her in, a scoff leaving my lips. “You are so lucky you came up here. Not sure I can stand one more second around him. Hopefully, by the time I go back down, he’s gone— be careful, don’t… don’t sit anywhere. I’m coming,”

My eyes scan around my room— my scattered but perfectly organized room. The thought of Claire itches my scalp, like this is something that should not be happening… like she isn’t supposed to be here. I turn back around to look at her and flash another fake smile, "Maybe we should go downstairs—”

Her hands start moving, her eyes frantic, “I know you didn’t believe what the doctor said but… but look around you. You won’t even let me sit on your bed, which you’ve never had a problem with,”

“Or maybe the entire room is a mess because I was too sick to do anything,” I hiss back. She moves a step away from me, an act that I don’t like but I’m not surprised by. I sigh, “Look. Sit down anywhere you want, okay? And I’m fine. I don’t feel sick. I don’t feel unwell. The drugs they gave works—”

“And your grandfather is back, Riven. Don’t you think this is something to check or at least take things a little bit more seriously—?”

“I’m fine!” 

She stops mid-sign, her eyes slightly wide as I see the fear and hurt flashing in her eyes. I have yelled at her before, but not like this. Never like this. 

My body feels… off. Everything feels off. I feel like crying but I don’t like crying. I don’t like how my body itches and how my chest is hurting. 

What am I missing? What is wrong with me? 

I watch her nod her head, her head facing the floor. I see her hands trembling, like she wants to sign but she doesn’t know what to do. And because her face is lowered, I can’t see it. 

But I know she’s crying. 

Fuck. Fuck. 

“I’m going to send him away,” Her head moves upward, and I see her eyes swelling with tears as she starts shaking her head but I don’t care. “He shouldn’t be here. He is what is wrong with me. And I won’t…” I won’t let myself keep hurting you like this. “Let this go on,”

Claire shakes her head even harder, her hands moving but I don’t bother to read it. 

I’m rushing out of my room and back down the stairs, my voice echoing through the house as I scream, “Rowan!”

The man makes himself readily available like he’s been waiting for this. He has on an apron and a spatula in his hand with that stupid kind smile on his face that I realize I’m beginning to hate, “I’m making dinner. Would Claire be—?”

“Get out.” I walk up to him and the second I’m close enough, I scream again, “GET OUTTTTT! You’ve done it before and you can do it again!”

My grandfather— Rowan’s face cracks a bit. The smoke vanishes, his eyebrows furrowing in a way that almost has me backtracking but then it returns as he says softly, “I know that I have failed you in the past but things are different now. There are certain things that are happening to you that requires me present—”

“Oh? Not twelve year old me needing you? Without a warning? Without a call? A note? A text message?!” I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m usually angry and vindictive, I know, but it’s like there’s a fire in my chest that won’t stop if I don’t scream. “You have no idea what I went through. What everyone here put me through! I thought I was going to die! Do you…?”

The rest of the words don’t leave my lips because the world is suddenly tipping forward, my mouth feeling heavy as I realize with a sickening thought that I am losing consciousness. 

Before I can feel my head hit the ground, hands are holding me upwards, keeping me stable. I can hear someone ordering someone else, but I don’t know what exactly it is. 

The last thing I see though is my Grandfather’s shadow slowly moving away from the position that it’s supposed to be and standing in front of me. 

I watch its head slowly tilt and before I can let out a single scream, it vanishes in mid air—

And I pass out.