I bounced my knee impatiently, checking my phone again for the time. It was stupid, I knew that – he wasn't late, I was just a bit early – but with this being my first time back in Centium City since my break up with Kaz, I guess a part of me felt like I didn't belong here.
"Hey," I looked up at the sound of my brother's voice, grinning when Ollie sat down across from me at my booth in the tiny coffee shop Calla had shown me a couple of years ago.
"Hey," God, I hadn't realized how much I missed him. I missed them all really, but Ollie had always been there, since the moment we were born.
"So, Alivia's got you working a missing down in Centium?" He asked, a little confused. I shook my head.
"Chicago, actually. Thought I'd drop by and say hi on my way home." I explained. "Hi."
"Hi." He chuckled. He gave me a look. "You know, the rest of the team would love to see you."
"I, uh…I don't think I'm there yet." I admitted. He nodded, not quite understanding, but supportive all the same. "So, how's Skylar? You guys still good?"
"We're great." He nodded, grinning. "You know, they just made her the official Ambassador of Caldera."
"Cool." I nodded thoughtfully.
"Uh, so what about you? Weren't you seeing someone? Christian, was it?" He asked.
"That didn't really work out." I'd wanted it to. Or at least, I wish we could have ended it on different terms than 'you're still too hung up on your ex'.
"Sorry." Ollie apologized sympathetically. I shrugged.
"It's not the end of the world. Besides, he really didn't like animals very much. Oh, I didn't tell you – Alan adopted half a dozen ducklings and Katy's being really nice to them." I changed the subject quickly. Ollie raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "Well, she's not trying to eat them anymore, which I'm pretty sure is being super nice for a cat."
He chuckled. "Why did Alan adopt a bunch of baby ducks?"
"Well-" I got cutoff by Ollie's phone vibrating loudly, a text message appearing on the screen. Even upside down, the sender's name was easy to read. "How is he?"
"Kaz?" He questioned. I nodded. "He's good. Actually, he's…" he trailed off, realizing what he was about to say. I nodded for him to continue, already guessing how that sentence would end. "He's seeing someone."
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "Good." I forced myself to say. I shouldn't be upset – I didn't really have any right to. After all, not only had it been my idea for us to see other people, but I'd been on a couple of dates since. "I mean, I'm happy for him."
"Really?" Ollie looked at my skeptically.
"Does she make him happy?" I asked. He nodded. "Then, yeah. I am happy for him. He deserves that."
"Okay." He didn't believe me, but he didn't challenge me on it either. "So, Alan and the ducks, how did that happen?"
I smiled at him, grateful for the change of topics. "Okay, you're going to find this hilarious." I told him, smiling. It felt good to reconnect with my brother, with part of the team, even if there was a part of my mind still focused on Kaz.