Im mela ar' naur By: Jesse Drache

Disclaimers: I do not own Everwood or the characters…what a pity

Warning: This is Ephram/Bright slash; if you don't like it, don't read it.

Rating: PG-13 but may get higher as time goes on



Chapter 4: Naikelea

Two nights passed between that morning and the next school day.
After getting dropped off at the front of the school by his father, who was still angry about
Ephram's disappearance on Friday, Ephram wandered the halls of the school, searching for
Bright.
Surprised that he had yet to spot the blonde, especially since he had walked past Amy-and
managed to avoid her knowing smiles-a couple of times already, Ephram decided to drop all
chances at subtlety and went to stand by Bright's locker.
To Ephram's disappointment and confusion, Bright never showed.
From around the corner Bright watched as Ephram's face turned slightly sorrowful and the boy
went to his first period class.
He sighed inwardly at his cowardliness and ran to his locker, trying to hurry and get his books
before he was too late getting to class.
***
The rest of the day passed in the same manner, Ephram searched for Bright in all of his usual
haunts and Bright hid from Ephram.
"You can't hide from him forever," Amy whispered into Bright's ear, a smile coming to her lips
when Bright tensed and did all but scream in alarm.
"What? I'm not hiding, I'm just waiting for the bus."
"Sure," Amy said, a knowing smile on her lips.
A smile which grew brighter and a bit more mischievous when she saw Ephram approaching
from Bright's left.
"Hey," Ephram said as he walked up to Amy and Bright.
"Hi Ephram," Amy said, meeting the boy's panicked eyes.
Ephram begun to fidget more noticeably when the already squirmy boy registered that Amy
was beaming at him as if she could read the thoughts going through his head.
"Well, it looks as if the bus won't be here for a while, I'm going to go talk to Sarah. Bye
Ephram."
With that she walked off, leaving the two boys to stare at each other in what quickly turned to
an uncomfortable silence.
"Uhm," Ephram started, his resolve leaving him as soon as he looked at the older boy.
"Ephram-"
"Hey Bright, are you actually talking to this loser?" Bright's friend Sam teased as he walked up
beside Bright.
"Naw, man. Just telling him to stay away from Amy." Bright immediately answered, giving
Ephram an apologetic look.
"Come on, the bus is here." Sam said, putting his hand on Bright's arm and pulling him
towards the parking lot where the bus had appeared.
Bright turned to walk towards the direction that Sam had pulled him in.
Glancing back, he felt a pang of guilt hit his chest as he saw Ephram's downcast look and the
bright film of tears that the boy was battling hard not to spill.
"Hurry up," Sam called again, and Bright had no choice but to turn and jog towards the bus,
promising to himself that he would fix the mess that he had made.