Enchantments ch 21
Authors note: couldn't find a listing for the boy's birthdays so I'm just going by their star signs. Unfortunately I don't know if those are the actors or the characters signs. So I'm improvising Events in story are taking place over months in some places. Sorry for confusion. Also Sarah was making up the anniversary as an excuse to give him a present. Also she is a blond.
Reid woke the next day with what amounted to the worst hangover he's ever had. Given Reid's usual party attitude that's saying a lot. So it was no surprise to his friends that he was as grumpy as a grizzly. He couldn't hold down breakfast so he opted on a piece of toast.
He didn't even finish that and mumbled to Tyler's questions at breakfast. Every locker door slam and loud voice made him wince today. When Caleb slapped him on the back he winced in pain. All his muscles were aching, he had no idea how he was going to get through practice."Hey man you ok?' asked Caleb. "Sore" said Reid. His voice was scratchy and his throat was sore. "Man you sound like shit" said Pogue. Pogue was opening his locker to retrieve his books for his first class. "I feel like it," said Reid.
He seemed far away today like his mind was elsewhere "have you seen Xandria, this morning?" asked Tyler. "No but she was wiped out last night, she's probably over sleeping" said Caleb. Reid looked guilty for a few minutes "how bad was she really?" asked Reid. They looked at Caleb in anticipation. "Bad but I think I handled the worst of it," said Caleb. "Oh god I'm sorry," said Reid.
"Don't worry about it we'll discuss it later" said Caleb. Reid felt awful, emotionally now as well as physically. "If you see her before I do tell her I'm sorry" said Reid. Tyler patted his friends arm "she knows man, its ok don't worry so much" said Tyler. Reid sighed didn't stop him from feeling guilty though.
Xandria chose that moment to come around the corner. She looked tired and was moving slowly but other than that she looked fine. "Hey babe" she said Giving Tyler a kiss on the cheek before she opened her locker. Tyler put his arm around her after she got what she wanted from her locker. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
She kissed his mouth in response "I'm fine luv, sore but fine" she whispered back. Tyler looked concerned for a moment. "I'll survive," she said softly. He responded by kissing her again. "Come on were going to be late," she said softly. Reid put his book bag on his shoulder and hissed in pain.
Xandria looked at him in concern "Reid are you all right?" she asked softly. He tried to play off like everything was fine. She had done enough for him, at least to his eyes. "Yeah just peachy" he said sarcasm dripping from his tone.
He didn't look peachy to her but she let it go. After last night she was just glad he was still breathing. She would let the boy keep his dignity at least.
The school day seemed to take forever and they all had way too much homework to do to go to Nicky's that night. That didn't stop Caleb from calling a meeting anyway. Reid complained all the way there. He knew Caleb was upset about the other night. Reid knew he was about to be chewed out, for some reason tonight it didn't bother him as much.
When they reached the manor house, Tyler went on ahead. Reid slowly following him down the stairs. The others were waiting for him. Reid took a deep breath here goes he reasoned. "Reid what were you thinking last night?" asked Caleb. Reid looked at his feet; he had no answer to that. He had been thinking he was going to die that night. Caleb must have read his thoughts."Yeah you could have died" Caleb said.
"You should have come here, like we agreed on," said Pogue. "I know, I know I just couldn't" said Reid "why not?" said Tyler. He sounded so innocent with that question, that Reid felt even more of an ass for last night. "Because" said Reid His mind finished what he couldn't bring himself to say out loud. I didn't want you to see me die
Caleb was looking at him funny, obviously he had heard. "We're a family we face this together, all of it," said Caleb Reid actually looked away. Ashamed maybe that he had almost hurt them like that. "Do you know how frantic we were when we couldn't find you last night?" said Tyler.
"Baby boy you know I can take care of myself" said Reid. His false bravado felt as false as it was. He hadn't handled it last night. Xandria had, and if she hadn't shown up he would be dead right now. "Tell us all that happened," said Pogue. The look in his eyes told Reid that he had been reading his mind too.
Great I'll never be able to keep a secret again he thought. Caleb and Pogue confirmed his suspicions with wicked smiles. Reid sank down to his seat at the circle. "What happened was Xandria pulled my balls out of the fire" said Reid.
The others sat down to listen. "I went down there to die, is that what you want to hear?" said Reid. They said nothing but their glares spoke for them. "I screwed up and if your girlfriend hadn't been that damn strong I would be toast" they still didn't say anything "really old toast, probably" said Reid. "But your not" said Pogue."No I'm not but if she hadn't refused to leave, I would have" said Reid. He was angry but it wasn't at them it was at himself.
"How bad was she last night, Caleb?" asked Reid. He had his face in his hands. "Bad enough I had to use to heal her," said Caleb. Tyler looked confused for a second "I don't understand how did she get hurt?" said Tyler. Reid looked up at Tyler. Reid had a hurt look on his face. "Because she held me when I ascended" said Reid.
Tyler's eyes went wide as did pogues and Caleb's. They obviously didn't know about that part. Xandria probably didn't answer too many questions last night. "She what?" said Caleb. As always the first to find his voice "and you didn't talk her out of it?" said Tyler. He sounded angry with Reid. "I really wasn't in much condition to do much talking, I did tell her to run though," said Reid. Tyler sat back down, he was still fuming but it was no longer directed solely at Reid. "Reid she could have been killed" said Pogue.
"Don't you think I know that? For gods sake Pogue I told her to run she refused" said Reid. He got up to pace some. "She refused?" said Pogue. "Yeah she said something about her being a friend and not leaving me like that" said Reid. He was actually incredibly touched that she did that for him. Caleb bit his bottom lip "she would have never been put in that position in the first place if you had come to us or heeded my warning and not used so much" said Caleb.
Reid ran his hand through his hair "I know" said Reid. That surprised the group. They had expected Reid to play it off not admit to it. Caleb didn't know how to answer that. "Look guys I'm sorry" said Reid. "Sorry I didn't listen sorry I didn't come to you and sorry I almost got your girlfriend killed," said Reid. They started to say something but he had basically countered their arguments already. The others were watching Reid a look of shock on their faces.
Had he actually learned something from what happened? They weren't sure but it looked like he did.