Onyx stepped out of the car, gripping her suitcase in both hands. The policewoman placed her hand on her back and led her to the door. Her uncle, Jay, opened it and motioned them inside. Rain splattered on the ground as if the sky was bleeding. Onyx turned away from the window. She reached up and touched the bandage on her head. Her aunt Crystal and cousin Pearl entered the room, the latter clinging close to her mother. The policewoman and her uncle conversed for several long minutes before the former turned and left. Onyx cringed as the door slammed in time with a peal of thunder.
"Come on, sweetie," Aunt Crystal held out her hand. "I'll show you to your room."
"You get to share a room with me," Pearl smiled.
Onyx tried to form a smile, but her attempts failed. She ducked her head, jumping as a bolt of lightning shattered the sky.
"Jumpy little thing," her uncle commented. "Off to bed, you need it."
Onyx gripped her suitcase tighter and nodded, following them into an adjoining room. They busied around her for several minutes, but after a while, each left, leaving her alone. She sat down on her bed, staring at her hands. She wanted life to go back to how it had been. She wanted her happy life back.
Boom!
Onyx shivered and sipped her tea. Rain streaked down the windows and thunder crashed outside, bolt of lightning splitting the sky. She curled up tighter, taking another sip. The thunderstorm had unexpectedly come just a few minutes ago, waking her up from a sound sleep.
Footsteps pounded in the hall and she jumped as the door slammed open. Standing in the doorway was Richard, soaking wet and looking rather like a drowned rat. She glanced from his obvious running attire, to his bed, which was mounded up as if he was still underneath the covers. She was going to say something, but a huge boom made her jump. Onyx rubbed her aching head and glanced back at Richard, who was still frozen in the doorway.
"Come in," she said, less snappishly as she would have prefered.
Richard ran a hand through his wet hair, "Look, I can explain…"
"Get out of those wet things first," Onyx cringed as another thunderous clash shook the windows.
Richard disappeared, returning a few seconds later in his pajamas. He sat down by her bed on the desk chair, glancing at the others to make sure they were still asleep.
"Are you alright?" Richard asked, noticing Onyx's unusually jumpy self.
"I'll be fine," she clenched her mug. "Why did you lie to us?"
"I didn't lie," Richard squeaked. "I just didn't tell you…"
"That's not right," Onyx shook her head. "It's not right to hide things from your teammates. We are here for four years, we have to be able to trust each other."
Richard stared down at the ground, "I'm sorry."
Onyx opened her mouth to say something, but another peal of thunder stopped her. She shivered, glancing outside.
"Are you alright?" Richard looked concerned.
"No," she admitted. "I hate thunderstorms."
"Want some more tea?" Richard asked. "Or maybe another blanket?"
Onyx looked up and for the first time Richard didn't seem like the most annoying member of her team. She bit her lip, glancing down at her cup. In a second he was up and gone. Onyx shivered and looked away from their window. Richard returned in a few minutes with a fresh steaming cup and a soft looking blanket.
"Warm pumpkin spice," he said. "Just the way you like it. Also, Robin's fuzzy special blanket, perfect for comfort."
Onyx smiled as she exchanged the cups, "Thank you."
"Yeah," Richard smiled back. "That's what teammates are for."
Yay! Galena and Nickle will get a combo background chapter and then I'm debating one for Jazpeer. Then first semester tests :D YAY!