Volume 1 Chapter 11; Embers of Emotion

[Reo's pov]

The hushed cries of the wind hit against our feeble windows, rain lashing against the loose glass as I sat at the table with a cup of coffee at my desk. A candlelit right in front of me as I skimmed away at the desk, an orange light illuminating the impatient expression that plastered my features, my free hand reaching to cup a clump of my hair between my fingers.

"Where is he," I murmured to myself, My fingers lightly tugging at my head, digging into my scalp. My fingers skimmed faster against the wooden desk. Bills and warnings decorated the desk before me.

'He was supposed to be here hours ago, Cade.... are you, ok?' I thought, my other hand reached for my head, clawing at my scalp as I buried it in the desk. A migraine threatening to attack me at any minute.

"I can't keep doing this, I'm trying my best but I, I can't-" Tears squeezed passed my eyes, as stress took over, wanting a way out of the situation we got ourselves in, a situation that seemed impossible to escape from.

"I shouldn't have left the underground, I should've stayed with you all." My voice croaked under the pressure of my sadness, my eyes closing trying to keep the tears at bay but they squeezed past my swollen eyes.

"I'm sorry, I let my dreams get in the way of the life we had-" My morning was cut short by the click of the front door. Slowly, my arms let go of my hair as my head slowly raised from the desk, eyes panning over to Cade who stood right before me.

His eyes hung in shame, not wanting to talk to me ever since our fight yet there was something different, a fresh wound, I could tell. Yet I didn't want to push him, not again, our relationship was on the ropes as it was. 

I bit my lips and looked down to the desk, silence devouring us once more in an awkward after-fight limbo, my eyes staring awkwardly at the candle before me. A silent cry for him to say something, for him to speak to me, communicate to me. Tell me what's wrong already! Why are you keeping things locked away from me!? Your sister! I have a right to know what's wrong I have a right to help you! I'm worried about you! Please! Tell me what's wrong!

"You've been crying again." he finally spoke, his voice voided of all emotion or compassion as he stared down at me, looking at my swollen eyes.

"Are you alright?" He muttered.

"No, I'm not alright," I muttered, my arms fiddling under the table as my gaze was set down under the table, gritting my teeth in anticipation, waiting for him to just come out and tell me. I don't want to talk about my issues right now!

"The work is piling up and the bills are coming in massive amounts and are stacking." I sighed, my eyes back to the desk in a silent whimper laced with my voice.

"Not only do we have the electric, water, phone and internet bill, we also have to pay a fee to live here as former undergrounders. Not only that they cut the power again..." I bit my lower lip, unable to look at him now, I've ranted too much I shouldn't have, I shouldn't have.

"Here," I heard him murmuring to me, slamming $15437 on the table, my eyes panning over to him in a look of shock, slowly reaching out for the cash in front of me. My hands shook in disbelief yet a weird sense of relief washed over me.

"Where... did you get this," I looked up at him, but he only glared at me, causing me to look away from him.

"R-right, sorry.." I muttered, looking back to the desk.

"That should help us for a while, get yourself something nice with whatever's left." Cade side, his hand in his pocket as he walked upstairs, leaving me behind.

"H-hey wait!" I shouted out after him, his actions coming to a halt on the stairway, refusing to turn back to me to hear my case.

"You got two minutes," He muttered.

My heart panged in my chest as I actually got him to stop, I didn't expect to get this far with how he was acting recently. I got up from my chair, my eyebrows furrowing over my eyes as I parted my lips to speak to him, yet nothing came out. The words remained clogged at my throat.

Why... why now?! Why am I choking now! Reo you stupid bitch just speak to him, open your mouth, communicate!

"What's wrong with your arm, are you doing ok? Why have you been so distant with me, what happened to the innocent boy that wanted to help me so much." I asked him, my hands cupping each other, lightly squeezing them in anticipation.

"Did I not just help you?" He sighed a bit irritated by what I said.

"You know that's not what I meant!" I retaliated, my voice raised ever so slightly.

"I'm really grateful, truly I am!" I continued, approaching him ever so slightly.

"But what you do for me doesn't mean anything if you're not happy, I want you to have the life I couldn't, the life I was robbed of."

"Well, this whole thing has been your fault it's only natural you'd want to make it right." His words stung me, but he was right, my eyebrows furrowed in concern as I looked at him, standing there, his back towards me.

"But, I don't care about what you owe me, or about what you want to do for me. Just let me do me, and we'll be fine." And with that, he didn't say another word, his footsteps getting further and further away from me until he slammed his door shut.

It's funny, how we've been in this situation before, his back towards the door, leaving me downstairs to ponder on my own. Slowly I walked back towards the table, sitting down in the chair once more. My fingers counted the cash he placed before me. My mind can't help but wonder.

Where did he get it from...

"Connor Fitz, huh?" Cade muttered, his eyes scanning the id of the man he stole from. Flashing it against the moonlight that peaked through his window, leaning against the door on the ground once more.

"A C.C.C.A agent huh," his look of wonder turned into a wicked grin, 

"That's gonna be useful."