When things started getting late, I figured Callum would stay at the house with Bru and me last night. I mean, the place had enough bedrooms, and he technically owned the space. He’d given us literally the roof over our heads, but he’d been adamant about checking into a hotel downtown when he finally wrapped up his calls.
“This is your space,” he’d said, his driver behind him and waiting to take him. “But I will see you children again before I leave. I want to check on everything with the house and make sure it’s running smoothly. And of course check in with you too and hear your updates.”
We all hadn’t gotten to talk about my brother’s and my updates. We’d all been too busy watching Dorian’s with the rest of the town, but obviously for different reasons.
Our guardian had left after that, and again, he hadn’t asked for anything from Bru or me. My brother and I had never been ones to have a lot of luck. In fact, we could definitely be considered unlucky. We both barely remembered our mother since she’d died when we were so young, and our father had had a slew of mental health issues. My brother and I had constantly moved because of that, and we’d never had much.
Since Callum had come into our lives, we seemed to suddenly have someone looking out for us, someone we could rely on. My brother and I basically had a fairy godfather, and I was so happy to not have to do all this by myself. I was only eighteen and had nothing to my name besides my father’s Chevelle.
It was just my brother and me, and I forced myself to believe everyth
ing with Dorian would be okay. There were a lot of emotions that had gone on yesterday, and I just had to stress to him that I had his back the next time I did see him. He and his may not be my family, but I was certainly invested in his well-being. In fact, certainly more than I wanted to admit. It had been my brother and me basically taking care of each other for a while, so trying to wrap my head around being anything to anyone else was hard for me.
So damn hard.
Things would be okay, and I just had to believe it. If Dorian wasn’t at school today, at least Bow may be. I’d tried texting her too last night, but Dorian’s family was basically hers as well. I wasn’t surprised to not hear anything back from her either and tried to be patient with the situation. They were all probably really freaking out right now with everything surrounding Mayberry and Charlie, Dorian’s uncle. I needed to respect that.
Things are going to be okay. Things are going to be okay.
This was my mantra as I showered, then got my uniform on. I hadn’t heard Bru all morning in the house, so I decided to bug him before getting breakfast.
“Bru?” I knocked on his door, a mumble on the other side. My brow shot up. “Are you still sleeping?”
I normally ran into him at least once in the halls during our morning routines, but I noticed I hadn’t today. I’d been so focused on the Dorian stuff I hadn’t thought about it.
He didn’t answer after my second knock, and I turned the doorknob.
“Cover whatever you don’t want seen,” I announced, but pushed open the door when I found him still in bed. He had a sheet over his head, and I sighed. “What are you doing? Get up.” We had to be at school in less than an hour. I let go of the door. “Come on.”
“Nah, man. I don’t feel good.”
He moaned under his sheet, and I rolled my eyes. He’d tried similar tactics when we were kids. I frowned. “You’re not getting out of school just because you fucked up.”
Him and that stupid fucking haze I definitely hadn’t forgotten about. He’d tried to get in with Dorian and his clique.
Maybe he thought he might have to answer to that today. From Legacy’s Court minions maybe. Either way, he was going to school.
My brother’s response was to moan again, and I came over to his bed. I ripped the sheet off and found him down to his boxers, his arms hugging his big body. He was basically in the fetal position, and my brow shot up. “What the fuck?”
I sat on the bed, touching his brow. He was clammy, and his forehead heated my palm the hell up.
Fuck, he is sick.
“I told you I wasn’t lying. Fuck.” He pulled the sheets back up, covering himself. “I’m not going to school.”
“Okay.” Christ. He hadn’t been sick since we were like kids. I’d gotten sick more than him over the years. I touched his brow again. He was burning up. “Let me go take your temperature.”
“Don’t bother. Already did. It’s ridiculous.” The bedding shook when he closed his eyes. Shit, did he have chills too? “I have a fever. I’m staying the fuck home.”
He burrowed into his bedding, and I agreed. I sat back. “Well, do you need anything? Should I stay home?”
He laughed a little, shaking his head. He still had his eyes closed, but he smiled. “I’m seventeen, Noa. I’ll be fine. Go to school.”
“You sure?”
He nudged me back, and I smiled, my worry dying down a little. He was obviously sick, but still acting like himself considering. “Okay, well, I’ll make sure to get your school work for everything.”
“Goody,” he said, laughing again. But he sounded so tired. I started to get up, but his hand came out and touched mine.