Page 26 of Anathema Codex

A Friend in Need

WILLA

I’ve been quietly watching Aftyn from the front seat of my vehicle. I had managed to get some sleep until he slammed the door when he got out. It jostled me awake but I had a feeling that pretending to still be lost in a slumber I knew he was longing for would be best.

I’m pretty sure that Daphne is still knocked out behind me because her breathing is heavy and even.What I wouldn’t give to not hear her breathing at all, ever again,I think with an eye roll as I shift a little in the front seat.

Aftyn suddenly stands up from where he’s been sitting at the bench. He looks wide awake now and completely pissed off so I decide to continue my façade of sleeping and close my eyes as much as I can to allow me just enough room to continue to watch him.

He slides his phone into his pocket, rubs his face irritably and looks up at the night sky. Something—or rather someone—seems to be bothering him, but he’ll be good and goddamned if he lets that little secret out when I’m awake.

Aftyn likes to wear the mask of nonchalance. He likes to let me believe that nothing really bothers him after his mother was taken care of.

He said that everything that could ever hurt him had died with her and that he knew he’d be able to live a happy, productive life after that.

Apparently, he was wrong.

There are still buttons to press on Aftyn Meyer and someone knows exactly what pressure points to go after.

I watch him as he rubs the back of his neck with such force that I’m worried he’ll either snap it or take the skin off. But he relents after a few seconds and begins to make his way back to the SUV.

I take a deep breath and do my best to mimic the sleeping bitch it the backseat’s breathing pattern, but it sounds much too forced.

And I know that Aftyn will pick up on it right away.

‘What do I do?’I wonder frantically as he opens the driver’s side door then climbs in. At the angle I’m curled up in, I can’t see his face anymore, but I can feel the frustration emanating from him.

It’s almost like waves of white, hot anger are permeating from him and attempting to strangle everyone in the truck. Including him.

“God, I wish you were awake, Wills,” he says softly as the keys jingle. A few seconds later, the engine is brought back to life and the vehicle starts moving again.

* * *

I let out a low growl when the sun comes blaring through the windshield. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep again because I could hear the hurt in Aftyn’s tone when he got back in the truck, but I guess I was playing the sleeping beauty role much better than I thought I was.

“Finally awake?”

I sit up and untangle my legs from beneath myself, press my palms against the dashboard, and stretch as best as I can before I open my eyes and look at him.

He’s giving me a friendly smile, which has been few and far between since this trip started, and I return the gesture.

If Aftyn needs anything in his life right now, it’s kindness, and I’ll do my best to give it to him until we see this to the end.

“Sorry,” I reply in a tone still thick with sleep. Aftyn chuckles as he turns his eyes back toward the road. “I didn’t mean to sleep for so long, Aftyn.”

“It’s okay. I plan on catching up on my sleep for the next thousand or so miles, so it’s best that you’re nice and rested up,” he teases as he reaches up into the visor for his pack of cigarettes. “Fuck,” he mumbles when he shakes it. It’s empty and having seen Aftyn without nicotine before, I know that the best thing to do is find the nearest gas station.

“We’re probably due for a fuel up,” I say as I use my hands to brush back my hair.

“Yeah. Almost on E.”

“Okay; hold on,” I say as I reach down for my purse to retrieve my phone. Stifling a yawn, I tap on the screen then pull up the navigation application. I type in ‘gas stations near me’ and settle on the very first one that pops up. “Take the next exit,” I instruct him as I sit back in my chair and recline it a little. I don’t plan on falling asleep again, but my body is so goddamn cramped right now that I know I need to allow some kind of room to stretch my limbs in.

“Lead the way, Magellan,” Aftyn jokes, and I turn my face toward him and smile. He seems to be trying for a good day today and I’ll do my best to make sure that he has one—regardless of the mood he puts me in sometimes.

After we exit the highway, it takes ten minutes until we reach the gas station with me giving him direction ahead of the navigation. Once I see the sign, I point it out and he nods as he pulls in.

“Here,” I begin as I reach down for my purse again, “you fill the tank and I’ll go get you a couple of cartons.” Aftyn nods as he takes my debit card. “And don’t leave me here, Meyer,” I tell him before I hop out of the truck and head into the small food mart attached to the gas station.

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