My heart stopped. Serene.
"Serene."
"I honestly thought you found out. Isn't that why you were asking who it was? To confirm it."
I looked up. Hunter was laying on his side, with his right hand supporting his head.
"I heard the name in my dream or actually the nightmare. Right before I crashed into the car, there was this lady who had been caught by some bearded man who was chasing us. He said her name. Serene."
Serene. It felt weird on my tongue. I felt a small smile play on my lips. I knew her name. I knew my mother's name. I raised my hand above and spelt her name in the air with my finger.
"You never told me that part."
"You never told me my mother's name even though you knew it."
He kept quite.
"This means it wasn't a dream. It was real. Who was chasing us?"
"That's enough for today, Violet. Just sleep."
He sounded exhausted so I decided to let it go for now. At least I got her name.
From the corner of my eye I saw him letting his hand hang off the edge of the bed. He used to do that a lot when we were younger whenever I had the nightmare.
For reassurance.
For letting me know if it gets hard, I have someone to hold onto.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" When did she come?"
"Shh, you will wake her up."
"I know, that's why I'm shouting. Wake her up, I haven't seen her since like soooo long."
"Get out of my room!"
There was silence for a while and I wondered whether it was alright to open my eyes.
"Close the damn door, Ash"
The slam of the door resounded through the room. I felt a kick on my leg.
"I know you're awake."
I sat up, "Can I sleep in?" My eyes were still half closed.
"Nope, we have that presentation thing, remember?"
I flopped back onto the mattress, "You don't care about that, I know."
"I'm not getting a bad grade because you're lazy, Meyers."
I peeked at him with one eye, he was latching on his watch. He was already ready. I groaned and got up.
"Fine!" I huffed.
When I got out of the bathroom after freshening up, there was a familiar looking boy sitting on the bed, playing on his phone.
"Asher!"
The boy got up and ran towards me, enveloping me in a giant hug.
"Alright that's enough." A gruff voice spoke from behind but we ignored it. I pulled back and ruffled his hair.
"Look at you, you have grown so tall."
He gave me a dimpled grin and held his arm out, "Look V, I got muscles now." He flexed.
I laughed at him,"We meet after so many years and this is the first thing you say. How was it in Canada?"
"It was alright, but you didn't come to meet me when I returned." He pouted.
"Yeah, I've been busy, kid."
"Don't call me kid, you're only three years older." he crossed his arms.
I was about to reply when Hunter grabbed my arm, pulling me away.
"Enough with this shit, I don't want to be late."
I looked at him confused, "It's barely eight, we have till-"
"Don't you have to change?"
I looked down at my wrinkled clothes, "Oh yeah, can you drop me off at Cora's?"
He nodded and walked out.
"Bye Ash."
He waved back with a smile.