Chapter 12

Tim put on his jacket as I put on mine, along with a full face mask. Walking down I quickly put my wet clothes out of the bag so they could get a chance of drying while getting my extra bag, and make our way to the loft. As we walk in, the bodyguards only nodded at us, which we both reciprocated. The loft was decently crowded as it was only 5.30 PM and everyone present quieted down and stared at me or began whispering with their surrounding friends, like always, not bothering to give them my attention I walked further in, into the V.I.P section and was greeted by a bodyguard, who again only nodded and opened the door for us to enter.

The V.I.P area was far less crowded, especially if it's not past 8 PM. I turned to Tim and said let me work for an hour before Plan Theta. He nodded and said offered to help, which I gratefully accepted.

It's been an hour since we worked on the transfer papers, and gradually I began to grow even more exhausted, but I knew that if I wanted to be finished with packing and this, before tomorrow morning, I needed to finish today. In the last hour, I had a few phone calls, while we both wrote a few dozen transfer papers, and also wrote an e-mail to each one of them. I already started to prepare for the long-awaited branching out in California.

 Ordering my third energy drink from the bartender, I hoped, that my tiredness would be shaken off. The first gulp did help a little, just not enough, so I decided after I wrote decided thrice wrong (A/N did actually happen this story keeps me up for hours and ruined my already bad sleeping schedule, it would be a wonder when I wake up at 8 PM today this will be like weeks after I wrote this published.) to take a short break for my eyes and body.

I saved all of the work on the laptop, a back-up USB- stick, and shut it down, just to lay my head on the table, I have been working on. Tim gave me a concerned look. The position wasn't the nicest, my back was being strained, so I just leaned on my side, against the cushioned arm of the armchair and took my cap. I put it on to shelter my closed eyes from the light. Before I relaxed though, I quickly got my mobile out, put on an alarm for 10 minutes on, and went back to relax. I let my body enjoy the softness of the armchair, silently congratulating myself for choosing it, and tried not to think about anything, besides relaxing.

 I could finally feel how little parts of my energy came back until I was interrupted by someone grabbing the deflecting accessorize, letting the light assault my eyes. I instantly opened my eyes, needing a second to adjust to the light before I recognized, the culprit who disrupted my break. ''Sof you should go take a nap on the couch. The armchair won't be good for your back.''

 I shook my head, as I was too tired to move my body but he still looked at me with a challenging and authoritative look. If it hadn't been for my fatigue his look wouldn't have worked.

 I sighed stood up, laid down on the couch, and put the cap back on. It was identical to the one Tim was wearing. We had bought it together, mine was black with dark blue-purple accents, as he had white-light blue accents.

After 9 minutes my timer went off. I groaningly went over and swished over the display, stopping the horrendous sound. ''Why don't you go back to the nap, there isn't too much to finish anyway and I'm sure that you won't have to do too much now.''   I shook my head and argued ''There still are the parts you can't do, as the phone calls regarding the loft in California and the current hierarchy there. I also have to inform the head of the California branch that we will be arriving soon. Also planning how we should introduce my presence, while-''

''Ok that's enough, I know, I know you have a lot to do before you go, but I am sure that they won't mind you informing them a day later. So you either go back and take a nap or talk to me'' he said. ''What should we talk about?'' I asked genuinely confused.

 He sighed and gave me a dead serious look while somehow also looking soft. ''Maybe about how off you've been behaving since you left school or how you were so absentminded when we were in your room?'' he counted off. I sighed I knew I was out of it but hoped that he wouldn't notice. ''Tim I can't constantly put my problems on you....'' I said truthfully.

''Which you never have, you only let me listen, and only after I pressed you to accept, would you let me help. Come on Sof, what's up?'' ''Let's first finish plan Theta and then I tell you...'' I suggested. He had a conflicted expression before agreeing ''Fine, but don't think I'll forget''

''So what did your brother say ?''   ''Are you sure we shouldn't talk about yourself first, we can always talk about Plan Theta later'' I nodded my head and strongly said ''First Plan Theta and then me'' He begrudgingly mumbled ''Fine'' and started to recount to me what had happened.''So, after you left, I quickly went back to the classroom, knowing that he'd have my head.'' 

''Which will still happen'' I chimed in, thinking about his former plans to runaway. Tim ignored my comment and continued ''After school, he was waiting in the parking lot and was looking really pissed at me like I think even Max was a little scared. So we get in the car, but he's like saying nothing. It was silent and that was so unnerving. We got home and he's like suddenly starting to yell after our parents, to come down.'' 

I raised my brows and gave a little pet on Tim's shoulder who was sitting on the couch I rested in, my feet on his lap, my boots standing beside the couch. ''So our parents come down looking angry at him, but when he was just like commanding all of us to sit in the living room. you know my parents, they don't take shit like that normally, but they could see that he was really angry, so they wordlessly complied and sat. As soon as we all sat, he turned to me and asked me, with this tone of disappointment and rage whether he or I should tell them.'' He took a deep breath and I rubbed his back. 

Tim loved his brother, and him being disappointed in Tim was something he never wanted. ''I was totally startled so I began to stutter, like really bad and my parents asked what was going on. He was like 'Your son wanted to run away to California' and my mom like was looking at me with this big amount of anger, hurt, and even upset and began questioning me with her angry voice if that was true. My dad on the other side had a neutral look and was trying to calm down both. I don't know why but I couldn't look them in the eyes at the moment, even though I don't regret saying what I said, I felt like I was a huge disappointment to them...''

I gave him a side hug and said ''You are a great son and are someone to be proud of. If you are a disappointment then what am I, scum?'' I asked even though I knew the answer.

I was.

He broke the train of thoughts by continuing ''I know that but, I just felt like it at the moment... Anyway back to the story so my father then asked for my side of the story, so I began to tell them that Dravik was dead and how you are going to move to California because of your birth father. My mom immediately worried about how you were doing and my father seemed also saddened.'' He sadly chuckled a bit before going on 

"My brother then asked them, still mad, if that was all they were going to say and was like how they weren't parenting me correctly and not punishing me. Both of them were a bit shocked to see my brother react like that, and mom was like really calm, you know when we stole the cookies that one time, she was even calmer today. Mom proceeded to ask if I had actually run off or was packing my bags to go to California, she continued to defend me saying that I was and I quote 'Emotionally overwhelmed' and 'Can't think straight if his best friend had to move all the way to California' to top it off she said 'Cut your brother some slack'. 

He still seemed mad but you should have seen his face, as mom defended me in that calm tone. It looked like he would piss himself any moment. After things calmed down a bit, I asked in front of my parents, so that he couldn't just ignore me what he and Martino were talking about. He then just stated 'None of your business and even though my parents were also trying to know what he was talking about, he only replied that it didn't matter or was obvious."  Tim ended the story.

"I expected that" I commented, while he looked down and spoke sheepishly "Sorry I didn't find more seems like Plan Theta failed" I immediately turned to him grabbed his face, and turned his head to look at me, while I said "You did great. Plan Theta was always just an information-gathering mission, may it be business deals, conversations, or rumors. So don't look like a little kicked puppy and cuddle" The last part of the sentence made his eyes light up and he hugged me as I hugged him back. The familiarity already helping lift my mood, but faded as he backed away.

"Now it's your turn Sof. What is going on?" I sighed and let my fingers go through my hair, which was now freely hanging from my head, letting the colored part show. I quickly shook off the thoughts and decided to address a more important matter.

"Before we talk about, how could you plan to leave your family to come here?" I asked him. Tim seemed unexpected but sighed and answered "So we're still talking about me?... Fine... So... When you said that you were leaving for California I-I didn't think and just acted before thinking... I worried... I just wanted to be there for you-with you..."  

"Tim...I know it's not all. Why did you actually say that you wanted to leave? What were you actually worried about? "  He sighed deeply "I worried... I worried about you. That you would close off and just be like how you were years ago... I feared that you would break..."  I was speechless. I didn't know Tim would fear me turning to my old self. "Tim...-" before I could continue he interrupted me with " No, I know you are going to say you wouldn't but I know you. And I don't know them, your blood family. I don't know if they are going to treat you right or if they're going to be total dicks to you or if-" 

"Woah, Tim calm down, I get it. But still, you know I can take care of myself and you know especially after sending the transfer mails, that I would never make you choose between your family or me." Tim looked a little saddened at that but still nodded. "Ok, now that's finished... let's talk about what is going on with you?"  Tim concluded.

Hey, this time a little longer chapter. I hope you like it and comment! Share your opinion on it! Maybe also a few suggestions of what could happen, since I love to read those when I read stories, as they are quite entertaining.

ReareShootingstar❤⭐🌠