Chapter 380
I slept well that night, despite the research I’d done regarding my newest scheme. Brandon and I hadn’t chatted for long because he was still trying to convince his dad to let him go through with the procedure. I knew Elliott would cave, so when I woke up to a message that Brandon would meet me at 7:30 to walk over to the facility to get it done, I wasn’t surprised at all.
My mom was dusting again when I came out of the bathroom, towel drying my hair. I wondered if we should buy stock in Pledge. “Good morning, honey. You’re up awfully early.”
“Yeah, no training today,” I replied. “Aurora is having her procedure done. So is Brandon.”
“Oh.” I was surprised my sister hadn’t mentioned any of this to my parents. “Are you going over there, then?”
“If that’s all right,” I replied, thinking it wouldn’t hurt to be polite. I was still upset at her, but considering what I was about to do, I may as well be nice now. She’d want to kill me later.
“Okay. Just come home once it’s over so you can do your homework.”
“All right. Thanks.” I walked into my bedroom with a fake smile on my face and then let out a deep breath. I definitely wouldn’t be coming home to do homework, even if my plan went sideways. I wasn’t leaving Brandon’s side while he was under. If I got my way, I wouldn’t be able to.
I dressed in a comfy pair of jeans and a short-sleeved black T-shirt. I gathered my hair up into a bun on the top of my head, deciding it could dry by itself. I had to go back into the bathroom to put on my makeup, and when I came out, my mom was still cleaning, but she was humming, so I was under the impression she was feeling better. For now. That was about to change.
I shoveled some frozen waffles down my throat and washed them down with a protein shake. By the time Brandon arrived at my door, I was ready. I felt confident. Sometimes we have to do difficult things, even if they are scary, because they are for the best. I took a deep breath, told my mom I’d see her later, and grabbed Brandon’s hand.
“You okay?” he asked as we headed to the elevator. “You seem nervous. It’s not you who’s going through the procedure, you know?”
I laughed. Who was the mind reader here? “I know. I’m fine. Just nervous for you and everyone else who’s about to get poked.” I remembered my sister crying and Elliott turning bright red and wondered just how badly it hurt. I imagined it was pretty awful. “Are you scared?”
“Nah,” he replied, but I can always tell when he’s lying. It was obvious he was. “It’ll be worth it.”
I nodded. It definitely would be. “Have you spoken to Dax?”
“Yeah. He’s doing it, too. Him and Tara will meet us over there.”
“Wow.” I was shocked to hear that. I had no idea Dax was going to be allowed to undergo the procedure and wondered when that decision had been made.
“So are Ashley and Mickey”
That didn’t surprise me nearly as much as Dax. Ashley was Jamie’s girlfriend, after all, so he could probably swing that. And Mickey almost always worked with her, so he may as well be as fast.
Brandon chattered on about who he thought would break first, cry the loudest, etc., and I listened, commenting occasionally, but I know when he’s anxious about something, he would rather I listen and let him talk. Besides, I was reminding myself of the research I’d done the night before regarding the veins that run through the midsection of one’s arm and how best to access them.
When we arrived at the tracking center, the Guardians at the gate were expecting both of us and let us in, despite the fact that I’m considered a Hunter and normally can’t go there. Stepping through the doorway, I had a flashback to the night Bonnie had caused so much chaos, and Brandon squeezed my hand. We’d been at odds at the time, and I was happy that was in the past.
Our footsteps echoed down the hallway. Now clean and white, it had once been crimson and sticky. I tried not to think about it, but it was hard after the accusations my mom had made the night before.
Brandon pushed the door open and held it for me to go through. “Good morning,” Jamie called from across the room. He was readying a number of syringes, Sicilia, another Healer with short, dark hair, was standing next to him. Hannah was carrying on a conversation with Dr. Morrow and Christian across the room, and since I had nothing nice to say to Christian I decided to stay as far away from that conversation as possible. I wondered where everyone else was. Since when did two teenagers arrive before professional adults?
Ashley walked in just as I was about to ask Brandon if he knew where his dad was. I thought Elliott would be here for this. She greeted us and then shot across the room to hug Jamie. “They’re just adorable,” I said, a big sappy grin on my face.
“Yeah, I guess so.” Brandon sank down on the end of the gurney closest to the door. I could tell he was nervous and no longer wanted to talk.
“You’ll be fine.”
“Yeah.” He didn’t say anything else. I took his hand and said nothing.
One by one, the others who would be having the procedure done got there. Aaron came in as well and told Brandon not to worry. The other Healers and Kathy arrived shortly after that. Dax looked almost as nervous as Brandon when he made his way across the room to an empty bed with a, “See you on the other side,” to Brandon.
