Protectors - Prologue

Prologue

(Terry)

It was seven in the morning, but the sun still remained hidden behind a couple of clouds, displaying a coyness it had not previously displayed. I took it as a bad omen not to have seen the glorious sun rise I was expecting. Now that it came to omens, the whole scene surrounding seemed to whisper me a warning. Empty beach on the morning. Sun behind the clouds. The waves grey. Sand darker. Only difference was Spencer's mood. It was good, for a change.

I turned to Spencer to say something on this matter, but paused.

He was kicking the sand (he does this when he has nothing to do), with his hands in his pockets. He had not changed much since the last time I saw him. Grown taller, his black hair a little longer, but that was it. He looked happy. Happier that I had ever seen him, a huge feat considering even Chase had left about two years ago to UK.

"Spencer?"

He looked up.

"So you're saying your dad's acting weird?"

"Not exactly," he replied slowly. "It's just some of his friends." After another pause, "Can we talk about something else?"

I nodded. Fine, then.

"How's school work coming out?"

He looked at me for a moment, and started laughing.

"What?"

"I've forgotten you used to do that."

I smiled. "It was only a few years."

"Only seven years, yes, but I still missed you."

I didn't say anything, but simply looked towards the sun. It now looked not as if the sun had hidden behind, but more like the clouds were doing the job of trying to keep him refrained.

I had no doubt of my feelings for Spencer. They were brotherly, friendly, and nothing more. Although for most of the time we had spent before I went away, we occasionally met at times and all we did was fight and shout at each other, there were also these rare moments when he went beyond those relationship characters described and showed unusual affection. I had even asked him once whether he loved me, at least at one time. He had replied, "No" in a very truthful way that I had not asked again.

"So how is your school work anyway?"

He shrugged. "Boring without Chase."

I snorted. "Obviously, now that you can't go all over the place with him and mess over other people's lives. I heard from old Ms. McCoy that she had never had such a peaceful moment since the day you were born. "

He rolled his eyes. "How were things at Maryland?"

"The whole seven years feels like just one day. Now that I recall, absolutely nothing happened."

"Reminds me, Junita asked me to invite you to this huge party she had been planning for like a month ago."

"Really? Is this like the one she had a few weeks back, the one that got busted even before the start?"

"Don't think so. At least, there won't be alcohol this time."

"I'll be there, then," I replied, turning to look back at the sea.

I stared at the sun for a few minutes. The gray waves were a little bright around the area where the sun hung. I noticed that some clouds were gathering at the sun, closing over him, cutting off his way to light the world.

I was not so surprised that Spencer had not intervened. I knew for a fact that he would not do so even if I stayed quite for an hour. Something we were both comfortable with was the silence. The weirdest thing is, sometimes, when we were both physically and emotionally close, I could sense his feelings, as I knew he could sense mine (I guess our friendship was close enough). This is one reason I had not asked him if he loved me for the second time. Both of us could be silent in each other's presence, but still feel as if it was a part of the conversation. I, however, broke the silence.

"It feels bad," I said looking at him. He took a few steps closer to me and looked at the sun.

"How?"

"Can't you feel it?" I asked. "It's in the wind. It speaks of something. Of something really bad, or-or unlucky ... or disastrous," I finished lamely.

He shook his head, but looked a bit troubled as he said, "It's the first day your back. Maybe you should-"

Ugh!

"It's nothing like that! I'm just saying what I feel, alright?" I started walking down the beach, away from him. It took him a few seconds to catch up and another few for him to talk.

"What sort of a bad feeling?"

"I-I dunno. See that sun? Its putting up a heavy fight, but it's still losing." I realized that I was exasperated. Why can't he see it? It was so obvious. Of course it speaks of a bad happening.

"Just a natural phenomenon, it happens most of the time."

"I don't feel like this most of the time," I protested.

"It'll still come out."

"Let's hope."

Spencer raised his brows, but didn't say anything.