Chapter Text
Back with the others, who had all woken up, Olive was talking with Jacob about Enoch.
“When is he coming back?!” she asked, clearly worried about her boyfriend, Enoch.
Jacob, scared for his life because he knew Olive could and would set him on fire without hesitation, stammered, “I… I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?” she demanded, her voice rising with anger. “HE’S OUT THERE BY HIMSELF IN A CITY WE DON’T EVEN KNOW!”
Jacob looked down, equally worried about Enoch. He took a deep breath, then lifted his head. “CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP?” he shouted.
Olive was stunned. Jacob had never yelled at her—or anyone—like that before.
He sighed and softened his tone. “I have an idea. How about we split up and search for Enoch separately?”
She hesitated, but eventually nodded.
Before leaving, they gathered the group to tell them the plan.
“Hey, everyone,” Jacob began, “Olive and I are going to look for Enoch.”
The others immediately protested, worried they wouldn’t return.
“It’s okay,” Jacob reassured them. “Emma is here.” He gestured toward her. “She’ll stay with you while we’re gone.”
Claire, the youngest(?) of the group, walked over to Jacob. She looked up at him with big, worried eyes. “When will big brother come back?”
Jacob crouched down to her level and said softly, “Soon. I promise you’ll see him again.” He smiled, trying to comfort her.
Later, as Jacob and Olive walked together, the air between them was tense. Jacob eventually broke the silence with a heavy sigh.
“Olive, I’m sorry for yelling at you,” he said quietly. “It’s just… you act like you’re the only one who cares about Enoch. But you’re not.” His voice faltered. “He’s my best friend. I know you’re his girlfriend but I care about him too.”
They fell silent again, but this time, the tension felt less sharp. Finally, Olive smiled faintly. “Fine. I forgive you.”
Jacob exhaled in relief. “Thanks.”
The pair soon arrived at a dark alley. Jacob turned to Olive. “Okay, I’ll go right, and you go left. If either of us finds him, we meet back here. Got it?”
Olive nodded.
With that, they went their separate ways.