I lift my phone up to level with my chest, squinting under the afternoon sun as I read the screen for probably the fiftieth time now.
Twenty minutes.
"Stop that, it's getting annoying," Daniella remarks from my side, leaning against the hood of my car. Well, considering her money bought it, technically it's hers, but since she hasn't learnt how to drive yet, I call it mine.
"He's taking too long." I put the phone back inside my jeans' pocket, running a hand through my matted blonde hair. Standing directly under the sun isn't doing it any good, that's for sure. I sigh, suppressing the urge to check my phone again.
The rest of the day after lunch was pretty uneventful. Haden and I surprisingly only had one class together. I was admittedly a little disappointed, but I've decided to just be happy that he's even here in the first place.
When we met outside class for a couple minutes, I told him to meet me in the parking lot after school. I thought I'd drop him home, and ask him everything that's been eating away at me since I saw him this morning.
But it's well past the time classes ended, and he's still nowhere in sight.
"Ok listen," Dana pushes herself off the car, and turns to me with a slightly apologetic look, "I want to meet Haden. I really do. But Terese is gonna kill me if I show up late for the shoot."
Terese is Danielle's hair and makeup artist, and as much as I don't want to admit it, my sister is right. Terese can get really hyper when things don't go her way, I've unfortunately been there to witness it one too many times.
"I can't leave without him," I sigh, looking down at her with pleading eyes. She's only a year younger than me, but she's still short and petite with a baby face that got her a job in a kids show in the first place. It's weird how completely opposite we are, in appearance and in personality.
Just as she's about to protest, my eyes fall on a running figure that, even though I haven't seen in years, I'm sure is Haden. "He's here!"
Her head snaps his way just as he reaches us, and it's safe to say, she's a little taken aback too. "Oh my god, you've gotten so much hotter."
I pull my lips in a thin line to keep from blatantly agreeing with her. I didn't really wanna acknowledge it before, but she's right. He's gotten about 50 times hotter since middle school, and I have a funny feeling he's very aware of it.
"Nice to see you too, Dana." He gives her a quick hug, laughing at her greeting. "You look as good as an exhausted child star."
She groans in agreement, pulling a face, "I have to go straight for a shoot now. They never give me a break."
"As long as you enjoy what you're doing, kid."
She gives him a tired smile, "most times I do, and I'm literally a year younger than y'all, you're so weird," she adds with her signature eye roll.
Dana and Haden had been pretty close even back in Ohio. He was the elder brother she always wanted, because of course an elder sister isn't good enough. They got along better than Dana and I could, and as jealous as I was at 11, it makes me really happy seeing them interact the same way even after all these years.
"I know you're taken with my sister, but at least say hi, dammit." I butt in with that same old streak of jealousy on show, nudging him slightly.
Haden smiles at me, charm dialled up to a 100, "hi, Kyra," he puts an arm around me, squeezing me in the tightest side hug. "I missed you so much," he says mockingly, but I catch the underlying honesty in his words.
"Where were you?" I manage to pry him off me, holding him at arms length and trying to hide my smile. It's surprisingly difficult to do around him.
"Oh my god." Suddenly his expression changes, and he gives me an exasperated sigh. "I had some issues with my time table. And this woman -"
He stops abruptly when Dana pulls him towards the car by his arm. "Let's get in first."
"I'm calling shotgun," he quickly announces, overtaking her and grabbing the handle of the passenger door.
She rolls her eyes, but her smile stays on, "whatever."
I walk around and get in the driver's side myself. The smell of scented lipgloss and moisturizer is almost too strong as I enter. The inside of the car has always been extremely girly and although I'm a little insecure about it, I really like it.
Once we're all strapped in, I start up the engine, and Haden starts with his rant. "So I go to the office and this lady, Fitz, I think-"
"Fritzberg," Dana corrects from the back seat.
"Fitz is more suiting though," I add in, driving past the school gates.
"I know, right?" Haden starts, turning in his seat to face me. "I stood there and waited for like fifteen minutes and then when I started talking she held a finger up and it was so rude, I wanted to scream."
"You're such a girl." I can practically hear Dana roll her eyes and I laugh.
"Mrs. Fritz can do that to a person." I defend him nevertheless, and Haden nods in appreciation.
"That's not even the worst she's done," Dana leans over, popping her head out inbetween the front seats.
The next fifteen minutes are spent with her telling us about that one time Fritz mixed up her friend's documents and blamed said friend for everything. It's a lot more detailed than necessary, but Haden listens attentively, actually adding in his own bits every now and then.
By the time they're done, we're in front of the modelling agency Dana's working with.
She looks at the huge building with a pout. "I'll be home by 8..." she drawls out, and she sounds so upset about having to leave that I almost tell her to screw the shoot and stay. Of course, that's not something she can afford to do.
"I'll wait for you at your place till then," Haden suggests, turning around to face her.
Her face instantly lights up and she grins, her spirits lifting, "I'll try to get home earlier."
"Sure," he smiles back. "Bye Dana."
"Bye, Haden." On recieving a glare from the driver's seat, she adds, almost as an afterthought, "and Kyra."
He used to stay back all the time when we were kids, but it was fine because we lived four blocks from each other. It's not the same anymore.
"Are you sure you can stay back?" I ask, realising it's not the best idea. The road is fairly empty this time of day, but it's completely different at night. It might be problematic, especially since he's new here. "I can drop you home if you want. Dana won't be too upset."
He doesn't answer immediately so I glance at him sideways, finding that his face is turned away from me. He's looking out the window, scanning the new city, "no, it's fine. I'll stay for a while."
"Won't Aunt Daliah be worried, though?"
I hear him shift in his seat. "She's not here."
My eyes widen in utter shock, and I have to remind myself to pay attention to the road. "She sent you here alone? Are we talking about the same woman?"
He laughs at that, explaining further, "she was going to leave the boutique and move here with me, but I couldn't let her do that."
"I can't believe she let you come here alone. You haven't even turned 18 yet, have you?" Daliah is Haden's aunt and guardian, but she might as well be his mother. She's babied him a little too much ever since her sister left him behind 9 years ago. To think she'd send him off when he's still a minor is really just bizarre.
He turns to face me at that, "you remember my birthday?"
"Of course I do." I'm a little offended he thought I wouldn't remember, but... I think I can guess why.
He pauses for a moment, and I know exactly what he's thinking as a moment of utter silence passes us by. The quietness alone is painful, but then he speaks, "so you do."
I bite my lip, not wanting to have this conversation right now. I know eventually we'll have to talk about it, but not when we've just met. Not now.
"Of course I remember that you're younger than me. How could I forget?" I resort to teasing him like I used to before, hoping it'd take the focus off reality for a bit.
I can see him shake his head from the corner of my eye, a smile apparent in his voice as he says, "by two months, Kyra. It's been years and you're still not fucking over it, for god's sake."
I remember even then he was so bothered by it. None of it made sense, but bringing it up would piss him off so of course that's exactly what I did.
I shrug, "older by two months is still older. It means I'm wiser."
"That's not how it works."
I try to contain my laugh at his growing annoyance, "you haven't seen life like I have, kid."
He turns around to face back out the window again, "god, you're so annoying."
A laugh escapes my lips at that, partly because it's still funny how he gets worked up about it and partly because, well, he really hasn't changed at all, has he?
*
"Oh my! Haden, is that really you?"
I blink as an old blonde rushes past me, her elbow hitting me in the arm as she does.
"Ouch," I frown, bringing a hand up to my injured forearm. Mom doesn't even notice, all of her attention is focused on Haden. Well, I don't exactly blame her.
"You've grown so much!" She takes his hands in hers, looking at him with what could only be called motherly admiration. She's not almost in tears like I was, but I can tell she's just as happy.
"I missed you too, Sarah," He grins down at her, looking at her with an equal amount of admiration. The scene warms my heart for a total of two seconds, before something hits me.
"Mom, why are you home?"
She drops his hands from hers, turning to look at me with a frown, "why wouldn't I be?"
I check the time on the wall clock hanging past the doorway, in the kitchen, just to be sure. 1:57 pm.
"Don't you have work?" My brows furrow in confusion. Mom works as an accountant at a nearby bank, usually till 6 in the evening. She shouldn't be here right now.
Then it seems like a switch goes off in her head. Her eyes turn considerably wide, her mouth forming an 'O'. She turns her gaze to Haden, "you haven't told her yet?"
"Told me what?" I immediately ask, glancing between the two of them with suspicion. I've had the sinking feeling that he's been hiding something from me all the way home. Mom confirming it just puts me more on edge.
Haden lets out a nervous chuckle, his eyes barely meeting mine. "Well..."
What's going on?
"So, I'm going to go pick Sean up from school," Mom abruptly announces, looking between the two of us with a tight lipped smile. "I'll see you kids later."
With that, she gives Haden one last loving smile and leaves with her purse and car keys. Only when we hear the roaring engine of the car slowly get farther and farther away from us, he takes in a deep breath, "just don't be mad."
I know I can't promise him anything so I don't bother with it.
"What is it?" I don't know if I should be, but I'm concerned.
"So," he bites his lower lip, finally meeting my eyes as he says, "I'm going to be living here."
I blink.
I heard what he said, but I'm not sure if I quite understand it. I open my mouth, a little dumfounded as I ask, "you're what?"
He gives me an unsure smile, "surprise?"