The two boys looked at each other, with grim faces, and eyes that danced around.
"What is wrong with you boys? Can you not just have a civilized conversation?"
"I wanna civilize his stupid face!" Ethan growled.
"Ethan that's enough," Layla mumbled. "Both of you sit down!" Her order required a little yell. "SIT DOWN!"
And they did so, their eyes that spoke of the hate they had for each other, still locked on each other.
"Karl… I mean Lance, I know what happened was terrible… and you've grown up despising us all this while. I was wrong, I admit it. I was. As a mother and as a grown-up. But it had to be done."
Lance scoffed. "It had to be done. What's that supposed to mean?"
"For your own safety. It had to."
"No it didn't… and you knew it."
"Listen. Did you prefer going to juvy for a crime you did not commit or being in a children's home?"
"He did commit it." Ethan interrupted.
"Ethan… now's not the time to argue," Layla mumbled.
"He took part in it."
"Ethan would you just stop talking. I never did anything. You were there… and you saw everything." Ethan kept quiet and huffed. He turned to Layla. "I wanted you to forgive me for my mistake. I admit to having forced Dylan to play with Zayn that day. It was a mistake. And I wanted forgiveness, not whatever you did to me." Tears build up in his eyes. "I loved him a lot, you know that. He was my brother too and when he passed … it really hurt me, and I've lived all my life trying to uplift his memory.
"What about you two? And Uncle Paul? What have you done to make sure Dylan lives within you? You literally forgot about him. Where's the family you once had?"
"K… Lance, you have to keep Dylan a secret. From Ingrid and everyone. That's why you can see we have no photos of him on our family portraits."
"Why? Why keep him a secret?" Lance asked. "He's your son… there's no shame in a boy who passed away."
"You're just to keep it a secret. Let my son rest in peace. We have his memories inside us…"
"You think I'm stupid?" Lance mumbled after a deep thought. "You and Uncle Paul are afraid to destroy your public image. You're afraid to lose your dignity because of what you did to me, an innocent child. You keep him away, and that's how you get to keep me away. That's how you hide that story, and ultimately that's how you preserve your dignity. I'm not as dumb as you think aunt, and allow me to call you Mrs. Purcell from today… I know you are doing this for yourselves, isn't that right?"
"Lance don't ever tell anyone, please." Layla begged him, feeling outwitted by the fifteen-year-old.
"I'm so disappointed in you Mrs. Purcell. I am." He said, eyes closed. "I… damn. Okay. Your secret is safe with me…"
"As is yours." Ethan talked after he had remained quiet for a long time.
"Mine? What do you mean?"
"No one must ever know we are related. Not your friends, not your girlfriend out there, and most importantly not Ingrid." Layla told him.
"The lengths you guys are going to protect yourselves." Lance scoffed. "What happened to you? You keep secrets from everyone nowadays. And tell lies and lies."
"If you hadn't shown up in the first place we would still be a happy family, with no secrets," Ethan grumbled as he got up on his feet. "Keep our secret safe, and no one will ever know that you helped a boy kill another boy. How's that for a secret?"
"I did not help."
"Try convincing your girlfriend out there when I tell her one day…" Ethan grunted as he walked out of the room, tears tempting to come out. He opened the door and got out of the house, passed the girl who was seated by the porch, stormed to the short wooden fence, and sat on the grass, as his back rested on the fence. He looked at her from afar, and then… his heart skipped a beat.
She got up from the stairs and walked towards him slowly as if she was counting her steps. It took a while before she got to him. One look at her and he swore that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Dark eyes that danced around even when they were still. Her hair was long and curly, black as midnight and her lips were saturated in red, with contrasting brown skin making her stand out even further. She was in tight black jeans and a grey jacket. Flat black shoes that enveloped her feet to the fullest. Under that layer of clothes, her curvature peeped through. He saw that, and he noticed that. There was no denying that she was attractive there and then. He wanted to know more.
"Hey." The girl began as she sat down next to him.
"Hey..." he replied, as a smile made its way on his face.