"Thank you" I nod before handing the guy a 10 and shutting the door. I began making my way to my house as the wind brushes against my cheeks causing me to shiver slightly. The leaves crush beneath my feet making a sensational crumble.
Being out in the city I nearly forgot summer had ended recently due to the chilly weather. I pull my hand to the knob twisting it before it slips between my fingers and is pulled forcefully causing me to stumble in place.
My heartbeat triples once my brother's large frame stands blocking the entrance of the door. He swings his arms over his chest crossing them as rage flows through his soft brown eyes causing them to darken by the second.
Staring at my hopeless expression his glare softens and he pulls my measly body into his and lets out a strong breath of air against my naked shoulder.
"How could you worry me like this?" He sighs separating his body from mine and glancing at the car that dropped me off.
I throw my head to the side desperately trying not to make any further eye contact with him. His glare would force me to give in and I hated myself for that, I was always vulnerable to his words. He would figure me out faster than I could come up with a lie if I gave him the satisfaction of eye contact.
"I was with Kelli," I say looking back into his direction.
He lowers his head causing his loose curls to collapse onto his forehead while they slightly sway through the wind from his head shaking at my abrupt response. A small chuckle slips through his lips and he brings his gaze back to mine.
I narrow my brows at his reaction, I'm always with Kelli what makes this time so different? The door nudges catching my attention and Kelli creeps around it with guilt glued to her blush-shaded cheeks causing her teeth to clench against her lower lip.
She looks away and anxiously rubs the back of her neck, "Sorry Mia, I was just as worried as Ethan. We didn't know where you were" she desperately speaks through Ethan's hard-rimmed expression causing my body to stiffen.
Speechlessly I let my focus lead away from the both of them. I can't say I know why I was so shocked by Kelli's appearance. I hadn't told her where I was heading last night. After I left her place and I promised we'd catch up on things since we haven't gotten sentimental in ages, I guess time slipped my mind once I let the alcohol reach my lips
I still didn't expect her to be gossiping with my brother about my whereabouts. It felt a bit uncomfortable but I can't say I blame her.
I turn back to Ethan awaiting the silence to end, "Where the hell were you Mia?" His glare sucked all the lies right out of me and I remained speechless in my shoes.
For such a kind soul my brother knew the appropriate time to engage in his bad side. It always caught me off guard since I was so used to being around this sweet innocent boyish man that brought laughs and entertainment to the table.
He's everything in a brother and I hated lying to him. The last time I lied to him I was around 13 or 14, I had gotten his girlfriend to leave him after paying a random girl to claim she was having his baby because his girlfriend had a bad vibe to her.
I was right about her of course, a year later she got pregnant with twins then handed them to her parents before fleeing the city.
Even if Ethan appreciated the dumb lengths I'd go to-to keep toxic people out of his life, he made me swear after that to never lie to him again and it helped our relationship tremendously but this time was different. After my huge breakup and the death of my parents, I decided that I wanted to change and stop harboring my virginity was on so f the first steps.
Even though I planned and wanted to lose my virginity I didn't expect it to happen just last night when I had no one to assist me in preparing for such a lie to my brother who is also my best friend.
The last thing my brother wanted me to do was to lose my virginity without any knowledge or protection. Especially without him knowing the guy, let alone me knowing the guy.
If Ethan knew he'd hunt the guy down in assumption of him taking advantage of me since I couldn't recall anything that went down after leaving the club and I didn't want to have to visit Ethan in prison for murdering with his only defense being
'He had sex with my sister'
"I was with a friend, I needed to get away from all the pressure" I lie obviously, sliding past them towards the living room dropping myself onto the thick gray couch that sat just above the large gray rug.
"What pressure Mia? You've got to be fucking kidding me I give you all the space you could ever ask for" his voice suddenly becomes more intense causing me to cringe from the sudden outburst and Kelli to sit cold and quiet while it echoed through the nearly empty house.
This must be the worst thing I've done so far cause he's never yelled like this and, He was right. He gave me more space than my parents did.
"I had a lot on my mind, Ethan, okay? This has nothing to do with you" I begin to fiddle with my fingers as I always did signaling my nervous system was on high alert.
"And you thought the best thing for you to do was to leave without saying a word? And lie straight to my face? Listen M after mom, dad, and Lee died I had only you left to look after and I swore to them I wouldn't let anything happen to you, but when you do shit like that. I can't help but wonder if I'm breaking my promise" he clenches his fist against his words and he stares frantically at me.
"You have to talk to me before you decide to go ghost. You aren't the only one you're affecting M" his last words provoked my anxiety to kick in before he grabs his keys and turns his back to leave.
He slams the door and I can hear the footstep of Kelli running over to the open space beside me causing me to lift my head back up.
She flashes her pearly whites and bright brown eyes in an attempt to get my mind off the unexpected conversation that struck me.
"I'm sorry I couldn't hold you unknown secret" she blurts wrapping her head in her lightly toned forearms.
I can't help but smile at her actions, Kelli was always quick to sympathize in a situation that had nothing to do with her, she felt that if she didn't know what was going on deep down it would make her a bad friend and I honestly love that about her and always had since we were kids.
Kelli and I met on the first day of preschool, we were standing in line waiting to enter the school building for our first day when she noticed I was chewing on a Laffy taffy and she decided she'd jump right in and ask me for one.
I immediately gave her one because I liked her politeness but that quickly faded when she didn't thank me for sharing with a stranger. I then confronted her and she rolled her eyes at me which broke into a fight.
My first fight and I don't know exactly how but we instantly clicked after that and she became my Best friend ever since.
"You don't need to apologize, I should have told you what I was planning last night" I admit staring at my reflection in the large Tv sitting a few feet in front of me.
"So what were you doing last night?" She questions and my cheeks begin to feel like they were catching fire. I can almost see the smirk forming on her face and I playfully punch her arm.
After telling her exactly what happened or what I think happened she was practically jumping in her socks with a cheesy grin plastered onto her roundish face causing her warm brown hair to slip over her face.
The hue altered as she reaches and tucks the loose strands behind her recently pierced ear.
"I wonder what Jared will think of your sudden sex life" she narrows her eyes at me while wiggling her nose.
"Who cares what he thinks honestly" I sigh crossing my arms over my chest causing Kelli to burst into laughter.
"Obviously you do, you're still holding a grudge after months"
"I am not holding a grudge, I'm simply naturally hating him." I tilt my head back rolling my eyes while folding my legs beneath me.
Kelli does the same and smacks her lips, "that's still holding a grudge" she smiles and I roll my eyes at her assumption. She's correct, Jared did break my heart and I wish he didn't, I've been thinking about that day nonstop since.
"Well, I have a right to hold a grudge against someone that broke my heart carelessly," I say in defense.
After about a minute of going back in forth harmlessly, Kelli gives up on the disagreement and lazily plants her head onto my lap and flutters her lashes at me before pointing towards the tv and rubbing her stomach through her shirt.
I narrow my eyes confused at her signals and she does it again before sighing and sits back up against the back of the couch.
"I'm hungry and craving some scary films, so.." she lifts her brows while shrugging her shoulders for my answers causing my lips to form into a smile.
I've missed simple thing like this with her. We'd always end up falling asleep on each other after countless hours of talking and not paying attention to the movies. Even loving all these things I wish I could still sit down like this with my family.
I'd give anything to be whole again.