“You didn’t have to come,” I drone, repeating the last time he picked me up.
“Stop it. Of course, I did.” His voice lowers. “You look like a zombie.”
“I feel like a zombie.” I try to force a smile, but I’m not sure if it works. I can’t flip on that switch right now. “How did you know when to come?”
“I looked up the flights, did some deduction…”
I shake my head. “You’ve been here for hours, haven’t you?”
“Maybe.”
My brother. He’s one of the many things between Theo and me, but when I see him standing here, all sunshine and rainbows—I can’t help but be relieved. Without another word, I fling my arms around him, hugging him tightly.
“I missed you,” I mumble.
“I missed you, too. Let’s get you home. I have a pizza with your name on it.”
Everett’s home isn’t mine, but it’s the closest I have these days. I’ve been away for a while, but relief and familiarity hit me as I wander through the tiny abode. A shower makes everything feel better. A change of clothes does, too. I only manage a few bites of the promised pizza, which also does the trick.
Feeling better isn’t hard when your baseline is on the ground.
“Tell me all about the trip,” Everett says. “Starting with… why you’re home early.”
What happened?He doesn’t say it aloud, but I’m sure that’s what he’s asking.
I play with the frayed ends of the blanket on my lap. “It’s a long story…”
“Good thing I don’t have any plans. Let’s start from the beginning.”
My brother has always been the most easygoing of our siblings, but there’s an edge to his voice—one I so rarely hear.
I can’t meet his eye when I speak. “Did Theo tell you anything… about us?”
Silence answers me first, and then… “I’m going to fucking kill him.”
I sit up straight, looking at my brother with wide eyes. “No! Everett?—”
His nostrils flare. “I told him not to do anything. That was his responsibility, to make sure nothing happened.”
I shake my head. “It wasourresponsibility, and I-I did it anyway. I chose to do it anyway.”
“Why?” He flashes an incredulous look. “You know you can do better than him. Come on, Evie.”
“Because…” I let out a sad, breathy laugh. “Because I love him. We fell in love.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. I know. It’s bad.”
“Fuck.”
That is all he can say. We both go quiet. Everett finishes his slice of pizza, and I’m relieved to see he still has an appetite. I don’t, but I pick a piece of pepperoni off my slice and pop it into my mouth. It’s better than eating nothing.
After a little while, he asks, “You promise he didn’t hurt you?” He sets his plate down and turns to me with a serious stare.
“I promise.” My lip tugs up at the corner. “If anything, I think I hurt him. I was the one who left, you know. It’s not like he kicked me out.”
Everett grins and lands a light punch on my shoulder. “Atta girl.”
