My knees are still at my chest, fingers warm from the sleeves of my hoodie, but I’m not shaking anymore. I curl both sides of hair behind my ears as I rest my elbows over my knees. “Hadn’t really thought about it yet.”
Silence envelops the cabin.
My head snaps toward my brother when he shifts in his seat, guiding his phone out of the front pocket of his black jeans.
“What are you doing?” I ask when he taps on his screen, looking back and forth between the lit-up device and the road.
He sucks on his front teeth. “Calling Tyler.”
It’s like my demons overtake my limbs when my hand shoots out at the pace of lightning, wrapping around his phone. I try to yank it out of his grip, only he holds it tighter. As I stare at him, he stares at me, and the line between us is tense.
We are both as stubborn as each other.It’s in our blood.
My voice is a trembling whisper. “Don’t you dare.”
He shakes his head with disappointment, and I slump back into my seat, closing my eyes when the memories of me and Tyler shred through my subconscious unwillingly.
I fucking hate this. Even five years later, it’s still as raw as it’s always been, like no time has passed at all. He was the one person I thought would never hurt me, and he did exactly that. Imiss him, need him. He always made breathing easier, but now the thought of him, the person who was once my best friend, the person who could save me from myself, only suffocates me.
“You're gonna have to tell me the truth of what happened between you two one day, sis. The real fucking truth.”
I huff, running my hands through my hair in frustration. “I already fucking did. He left me, Keats, and he stopped answering my calls. He fucking left me…” I shift in my seat toward the stereo, hiking up the volume. “Like everyone always does.” I finish beneath my breath.
Keats foot presses down on the gas, the city lights drawing closer when he thumbs his screen and the dial rings through the speaker.
“That better not be–” I start to say, only to be cut off when a raspy voice I’m not familiar with filters through the cabin.
“Fuck, been a while since I heard from you. You’re like Casper the fucking ghost.” The guy on the other end laughs, and I turn over my shoulder to look at Keats, a genuine grin lifting the corner of my lips.
“Ain’t that the truth,” I whisper, and Keats’ mouth twitches with a very subtle smirk.
“Caleb, my man, you got a spare room at your place?” Keaton asks, and I find myself straining my brain to think of who Caleb is, and if I know him. But I don’t. A renewed line of dread shoots its poison through my veins at the thought of staying in a random person’s house. Someone I don’t know;someone I don’t know I can trust.
But Keats wouldn’t put me in danger, right?
He’s my brother.
He only wants the best for me.
I shudder when goosebumps spiral around my limbs.
I have to trust him.
He’s all I have left.
Caleb chuckles. “Always for you, bro. You know that.”
Keaton clears his throat, then replies, “Actually, it’s for my sister.”
Keaton cuts the engine, slipping out from behind the wheel and closing the door. I latch onto the handle, doing the same. Leaning against the cool metal, I listen to our arrival bounce around the underground concrete parking garage.
“What are we going to do about my car?” I ask Keats, coughing when I notice how dry my throat is.
He is at the rear, pulling out my few belongings from the trunk. Keaton slams it closed and throws the duffle bag over his shoulder. His blue eyes look so bright against the gray tones of this concrete jungle, and I watch the two roses tattooed on the front of his throat close slightly when he swallows.
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll get it to you tomorrow.” He spins around and starts to wheel my suitcase toward the elevator to our left.
My chin finds a place at my chest, and I inhale slowly, closing my eyes and counting to three.
