Frayed Edges

Work Friends

When Mia thought of her brother her mind always lingered on the long drives they used to share together. After her Mom kicked him out at sixteen, Mia had told herself that she would go live with him the second she turned that same age. Her Mom agreed and Alex was grateful to have her out that house.

They were very happy together in their small apartment in Brooklyn. It was cramped and the hot water was temperamental but they felt free having somewhere to call their own.

"If you don't take your feet off the dashboard Mia I will drag you out of this car"

Alex had always been stern with her. He loved to fall into the protective older brother cliche, and with no dad around he naturally took on that role. A teenage Mia only rolled her eyes in response. He worked a lot and her rebellious streak had her wanting to do everything he did. Now she was old enough, he had decided that if she ever had to follow in his footsteps the least he could do was teach her right. They spent hours doing odd jobs, as she lounged in the front seat flicking between radio stations much to his irritation.

This was the day that always stuck in her mind. She had made many mistakes in her years but whenever she looked back she always saw this day as the catalyst that formed the reaction.

"Stop whining" she grumbled slowly dragging her Nikes off the black shiny dash.

"When you have a car this expensive you can tell me how to treat it" he smirked and she smiled at his not so subtle brag. They drove around for what felt like hours and Mia was getting restless and bored.

Even at twenty Alex looked old for his age. His short hair was a dirtier shade of blonde than hers and premature lines had settled across his forehead. Probably stress of the job, Mia thought in hindsight. His arm hung lazily out of the car window and she snickered thinking of the terrible home done tattoos that littered it.

"How much longer?" she groaned, "you could've just left me home alone you know" Alex burst into a fit of laughter. Mia couldn't remember why she had fought so hard to stay home that day, it bugged her trying to work it out. She tried not the dwell too long it only made her angrier.

"Absolutely not! I don't trust you, you'd have your friends round in a second and you know we have to keep a low profile" Mia exaggerated her eye roll once again.

"I'm nearly eighteen now, I'm basically an adult"

"Except you don't act like one" Alex grumbled. Mia hated being treated like a child, when Alex was her age he had already been out living on his own for years. Although she had a choice to stay with her mother, there was no where she wanted to be more than with Alex. Whenever she thought back on this memory she couldn't help but think of how naive she once was. Believing that she had the world figured when really Alex was her only life line.

"We're nearly done, I just have to go pick up a friend." he said pulling up into a driveway.

"Is it a friend or a friend?" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, Alex only smacked her arm in response.

"A friend" he said sternly "of Olivia's so play nice" Mia always wondered why Alex was cautious around Olivia. She had gone to school with him, but was a few years ahead of them both. Everyone knew her but very few were actually seen with her. Mia herself had only seen her a handful of times when Alex was working and she seemed nice. She didn't understand everyone's apprehension around her.

That was then. She knew why now.

Alex honked the horn to signify he was outside to whoever they were waiting for. A hand shot out the front door and it waved to the two of them. Mia was used to Alex acting like a taxi, he had friends over constantly, day and night.

"So is this a work friend or a friend, friend?" she asked again, flicking throught the radio stations once again.

"All my friends are work friends" he muttered slapping her hand away from the dials "but yeah he's a buddy as well" Mia only nodded, some of Alex's 'work friends' weren't always so friendly. She heard the right side back door click and swing open and the car weight shifted as they got inside.

"Hey man" they said, patting Alex welcomingly on the shoulder. Mia took a peek at them through the rear view mirror and blushed when she saw the figure was an incredibly attractive guy.

He couldn't have been any older than her brother, she thought as she admired his toned frame and steely blue eyes. Her breath caught when he spotted her eyes in the mirror. He smirked slightly before his face spread into a grin.

"Didn't realise you had company" he said tilting his head to get a better look at her "I'm Drew"

"Mia" she said as confidently as she could fighting to keep eye contact.

"Well Mia" he chuckled, his eyes scanning her face ever so slightly "I can't believe Alex has never introduced you to me before" he finished with a wink and Mia failed to hide her smile when she noticed he was flirting with her.

"I was thinking the same thing" she said breathily as he ran his thumb along his bottom lip.

"Hey!" shouted Alex ruining their short little moment "Why don't you focus on something besides my little sister" he uttered in a stern warning tone.

Drew looked embarrassed for a moment before leaning back into his seat. He held his hands up in submission, but his bottom lip was held gently between his teeth. Mia focused on the road once more resisting the urge to sneak a peak at him. When she couldn't take it anymore she glanced her eyes quickly at the rear view mirror and was met by a pair of icy blue ones.