A LOST BEAR

Friday January 8th, 18th Birthday

It's raining.

Of course, it's fucking raining.

Cause that's just my goddess damn life.

Fucking perfect.

Now I'm standing in the rain, in front of a door I have yet to knock on, cause I'm too damn scared to even lift my arm toward the door.

Fucking anxiety.

Fucking rain.

FUCKING LIFE.

I don't even know why I'm here, honestly, I'm not even sure how I got here in the first place. I just ran until I ended up here and now, I'm standing in the rain, in front of a door I'm too chicken shit to even fucking knock on.

And it's been at least ten minutes since I first got here.

I'm so messed up.

I shouldn't have run away, but I panicked and ran from my brother, the person who means more to me than anything else in this world.

I sniffle, looking down at my waterlogged shoes, tears welling up in my eyes. Rubbing my eyes with a fist I try to force my emotions back down but it's all too much.

I think about just leaving.

This was a bad idea.

Obviously.

If I can't even knock on the fucking door.

I'm just about to leave, honestly, I am, if I could get any part of my body to do what I actually fucking want it to.

But my feet won't move, and my arms won't move so now I'm just standing here, not leaving, not knocking.

Just standing here like a fucking moron.

Then, the door is thrown open, like the person behind it is in a panicked hurry.

I look up from my shoes and into the light tan eyes of my big brother. He's built like a brick shit house, tall, buff and intimidating but I can see the concern and relief wash over his face simultaneously as he registers that fact that I'm standing in front of his door doing my best to imitate a statue of a drowned homeless person.

"IAGO! Thank the Goddess." He runs a hand through his red-brown hair before pulling me, rather forcefully, into his house.

"Um... ouch." I rub the stop on my arm he grabbed. He does not have control of his strength when he is flustered apparently.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE ALL ARE? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

He's loud when he's upset.

I cross my arms over my chest and look back down at my shoes.

I wonder how long it'll take to dry them out or if I'll have to get new ones.

I hate new shoes.

"Magnus, calm down, shouting isn't going to help." Oh, Jing is here too, "Go call your mother and text your siblings, let them know he's safe and here with us. DO NOT let them all come over yet, tell them we will take care of it for now. If your mother tries to fight it, bring me the phone and I will handle it."

My big brother just nods and walks away.

"Iago?" My brother's Mate has a nice voice, it's calm and soothing. "Iago, I'm not going to ask you anything right now. Would you like to take a hot shower?"

I just life one shoulder.

A hot shower might be nice.

I am kinda cold, I guess.