Promise. (Manthony)

Twenty-Five

     I pace back in forth in the living room as Mitchel hadn't returned home yet. He told me he'd be home by 10; it was now 11. None of my texts had been answered, which wasn't usual for Mitchel. However, there were a few people he answered right away, and I was one of those people. 

"Please, calm down...maybe his phone died?" I pause for a second, turning my attention to Clinton and giving him a hard glare for his lack of worry for his brother. 

He holds his hands up in defense, "Or...maybe he died?" He asks as his voice trails off. 

"Shut up," I tell him as I continue to pace again. My phone dings and I yank it out of my back pocket. 

Hey, sorry, my phone died, and I was waiting for it to charge. Coming home now.

I breathe out a sigh of relief—a smile appearing on my face automatically as I read Mitchel's text. 

"Guessing he's not dead." I hear Clinton mutter under his breath. I roll my eyes at his stupid comment. I happily sit back down and continue to wait for Mitchel. 

"Should I ask him out?" I suddenly ask Clinton. He breathes deeply. Turning his phone off and directing his attention to me. 

"I don't know if I should be flattered that you asked me this or if I should be wanting to kick you for even thinking about asking my little brother out." I nervously look away from Clinton. Suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious.  

"I'll help you," Clinton says like this was an everyday question from me. I look back at him with a thankful smile. I felt relieved knowing that I had such good friends. Not many people were lucky enough even to have one good friend. I had several, and we all got along. 

"What should I do then?" I furrow my brows. "No! What should I say?!" I ask with a worried look plastered on my face.

"Slow down bud, if it were me, I'd make him wait a bit. Maybe he'll ask you out...which he should since he was an asshole last time." 

I was about to correct Clinton, but I remember he still didn't know the entire story about Mitchel and me.  It didn't seem like my place to tell him anyway. 

"He also said we should go on a few dates too. We've only been on one." I admit sadly—a disappointing feeling washing over me. 

"Hm, I'd say wait a bit then. Give it some time. See how he behaves with you and make sure he's certain about this. I love him, but I love you too. You're like a third brother to me. I'd hate to see you heartbroken over my actual brother." 

I look down at the carpet in defeat. I wanted to make Mitchel mine as soon as possible, but that didn't seem like it wasn't going to happen soon. We'd have to do the waiting game, and that annoyed me more than it should have. 

We hear the doorknob turn on the front door. I jump up from the couch with excitement as I knew it was Mitchel. 

"You're like a damn puppy," Clinton whispers. I stick my tongue out at him playfully and look back at the front door. Mitchel comes in, our eyes meeting and a smile spreading across his face. 

"Hey love, sorry for worrying you," Mitchel says to me with an apologetic tone in his voice. He kicks his shoes off and gives me a quick hug. 

I felt complete with him. "I told him you might've died, and he almost bit my head off," Clinton explains dramatically to his younger brother. 

"Well, gee, thanks." Mitchel flicks his brother in the back of his head as he walks towards the kitchen. 

"Did you have a good time?" I ask Mitchel. He shrugs. Opening the fridge and grabbing a beer. 

"I missed you," he walks up to me. Looking me in my eyes and making me blush by doing so. 

As I looked back, I notice his eyes were a light shade of red. He wasn't acting high, which meant he'd been crying? I was feeling worried all over again. 

"I'm leaving," Clinton announces. Interrupting my moment with Mitchel and my thoughts. Mitchel backs away from me and grabs his shoes as he heads up the stairs. I narrow my eyes at Clinton, and he flips me off.

I grab my phone from the couch and follow Mitchel. Maybe I was like a puppy. 

Mitchel doesn't protest when I enter his room along with him. Instead, he seemed happy that I was there. 

"Are you...alright?" I ask hesitantly. He was being weirdly quiet and reserved. He breathes in a sharp breath. Putting his stuff down and looking at me like he did downstairs. 

"I'm fine, how are you? Did you have a good time with Amber?" I nod.  

"We went out to eat and acted like fools in the park. Weren't too many people there, so it was fine."

"But you weren't fooling around in the park?" Mitchel gives me a sly smile, and I roll my eyes. 

"The only person I'd fool around with in a park would be you," I reply boldly. I notice his cheeks flash a light shade of red. 

"Maybe we should one day," Now it was my turn to blush. 

"Did you smoke without me?" I reply half-jokingly. I wanted to know what was wrong, but I didn't want to sound accusatory or pushy. So I figured turning my question into a joke would be better. 

"No," He replies dryly. Sitting down on his bed and looking up at me. "Why?" Mitchel asks with a cute expression on his face. 

"Your eyes," I point at my own for emphasis. "They're red," I state. I notice him swallow hard. Mitchel now looked nervous. 

I sit down next to him, waiting for a response. 

"I got overwhelmed and cried," He says softly. He seemed embarrassed to admit that he had cried. 

"About?" I ask. 

"Everything, I guess. I'm really happy we got signed with someone else, and so quickly, but that doesn't make me not feel bad for what happened in the first place." 

"I get that. You can't beat yourself up forever, though. It's in the past now, and there's nothing we can do to change it." I was attempting to comfort Mitchel, but I had a feeling I was failing miserably. 

"You're right, but it's still difficult." He put my arm around his shoulders and give him a side hug. 

"Not to mention I don't understand why you still have feelings for me." 

"Why wouldn't I? You're...everything to me." I remove my arm from his shoulders and look him in the eyes. 

"I know you have a hard time believing how great you are, but you are to me." 

Mitchel looks at me and gently presses our lips together. 

"Thank you," he says. I smile back at him. 

"No need to thank me...you know I-" I stop myself before I say the three words he wasn't ready for yet. 

"I care about you," I say instead. 

"I care about you too."