Dawson Brothers (boyxboy)

It's been three years since that New Year's party and I haven't seen or heard from Miles. Mom and dad told me he joined the military and every now and then they show me a picture of him in uniform and they think I cry because I'm worried about his safety, which I am, but Miles is strong, and I know he'll come back with a Navy smile and only a few scares that he'll laugh about and joyously tell story's of, but my tears shed because of the want in side, and the rejection. I wanted to find a way to get to him, to tell him I was sorry about the kiss and lie and say I was drunk or stoned or whatever it would take to get him to forgive me, but he wouldn't give me the chance. I tried writing him a letter, but it mysteriously got 'lost' and when ever I called, then line just rung and rung, never giving me a chance. After a while, I stopped trying, my heart not being able to take it, and hid from the world. Of cores mom and dad were concerned, they took me to therapy where I sat on the floor and listened to mom tell Dr. bugg about how I lock my self in my room all day, and wont eat, but no matter how hard they tried, I wouldn't talk. Not to psychologist or my parent's and by now I didn't have friends left.

It was Monday, and I had just come home from school to find dad on the phone in the kitchen. I didn't think anything of it and was continuing up the stairs to my room when I heard his voice.

"Yes dad, I'm sure he will."

I ran as fast as I could into the kitchen, knocking over the small table in the hallway with my backpack as it flew off my shoulder.

"Miles" I yelled, so excited to see my brother that I could feel the tears coming, but he wasn't there. What was was a thin silver laptop sitting on the counter with Miles filling the screen. He looked so different, his hair was cut close to his head and he seemed bulkier, but there was something else, something foreign and scary. It wasn't until he smiled that I realized that this wasn't my brother, maybe legally, but not really. I knew my brother, not this strange man who seemed to have forgotten my real name because he kept calling me "Little brother".

"It's good to see you." I lied.

"Same thing, how is everything going?" he asked curtly, I'm sure only because dad was in the room.

"Alright" I could feel emotions stirring deep within me, not the hot and bothered kind, more like I was sickened and disappointed, a good sign that it was time to leave, but dad stopped me by putting his arm around my shoulders.

"Alex here is getting straight A's now in school, and he's been sure helping out your mother here around the house" Dad bragged, "So everything will look nice and neat for you when you come home."

"What?" I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I couldn't decide if it was because I was excited or confusion.

"That's great, it'll sure be nice to be home again" Miles said with a smile shot directly towards dad, pretending like I wasn't even there.

"Well we're all sure excited, but I'm afraid your room won't be ready, you know Nora and I turned it into a family room, so you'll have to stay in Alex's room for a while, but we'll get it fixed up soon."

"Again, what?" But no one was listening to me.

"I don't mind, it'll give Alex and I some good brother bond time" Miles teased, looking me in the eye for the first time with a look of wry, before claiming he had to leave and to telling dad to give a kiss to mom for him before signing off.

Thursday.

School seemed to go by faster than the day we drove Miles to the airport to leave for basic, but isn't that the way it always goes? The one day you want to last forever is gone before you know it. Begrudgingly, I found my dad's car despite the heavy rain and got in for the two hour drive to Portland's airport where Miles waited patiently by the doors, dressed in his camouflage uniform, standing straight like there was a rod up his ass, as he showed a younger girl where her gate would be located on a small map.