Telepathic

1-I'm Aware of Everything Involving You

I had known Willow since she was 7 and I was a tiny baby. I had practically grown up with her. To see her now at the age of 30 was frightening and exciting.

The party I planned for her went off smoothly. Together with the help of her siblings and other friends, we managed to pull off the best Dirty Thirty birthday bash.

We even had live music, courtesy of our favorite band, Starset. Willow's brother, Ron, was the bassist for the band, which was awesome as hell.

"She has stars in her eyes, literally." Ron chuckled, coming up beside me. We both looked over to where Willow was, her blonde hair flowing behind her as she danced and had a good time. He was right, though. She looked as if the stars were shining in her eyes.

"Just wait until she hears you guys play." I hummed, taking a sip of my drink.

"Dustin curated our setlist tonight to be perfect. All of her favorite songs." Ron smiled.

"Isn't that all of them?" I giggled.

Ron chuckled and shook his head. "He kept the sadder stuff off of the list."

"But Trials is literally our favorite song." I reminded him, gesturing to the Trials tattoo that I had on my inner arm. Willow had one just like it.

"Yes, I am very aware of your favorite song. I'm aware of everything involving you." The words took me off guard, but then I rationalized them in my head.

You grew up with him. He thinks of you the same way he does Willow.

"Oh yeah?" I hum, taking a sip of my drink. "How aware are you? I mean, were you aware of me growing up?" I was only teasing. Seeing the way his cheeks flushed was worth it.

"Haven't you ever noticed, Haze?" Ron furrowed his brows the tiniest bit. "I'm always the first one to point things out. I pointed out your first word. The first step you took. Hell, I even knew the day you started your monthly bullshit. Because I have been there."

It was my turn to blush. I looked to the floor, letting my brown hair fall into my face. "Guess I never realized. It's just so commonplace to have you and Willow around at almost all times.."

I frowned as I remembered the time he went off to work for the military. In one of my darkest hours, he had been across the world.

"And we always will be." Ron slung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in closer. I reminded myself that I was apart of his family and he could never look at me the way I do him.

I know I shouldn't. He's over ten years older than I am, and he's practically like a big brother to me.

As I watched Willow dance with some of her other friends, I tried to remember exactly when had I stopped viewing Ron as an older brother? How long had I started viewing him as this incredibly sexy rockstar?

It dawned on me as if a rock fell from the sky and bonked my head.

When I had needed Big Brother Ron the most, he was gone. I changed, and when he returned, so had he. He was arguably more built when he came home the last time, before joining Dustin on his wild musical adventures. He had looked like the hero I had needed him to be back then.

"Hazel?" Ron snapped his fingers in front of my face, startling me from my thoughts. I looked up at him, realizing we were incredibly close. My brown eyes scanned over his face, watching the ripples in his skin by his furrowed brows.

"Sorry.. what?" I asked, bringing my hand up to push my hair from my face. As if knowing my next move, Ron pushed my hand aside and moved the hair from my face for me.

"I said that I was about to go on and perform. Are you okay? Have you had too much to drink?"

No, I haven't. Nonetheless, I told him that I had had a few sips too many and was going to sit down where I could watch them play. I sat myself on the ground in the backyard, watching as the band set up to play.

Dustin wasn't on stage with his band, but I could see him walking a blindfolded Willow towards the front of the stage.

Willow was lucky. Not only was she more of an adult than I was, with her being 7 years my senior, but she could practically date whoever she wanted. Her blonde hair and blue eyes were gorgeous. Her body was damn near perfect, too. Meanwhile, I was too young for anyone in my social circle. I also wasn't good enough. How could I be? Willow was the gorgeous blonde and I was the plain brunette.

Willow screamed as she removed the blindfold and saw her favorite band on the makeshift stage. Dustin started off with Trials, making me move my body to the beat.

It wasn't until I saw a beautiful woman with light brown, almost dirty blonde in the light, hair and sparkling blue-green eyes that I began to feel sick. Maybe I had had too much to drink.

Willow threw herself at the woman, hugging her tightly and even kissing her cheek. The bubble of jealousy that filled my stomach was enough to make me take a quick trip to the bathroom. Upon returning, I found the woman and Willow with their arms around each other, swaying to an acoustic of Earthrise.

Ron blew a kiss to Willow, or so I thought, until I watched the woman blow one back at him.

Oh my god.. She was Ron's girlfriend, wasn't she? Of course she was. She was absolutely fucking stunning. She made a perfect match for Ron.

As Dustin started the opening to Otherworldly, I made a second trip to the bathroom. This time, the acid in my stomach came pouring out into the porcelain bowl.

Without saying a word to anyone, I grabbed my things and ducked out of the house. I'd send a quick text to Willow once I was anywhere but here.

Sadly, the house Willow's party was in was our shared home. I couldn't escape my world there, so I made my way to the local park, sitting underneath a willow tree by a small little pond. Ironic, wasn't it? I was avoiding my best friend, her brother, and brother's girlfriend underneath her fucking namesake.

I opened up the book I had been reading, Crush by Tracy Wolff. It was the second in the Crave series and one of my favorites. If only I could have myself my own Jaxon or Hudson Vega. Or both. Both sounds good.

I used the flashlight on my phone to see the words on the pages, listening to the soft sounds of the bugs and nightlife chirping. Eventually, my eyes drooped closed and I gave in to the darkness calling me to sleep.