Best Friend's Brother: Chapter One

Fights Squared

I strolled into the house like nothing important happened today. Harry was sat on the couch like he was awaiting my arrival home.

"Jessica, where were you? It's almost midnight, and you have school tomorrow!" Harry said in a calm but angry tone.

"Do you know how many times I waited up for you asking myself that same damn question?" I said in a bored tone with an eye roll, "Too many, Harry. Too damn many and what did I get most of the time? Nothing. No texts, no calls, no nothing. At least I told you I wouldn't be home on time and be grateful I even came home at all."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry asked as he sat back and crossed his arms.

"Well, let's take a look at the events that happened today! To start off my morning, I find out that I have zero weight in my brother's life but a friend he has known for what, maybe six months does. Then once I got to school, I find out that the only boy I love is dating my arch nemesis. That same time, her sidekick is digging in my bag and finds my comic to Nathaniel admitting that I like him. Oh, you should have been there, it was great, people were laughing so hard that I decided to make copies and let everyone laugh at it because what the hell! Once lunch rolled around Katie storms up to me acting like she cares and pointing out things that are wrong with me. Like how I was basically starving myself, not sleeping because I've trained myself not to because I was always waiting for your ass to get home!" I yelled with tears in my eyes and pointed at Harry, "and the best one, how I was making suicidal gestures because I have nothing left to live for."

I finished my rant and Harry was wrapping his arms around me. I pushed him off me and took a step back. Harry looked hurt, but I didn't care, I was angry.

"Don't act like you really care Harry! It's too late for that! If you did care, you would've listened to me so many years ago but did you?! Hell no because I have no idea what I'm talking about! You never listened to me, you never cared for me, you were never here, you were never home, we were never a family. You're just my brother by blood, and that's the only reason I call you my brother," Angry tears ran down my cheeks as I wiped them away continuously.

"I'm sorry-"

"Like hell you are Harry! I don't need an apology from you, I need a brother," I shook my head and ran to my room leaving Harry with a sad look and a brother sized hole left in my heart.

///

I stood outside his door, quarter past midnight, debating to knock or just walk in like I always used to. 

Screw it, I thought and walked through the door to the painful sight of Alexa cuddled up next to Nathaniel as they watched tv, neither of them noticing that I was there. Taking my chance to hide, I ran into the coat closet next to the door.

"Nate, did you hear the door?" I heard Alexa say and I almost screamed at the stupid nickname.

"It's Nathaniel, and it was probably just Hannah or Katie," Nathaniel brushed it off like it was nothing, "What's up with you and Jessica? Why do you hate her so much?"

Why would he ask about me? Crap, did he see me?

"Who said I hate her?" Alexa questioned. I heard her shift on the couch and the tv switch off.

"It's just the way you act around her like you're intimidated by her. You become a different person when you're around her."

"I'm not intimidated by her," Alexa said like she was offended by his observations. Knowing her, she probably was.

"She definitely isn't intimidated by you, she's not intimidated by anyone," He said in a fond tone.

"Why are we even talking about her? She's not even worth talking about. Why are you talking about her like you like her? Hello, that's how you should talk about me. I'm your girlfriend, not her," I could almost see Alexa getting red from anger.

"She's one of my best friends, Lexi, don't worry about it," my heart broke a little bit, getting indirectly friend zoned, "and she is worth talking about, she's a great person, and I don't understand why you hate her. She's caring, compassionate, doesn't back down from a fight, has some sick comebacks. She's honest and loyal, she is one of the most amazing people I've ever met, to be honest."

"I hate her because people give her praise for doing nothing! She isn't even pretty!" Okay, rude. "She has never kissed anyone, she's still a virgin in more ways than one, people fall for her just because she walks by, she's always smiling like there's something to be happy about, and she doesn't even have to try at anything because everything is given to her on a silver platter!" Alexa snarled as I heard her get off the couch, "She even has you wrapped around her pinky! She doesn't love you like I do Nate! That note in her bag was for Matt in her chemistry class who works at Kendall's Koffee! She was never interested, Nate."

"I told you, stop calling me Nate, and why would anyone care if she's a virgin,  who cares if she is happy about being alive, who cares if people fall for her, who cares if she's smarter than the average girl, who cares if the note was for Matt? Who cares, Lexi?" Nathaniel defended me.

"I do! What is so joyous about being alive?! Why does everyone chose her and not me? Why is she smarter than me? Riddle me that," I could hear the smoke coming out of Alexa's ears.

"She focuses on herself and her grades rather than focusing on who's on top of her. She's happy to be alive because she was lucky enough to have a life," Nathaniel argued. Why is he still defending me if it costs a fight between them?

"Are you saying I only care about how big a guy's penis is?" Alexa said offended.

"In a nutshell, yeah." Yes boy, hit her with the truth!

"If that's what you think then why am I with you instead of Blake from the soccer team?"

"Because by dating me, you're getting under Jessica's skin because she hates the thought of me getting hurt by someone who doesn't deserve me," Nathaniel said, losing his cool bit by bit.

"So I don't deserve you?!"

"In her eyes, yeah, you don't."

"What about in your eyes?! Do I deserve you in your eyes?!" Alexa was almost screaming at this point.

"The more you make me think about it, the more I think you don't and the only person I can think of at the moment that does is Jessica."

I heard a loud smack followed by a rustling of things being gathered.

"We need to take a break. You have to accept that I have female friends," I heard another smack, and it took every fiber in my body not to jump out of the closet and strangle Alexa. The front door slammed shut, and Nathaniel let out a loud sigh.

I exited the closet silently and walked over to Nathaniel who had his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. I sat down on the couch next to him and leaned into his side as my arms wrapped around his torso. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I closed my eyes. Nathaniel sat up after a few minutes and turned to me, pushing my hair out of my face. His left cheek was a bright red.

"Does it still hurt?" I asked quietly.

"Not anymore. I knew you came in, by the way, I thought you went down to Katie's room," he tried to smile but gave up when I looked down at my lap.

"I hid in the closet. I didn't think it was going to escalate like it did. Otherwise, I would've come out-" I cut myself off when Nathaniel's hand gently moved my chin to face him. I was hypnotized by his hazel eyes that were slowly falling shut as I felt his breath hit my lips. His lips slightly parted as they met mine.

It took me a second to register what was happening, but when I finally did, I let my eyes flutter shut as I kissed him back gently at first but upped the intensity when he did until we pulled away with a slight pant. Nathaniel pulled me onto his lap as he leaned back on the cushion, I leaned on his chest as my eyes fluttered shut once again and Nathaniel's arms wrapped around my small frame.