Two Strangers of Brothers

Chapter 1

I was never one for trouble. I was always the good little boy who listened to his parents. I never strayed too far from the path.

Which I guess was the very reason I was hundreds of miles from my home.

Here I am, waiting on the brothers who I was unaware existed until a couple of weeks ago to arrive at the airport.

My eyes scan the crowded area around me and I tuck in on myself, trying to disappear into the wall behind me. I never liked loud noises or commotion. Chaos gives me a headache and I can feel the pain forming behind my eyes as people rush to get to wherever they need to go.

I bring a cool hand to my forehead, allowing the cold touch of the indifferent glass to soothe me. I was supposed to have been picked up by now. I bite down on my lower lip, my signature worried crease forming between my eyebrows as they furrow.

What if they never come? What if I'm going to be stranded here in the airport forever? I am miles away from home... What if I die without my mom ever knowing what happened?

I can feel the friend I have come to know very well stir in its sleep.

Anxiety is never far away from me, it's always there. This sick pleasure it gets from throwing me into panic attacks makes it my soulmate.

Someone bumps into my shoulder as they try to shove past the crowd. I mumble out an apology. I shouldn't be standing in the way of everyone. I push myself further into the wall and hide behind my bangs. My hands clumsily fumble to the worn out picture I've been using as a reassurance that my mom has not just sent me off to die.

I unfold the paper quickly and let my eyes look over the photo. I try to take in and memorize my brother's faces so I won't miss them if... when they come to get me.

My eyes immediately find green ones and I trace the handsome face with my finger. He looks like me with the same dark green forest eyes and black hair. He seems to wear his features better as he stares at the camera with a crooked boy-next-door smile. He's tall, and even from the picture I know he will tower over me. In the picture he's in the middle of running his hand through his hair. His fingers are tangled in his midnight locks and they hold his bangs away from his face so that I can see his forehead. His other arm hangs loosely around my other brother. The blonde wears his arm proudly and a goofy childlike smile accompanies his pretty features. It's obvious he's trying to hold in laughter and his clear blue eyes aren't facing the camera, but instead stare at his brother. I wonder what's so funny and if a joke was made. If I was there I wonder if I would have laughed. Would I be in the picture? With their arms securely around me, a brotherly love surrounding us.

I sigh as I look up from the paper, my eyes searching the crowd once more. I've always wanted siblings, I hated the fact that I was an only child and wanted someone to stay up with all night. I didn't care if they were older or younger, boy or girl. I just wanted someone to connect with. I glance back down at the paper. Isaac and Andrew. I think I would have been close to them. Isaac only seniors me by five years, making him 23, and Andrew only by four making him 22.

I re-fold the paper and carefully place it back in my pocket. I have been stood up. It's official now. Despite not even knowing them I feel a slight twinge of pain hit me at the idea that they've forgotten about me. I shouldn't blame them though. We don't know each other. Why add an extra brother when you already have one? My eyes slide shut as I rest my head against the wall I had been using to keep me sane. Touches of calmness bite at the panic that has been overwhelming me as I let all the air leave my body.

It's okay. Maybe I dodged a bullet by not meeting them, besides, it-

"Jameson!"

My eyes snap open at the sound of my name and I try to locate the almost painfully cheery voice. A smiling blonde comes into view and I immediately recognize who he is.

Andrew.

He looks exactly like the picture version of himself, except his hair is a bit longer now. His side bang is shorter than in the picture and it only drops down to cover his right eyebrow, gently brushing against his eyelashes.

"Ummm hi," I say, My voice comes out awkward and too formal. I sound so depressed compared to him. I wipe my hand on my pants to make sure it won't be sweaty when it shakes his. He's taller than I expected, and as he gets closer to me I know he'll be taller than me by a few inches.

I bring out my hand to offer a shake as our greeting, but it's soon squished in between us as I'm engulfed in a hug. My head fits in the crook of his neck as he squeezes me tightly. I blink awkwardly, my eyes wide. My mouth is squished into the side of his neck from the unexpected hug and my free arm hangs at my side. I didn't expect him to hug me, and I can't shake the stiffness from my body at our touching. Even if he's my brother I don't really know him aside from the ten minute conversation we had when we talked on the phone and he told me to call him Drew.

He pulls back slightly and I'm suddenly overwhelmed by his ocean colored eyes. "Well, aren't you cute. You totally grew into your ears." He laughs lightly at his joke and brushes my hair away so he can see my ears better.

I blush at the action and compliment, the almost zero space between us still throwing me off.

"Drew get off him, you're scaring him." I peek over Andrew's shoulder to see the owner of the voice striding towards us.

Isaac.

His frame is thin but I can still tell that he can pack a punch if needed. His dark hair sweeps into his forest green eyes and I watch as he flicks it away with a toss of his head. His head tilts slightly to see me over Drew's shoulder.

"Jameson?" he asks, I watch the way his lips move and form my name. I find myself nodding, the awkward embrace I'm still currently in momentarily forgotten.

"Of course it's him. I wouldn't be hugging a random stranger, would I?" Andrew releases me and I shiver slightly at the sudden loss of warmth.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Isaac responds, a playful twinkle in his eyes as he comes to a stop next to Andrew, a few inches taller than the blonde.

I can almost feel the brotherly bond wafting off of them as I watch Drew stick his tongue out in a reply. I wish I was a part of it. I feel awkward standing here like a stranger intruding on a family moment. I guess I am though.

I shift awkwardly, busying myself with picking up my bags.

"Sorry we're so late. We got distracted and lost track of time." I turn back to Isaac as he talks, catching the look he shares with Andrew that has the doll-faced boy blushing.

"Oh, it's okay, you aren't that late. I hardly even noticed the time. My plane landed late anyway," I lie waving my hand. The words are automatic as I try to make them feel better. My plane did land on time and I did notice the time. Every agonizing minute of the long hour they should have been here. I shouldn't be upset, though. Something important probably came up and distracted them. It in't their fault that I worry easily.

Andrew lets out a sigh of relief, taking the heavy backpack I'm holding out of my hand and throwing it on his back before handing my rolling suitcase to Isaac. "That's good, Jameson. You always hated being left alone," he says, his blue eyes catching in the light and making them twinkle as he looks at me gently. The way they look remind me of some of those sparkling rivers that are so clear you can see straight to the bottom of.

My eyes draw away from his as confusion makes its way across my face leaving my eyebrows furrowed. What did he mean I always hated being alone? And how did he know that? I have no memories of the good looking blonde in front of me. I assumed he was the same way.

"Uh, can you call me Jamie? I don't really like Jameson," I say trying to end the awkward silence stretched between us. It isn't really related to what he said, but I didn't know what to say and I really do hate being called Jameson. It reminds me of when the kids at school used to call me that and make fun of me. The older sounding and 'I'm better than you' name really never did help my 'goody-two shoes' image. The other kids never wanted to play with me or hang out with me, thinking that if they did anything wrong I would go and tell an adult.

My eyes trail back to Andrew only to find a pained expression on his face. It doesn't look natural there and is such a contrast to the happy expression he's worn so far.

"You really don't remember us, do you?" he asks as he bites at his lip, blue eyes dropping to the floor and his shoulders slumping slightly.

It feels as though the atmosphere of the whole airport has dropped with Andrew's sagging shoulders. My finger twitch slightly at my side. I want to reach out and comfort him in some way, but I don't feel comfortable enough with him.

"I'm sorry," I try. It seems like the wrong thing to say as he turns his whole face to the ground. I don't know why he's so hurt by me not remembering him, but I suddenly wish I could recall something of the boy in front of me. My eyes flicker over to Isaac helplessly. He doesn't seem to be aware of my eyes as his stay trained on Drew. He steps closer to him, placing his hand on the shorter boys head.

"Drew, he was so young... It makes sense that he might have forgotten us... I mean, don't you think it's better that he doesn't remember?" Isaac's voice is soft enough that I have to strain to hear him. His touch is gentle as he runs it through Andrew's hair. He pulls the upset boy closer to him, dropping his head so he can whisper into the boy's ear. I can't catch what he says, but whatever it is causes Andrew to straighten and offer the dark haired boy a small smile.

"Um... I didn't mean to..." I don't finish my sentence as I rub my arm awkwardly. I don't know why I even decided to talk. I felt I had to though. I did it without thinking.

"It's okay, Jamie," Andrew smiles at me, hardly any trace of the sad boy there except for the slight melancholy twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Give me a hug so you can make it all better." He holds his arms out for me and I hesitantly take a few steps towards him before finally wrapping my arms around his waist. I've never been the best at hugging people and it shows at the loose hanging of my arms. Andrew doesn't seem to notice though as he gives me a tight squeeze.

He hums. "You smell good. Hey, Isaac, you don't think the ice cream has melted by now do you?" Andrew pulls away from me, his happy demeanor back once again as he stares at Isaac, wide eyed.

"Shit. I told you we should get it when he was in the car with us." Isaac slaps himself in the forehead.

"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise. It's probably all melted and disgusting by now." He grins. "Hey, I'll race you back to the car." Andrew takes off running immediately, not seeming the slightest bit affected by my heavy backpack on his shoulders as he weaves in and out of the crowd.

"He's so childish." Isaac shakes his before turning his green eyes to me. "He didn't even say go. That's cheating." With that he's gone, running to catch up to Drew.

I watch as they get farther and farther away, smiling slightly as I watch the two men I had not known existed laugh as Andrew almost trips while trying to look back at Isaac.

I don't understand how quickly they jumped into the running game. I guess it's a sibling thing. I can hardly see them anymore, and I wonder if they've forgotten about me. Before I can completely lose them they both stop, now by the door, and turn to me. They wave me over. They didn't forget.

I smile as I begin running, not caring about the irritated stares I get as I weave through people.

I need to catch up to them. Isaac and Andrew.

My two strangers of brothers.