Ephemeral {X.T.}

𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪

𝕆𝕧𝕚𝕒 ℙ𝕖𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕤

As much as I hoped that my brother's anger would only be ephemeral, it wasn't. He stayed mad. Even when I stood behind him, waiting for our mothers. It was a pain.

"Please, Jax. Don't ignore me."

He glanced down at me. "Only for today I'll like you, but remember that I don't."

"Jax-"

"You fucked up, Ovia."

"And I'm sorry-"

"But saying sorry a million times won't change that."

"What will?"

"At the moment, nothing."

"Jax, please..."

He sighed. "You kept it from me," he said, looking down at me. "He's my best friend, Ovia. He kept it from me."

"And if we had told you?" I asked, making him sigh. "If we had told you since the beginning? Would you have been alright with it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I know him, and I know you."

I sighed. "Jax, I know what happened in the past wasn't quite the ideal story to tell, but that doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. I can date. I can love. He can love me. He can care for me. I won't be like that again. I know I won't." 

"Because you've stopped smoking?" he frowned, looking down at me. "Because you're 'more political' now? Does Xavier even know what happened to you before you came to Nevermore? Does he know anything about you before you stepped through those gates?" he asked, pointing to the main gates. "Does he even know you at all?" 

I looked down, before at the arriving cars. "He doesn't, no."

"Are you ever going to tell him, or is going to continue knowing a lie?" 

I looked up at Ajax, a bit in disbelief, but when I saw him look on, and plaster on smile, I knew our conversation was over. So, I also put on a smile, before a car parked in front of us. The doors opened, and momma got out, with her wife not so far behind her. Ajax and I both welcomed them with bright smiles. 

"Oh, my babies!" Momma greeted, nearly suffocating me as she wrapped her arms around us. "Where's Xavier, Jax?" 

Ajax glanced at me, practically asking me. I shrugged. I didn't even know momma knew Xavier. 

"Probably somewhere. We'll find him later, momma." 

She smiled brightly. "Alright. In we go! In we go!"

~

Sitting down at the table, I stared at the plate of food in front of me. It angered me that they'd suddenly serve us vegan food because the parents are here, but if they aren't, we have to avoid the meat in the food they always give us. It's frustrating. 

"Ajax told me you made friends," Carol, momma's wife, smiled. "How are they?"

"They're nice," I smiled. "Bianca, Enid, Wednesday, Yoko. They're really sweet."

"And the burn?" momma asked, pointing to my wrist. "Much better?" she asked.

I smiled. "Yes, momma. Almost fully healed, but there will stay scars." 

"Oh, that's a pity," Carol sighed. "Such beautiful skin ruined. I hope the girl who caused that fire was expelled!" 

I looked at Ajax, who just shook his head. "Unfortunately, not. Although everyone knows who it was, her hands are clean. No evidence, nothing."