Secrets

Chapter 3

"What do you mean I can't go outside?!" I shout, absolutely livid. "I was just gonna go to the store and get some juice!"

"You heard me, Rose, I said no!" Noah fires back, just as fiercely. "I don't want you going out alone anymore and I have to leave in like, five minutes! Just stay here and I'll get some juice on my way home fro-"

"I'm not a little kid, Noah! I can walk to the store!"

"No!"

"But-"

"No!"

Stepping back into the living room, I let the screen door swing shut and glare at my elder brother, absentmindedly gripping my right arm tightly.

It's a bad habit, but it's better than throwing something like I used to do when I got mad.

"Look, I get that things in the city have been pretty bad lately, but that's no reason to put me under lock down Noah! I'm perfectly capable of going to the store by myself!"

"You're still a kid, Rose, and I don't want you going out there with those psychopaths driving around trying to plow people over!"

Pulling his black tie out a bit to loosen it, Noah then grabs his briefcase and walks over to stand before me.

"I know you've been getting more and more into that dang rebellious stage, but you're just going to have to suck it up and trust me." He sighs. "It's too dangerous!"

"But between everyone you, Ryan, and Vanessa know, I can't even make it two feet out the door without someone watching me! It's not like I'd really be going out al-"

"You know what?" Noah groans, glancing down to his watch. "I don't have time for this. You wanna keep arguing with me, Rose, then I'm just going to ground you."

"What?!" I gasp, my eyes widening with disbelief.

"You are not allowed to leave this house except for school, and even then, not without someone walking with you, from this moment until I decide otherwise. Got it?"

Flashing me a look when I don't respond, Noah shakes his head and strides past me, leaving me alone with the silence of the house and the echo of the door slamming shut in his wake.

"He...put me under a practical house arrest." I whisper, still too shocked to move from where I stand.

I'm used to my brother's over-protectiveness, and I'm used to him being strict...but to ground me just for wanting to go to the store and get some groceries...

"Are you kidding me?!"

Flinging my hand out, I grab the first thing it touches -a book from the entertainment stand shelves- and fling it across the room.

My breathing labored slightly, I straighten up and wipe a few tears from my eyes as shame washes over me.

"I'm not a little kid anymore...I can't keep throwing tantrums."

Glancing back to the door, a small smile takes my lips then as a thought occurs to me.

A smile that quickly turns into a rebellious smirk.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt me."

Heading up the stairs, I run to Noah's room, and waste no time in pushing his door open.

Stepping into the large bedroom, I ignore how perfectly clean it is (as always), and glance over the neat brown blankets on his bed, which rests in the corner.