CHERRY WINE (ON HOLD)

chapter six

past

MILO CURLED TIGHTER UNDER HIS BLANKETS.

doing his utmost to block out the relentless thumps echoing against his bedroom door. each heavy knock echoed through the silence, a stark reminder that someone was on the other side. he suspected it was either his half-brother or his father, but he was quiet certain his father was at work, which left only vince looming outside.right then, the thought of engaging with his brother felt unbearable. milo was simply not in the right frame of mind.

there were those days when he felt an overwhelming urge to retreat into his room, as if he could vanish into the shadows. no one, including himself, quite understood this urge. he would sink deeper into the folds of his blankets, allowing time to drift away as he lay there, inert and listless — refusing to eat, to sleep, to rise, or even to acknowledge anyone who might enter.

in stark contrast to this despair, milo felt a growing appreciation for his father. the man's unwavering support and genuine efforts to help milo feel at home struck a comforting chord within him. vince, on the other hand, meant well but often struggled to grasp the depths of milo's feelings. while milo held no resentment towards him, there were times when vince's attempts to connect felt more like a tidal wave of expectation.

as the thumps continued, each one a part of a nagging persistence, milo rolled himself up tighter, like a worm retreating into its hideaway. after several moments of silence punctuating the rhythmic knocks, he finally detected a shift—a gentle creak of the door as vince cautiously unlocked it and peered inside, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"dad left a little while ago," vince said as he glanced around the dimly lit bedroom. "he left some waffles for you and said he'd be back later. he also said he loved you. are you feeling okay?" his voice was filled with concern as he peppered milo with questions.milo, however, didn't respond. instead, he turned his gaze away from vince, fixating instead on the blank wall across the room, lost in his own thoughts. it was clear that something was weighing heavily on him.

"listen," vince continued, trying to break through the silence, "i'm going to hang out with my friends soon, and i thought maybe you'd like to come along. you've been cooped up in your room all week, and i think a change of scenery would do you good," vince felt a mix of hope and certainty that milo might not reply.

"i'll be heading out in about five minutes," he added, trying to sound encouraging. "it would really mean a lot to me if you could come and meet my friends. they've heard so much about you and are really curious to see who you are. plus, they have some really cool racing cars and i know you'd love to check out," vince said, stretching out the last part of his sentence with a smile, hoping to pique milo's interest.

and as he expected milo was particularly interested at the final part. milo missed the street races, the incredible cars, and the underground—as he enjoyed racing. milo enjoyed working on cars. he loved everything about vehicles, and when he initially went to america, he was worried that his enthusiasm for cars would die, much like that of his mother.

milo lifted his head, his curls in disarray. "what kind of cars are we talking about?" he asked vince, the older brother. vince shrugged casually. "you'll have to see them for yourself," he replied with a smile.

"i'll be down in three!" milo declared, jumping out of bed and almost stumbling over his own feet. vince chuckled and stepped out of the room, giving his brother the space he needed. bedroom.

"SO WHAT'S BRAZIL LIKE?"
the fair-haired boy inquired, his curiosity evident in his bright blue eyes as he looked at milo. milo tilted his head back to gaze at the vast expanse of the sky, where the sun cast a warm glow, and a wide grin spread across his face. vince had brought them both to the toretto home, which was buzzing with excitement, where the tantalizing aroma of grilled meat and the laughter of friends filled the air. it was clear that grilling and sipping on cold beers were a common tradition among the group.