FORBIDDEN TIES {My brother's best friend}

Chapter 2

                     ~~SELENA~~

I gasped as I watched Cyrus roll up his sleeves, ready to tackle the dishes.

  "Thank you, Cyrus," my mom said, and Cyrus's smile lit up the room. Mom shot me a knowing look before exiting the kitchen, leaving just the two of us.

I nervously fidgeted, not sure what to do with myself now that it was just me and Cyrus.

  "Uh, do you need some help?" I offered, my eyes fixed on the plates rather than his face.

"No," he replied, his voice barely audible his focus on the task at hand as he began washing the dishes.

I couldn't help but admire him as he worked, every movement seeming effortlessly graceful. Was everything he did somehow sexy? Even washing dishes?

Oh, crap! What was I supposed to do now? He barely even talks, and I didn't want to embarrass myself. But standing there in awkward silence wasn't an option either.

Feeling a bit deflated, I tried again, determined not to let the silence swallow me whole.

  "So, uh, do you like... music?" I asked, grasping at straws for conversation.But Cyrus remained silent, his response limited to the rhythmic clinking of plates as he washed them. 

Did he hear me or he just chooses to not answer me at all. Oh, I think he didn't hear me. Oh...lord. I am so embarrassed right now.

  It was like talking to a brick wall. Realizing that my attempts at conversation were futile, I resigned myself to silence, awkwardly fidgeting as Cyrus continued with his task. It was going to be a long evening.

As I retreated to my room, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions consumed me. I couldn't shake the feeling of unease regarding Cyrus. Did he not notice me, or worse, did he actively avoid me?

But then logic intervened. Of course, he noticed me. I'm Ezra's sister, a constant presence in their lives. He must see me every day, right?

I collapsed onto my bed, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me. Despite my attempts to distract myself, my mind stubbornly returned to Cyrus, his image overshadowing everything else.

Sure, I've had relationships with other guys, albeit discreetly, without my brothers' knowledge. I'm no stranger to romantic entanglements.

Yet, Cyrus remained an enigma. Rarely seen with other girls, the sight of him with someone else on my first day of college felt like a stab to the heart, each beat echoing with pain.

I've harbored this crush on him since I was six, for crying out loud. Age difference be damned; he was cute, and I found myself gravitating towards any opportunity to catch a glimpse of him. And my brothers? They've always been fiercely protective, shielding me from harm and heartache.

But now, as I lay in my room, All I thought about was the day Cyrus would actually talk to me.

As I stood up from my bed, a sense of resignation washed over me. Maybe Cyrus was simply into girls his own age. After all, he's 22 and in his last year of college. It made sense, but it didn't make the sting of rejection any less painful.

At least there was a silver lining—I'd be attending the same school as him. Perhaps being in closer proximity would provide an opportunity to get to know him better.

Shaking off my thoughts, I sluggishly pulled on my clothes before heading straight to the bathroom. A cool bath sounded like just the remedy I needed after the awkward encounter in the kitchen.

~~

My dad always insisted that we stay in our family home, even though my brothers were in college. He believed in the importance of family and wanted us to have our own space only after completing our education.