Lies

Chapter 20:

"Iris, what is this all about?" My youngest brother demanded coming into our house and setting down his bags. He had packed light, meaning he didn't plan on staying long. I looked at him with a expression that scolded him. At only twenty-four, it seemed he still needed some guidance in his life.

"Come on in, Apollo." I said, leading him into the living room and sitting him down on our couches. He huffed and put a hand through his blonde hair that was styled just like Colton's. I sat down next to him and looked down at the floor.

Apollo was the first one to arrive among my siblings which was surprising. Either he wanted to get out of his classes or he just wanted to be with family. I couldn't tell; not with my youngest brother who had a ten year difference on me. He had texted back right away and said he was coming, not even asking why I had asked him to come in the first place. He had always been that way. His whole heart was pure and didn't own a bit of darkness. He had always been sweet and I often thought that he had swallowed a bunch of sweets when he was younger and that they still sat in his stomach, not decomposing but influencing his attitude.

"Seriously though, Iris." Apollo said, turning his green eyes towards me. I looked into them and grabbed his hand that lay on his leg. His eyes were the color of the grass after the snow has melted; a green that was a shade lighter than my own. It wasn't an ugly color but it did give him character that I'm sure his girlfriend loved about him.

"I will let you know when everyone comes." I stated, patting his hands with the rustle of my black and gold bracelets. "In the meantime, tell me about your new girl."

"Her name is Veronica. She's studying criminal justice." Apollo said with an almost far-off look that suggested that he was thinking about her. I could tell the love he had for this girl and I squeezed his hand, giving him a smirk.

The doorbell rang. I stood up, Apollo looking up at the door. I walked to it, opening it up to reveal my brother Beckham and Luna. Her face was etched with concern and they both were carrying two suitcases that looked heavy. Beckham stared into our house, looking around before stepping inside.

"Why is this so urgent?" Luna asked as if I was going to tell her news of bad health or a loss and not something dealing with my father. Her own eyes traveled the living room of the house, frantically, hoping to find something out of place.

"I need everyone here first." I replied, tucking a strand of dirty blonde hair behind my ear. I had it straight today, something that was out of the ordinary. But I guess that everything in my life wasn't "ordinary" anymore. It all became something I couldn't recognize like trying to look at something far away. You could see it but not all the details that made it up.

"Well, it sounds like something terrible happened and now I want to know what." Luna stated, walking into the house. She touched her forehead as if answers would just fly at her but of course they didn't it so she smoothed her thick, dark hair back.

"She won't say anything." Apollo said from the couch. I turned towards Apollo who was now standing and seemed to have found a drink from the kitchen. It sat in his hand and I watched as he swished it around to mix it up.

"Apollo! So good to see you, brother!" Beckham exclaimed, talking for the first time he had walked through the door. I closed the door and watched as Beckham walked to Apollo. He gave him one of those man hugs where they shook each other's hands and then clapped each other's backs in a hug.

I turned back towards Luna whose eyes had been watching the conversation between Apollo and her husband. I touched her arm, finally getting a response from her. She looked my way, jingling her long earrings that sat in her ears, almost dragging along the skin with it.