Her Brother's Best Friend - Aching Hearts Series #2

Chapter 19 - Love sucks

this is a bit of a filler chapter,but serves right to their feelings

like always,please,leave a comment :)

CHAPTER 19 - LOVE SUCKS

Dean stood awkwardly at the living room door, nervous, anxious, his cheeks flushed as all those people stared at him. A pair of forest green eyes in particular seemed to want to blow his head off. Not even Emily beside him could get him to calm down. 

It was supposed to be a hangout between friends, why were all those people questioning him as if he was taking her out on a date? Sure, the idea of being all alone with her at the zoo felt fantastic and definitely worth this moment, but still.

"You're Vanessa's brother, right?" Mr. Robinson asked, surly, and Dean nodded anxiously. The man stood, making the boy want to flee because of how frightening he looked in his height. Mr. Robinson was pretty much an older version of his son, just with more beard, which Jason shaved regularly, Gwen not liking the gruff touch of it on her skin, the man was in his early fifties, his dark brown hair that resembled Emily's was starting to get strands of grey, his ongoing scowl made him look like a really harsh man, but in truth, his wife knew he was grouchy only on the surface. Just like Jason after all.

Dean gulped as the man got closer, hands stuffed in his pockets, studying him as if he was this weird animal that had just entered his house. Emily stood there, annoyed at this never-ending scrutiny she was sure poor Dean would get, considering her father was just as much overprotective as Jason.

It was a wonder why hadn't her brother said anything actually. But what worried her the most were those forest green eyes across the room, which held such harshness and sorrow that she was squirming underneath his gaze, wondering why didn't anybody notice.

After she'd slipped away from him in the kitchen, she'd avoided him at all costs, even texted Dean to ask if he could come earlier, and he'd agreed, therefore there he was now, half past two pm, the contentment for having been, say, summoned by his crush all gone as soon as he'd stepped into that living room full with people that seemed to think he was actually there to kidnap Emily other than just hang out with her a little, as friends.

As friends. She'd cared to underline that. This afternoon they'd spend together was friendly, nothing more. It might have looked like a date, but it wasn't. And judging by the death stare he was receiving from the dark blonde guy across the room, only Emily was convinced about that.

Dean was bombarded with questions about himself and what would they do, to which he answered warily, almost hoping for Emily to point out that theirs wasn't a date, but ... apparently, she was too distracted by her favorite person. 

Pretty much a guinea pig, wasn't he? Dean thought. It was worth it, though. Even if she wanted to hang out with him only to avoid that guy, it was worth it. At least he'd spend some time with his Emily. Maybe he could pull it off and gain more than her friendship.

In the end, after the interrogation, Mr. Robinson gave him a small smile and Dean squinted his eyes at the vigor of the man's pat on his shoulder. "Well, have fun, guys." Mr. Robinson wished them, but his small smile soon turned into a frown he directed at Dean: "Keep your hands to yourself. Alright?" Dean nodded, frightened, not relaxing even when the man pulled back, smiling fully.

Sybil was watching the scene, half amused, but she was also perusing someone in particular, someone that seemed to be about to blow up, judging by how his jaw was tightening and how harsh his stare was, till he just leaped to his feet and startled everyone with a harsh: "Time to leave."

Mrs. Evans asked her son why the rush, but he didn't reply, just curtly said his goodbyes to everyone, and then left, walking past Emily and Dean, not shouldering the boy for a mere inch, careful to slam the door by good measure.