My brothers best friend

Eye of the tiger

Telling Ashton I had sex with Austin seemed to take a bad turn. I had no idea how hard it would be to tell a stranger that you had sex with a stranger.

"You what? Austin? Austin Kydd?" He looked at me deeply.

"Yeah, Michael thought I was a virgin anyway. He also may be mad because I did it to get back at him."

"What did he do?"

"He was having loud sex with some slut and told me to leave. So I did what I was told to. I didn't come back until the next day."

"Well, he has every right to be pissed off. You let your brother sit up all night worried, he doesn't know you Ari. It isn't his fault, it's yours! You left, you chose your dad and look what happened!?"

The nice kind Ashton was no longer the boy I met. He was angry and annoyed. He didn't seem understanding anymore. He seemed horrible and un friendly.

"Ashton!"

We looked up and saw Michael standing there with a girl stood behind him. I looked at them and backed away into a corner.

"Whats going on?" He looked between us both.

"I told him why you asked him here." I muttered.

"Wha-" his eyes grew wide in realisation. "No, no, no. I was going to tell him that we're going on a double date tonight."

I looked at him then walked closer. I stood at the bottom of the stairs and the girl who stood behind him blushed.

"Well, can I go to my room now?" I snapped.

"What? That's all you're going to say? You loose your virginty because I had sex. Do you how stupid it sounds?"

"I'm not a virgin Michael. I never was, I was 14 when I lost it." I mumbled.

Now Michael was getting really mad. I heard Ashton run over and up the stairs pushing the girl into a bedroom and coming back down.

"Dude, don't say anything you'll regret." Ashton warned.

"My sisters a slut. Is that why you cut? Because people tell you the truth!?" He yelled.

I could feel myself well up as shook my head a single tear falling.

"Is it because the guy left you after? Is it?" He pushed.

"No! No okay!? We stayed together for years, we broke up two months ago because dad threatened him! He threatened to kill him!"

That's when I fell to the floor and curled up in a ball rocking back and fourth. I couldn't care less about the looks right now.

"What?" He whispered.

"Miller. He was called Miller, he was 15 so we were both under the limit, dad saw him kissing me in a pool one day and went to his house. He followed him. I wasn't allowed to do anything but run, swim and train. So when he found out I quit swimming for Miller he was angry."

"Did he trap you? Did he keep you imprisoned?"

"Kind of. I was allowed out. But only for educational related things and sports." I looked up still curled in a ball.

"I didn't know." Michael looked down at me. "I didn't know."

"That's the point." I muttered. "I like privacy. I like being alone."

"Not that alone otherwise you wouldn't have been with Miller." Ashton spoke up.

"Did Miller know?" Michael sat on the last stair.

"Yeah. Of course he did. He found out really, I didn't tell him."

"If you did swimming, how did dad not find out. Surely your swim teacher-"

"I didn't do swimming, I quit. I just went with Miller."

...

I was in bed, Michael and Ashton kept coming to check on me to make sure I was okay.

They felt bad, that was clear. But I couldn't care less. I love my brother obviously but I was in one of my moods. Another side affect of depression.

"Come on Ari, we said sorry." Michael sat on the end of my bed.

"I'm fine Michael, just go away." I muttered.

"No, not until we know you're okay." Ashton joined Michael on the edge of my bed.

"I said I'm fine."

"And we said no you're not." Mikey touched my ankle.

"Don't," I flinched away. "Touch me."

"Ari, what is wrong?"

I wish I could tell them. I wish I could say I was upset over something. But there wasn't anything. I was fine, well, kind of.

"I. Am. Fine." I spelt it out for them.

"I love you Ari, your my little sister. Please, let me help."

Michael hasn't said he's loved me since I was ten. That was only because I fell out of a tree and he tried to get me to be quiet.

"It's nothing."

They both huffed and Michael left his head drooped low.

"Okay, we'll leave you to it. But remember Mike is just as shocked as you were about all of this. He never knew about the whole dad being a arsehole thing." He rubbed my back and I didn't push him away. It felt, kind of, nice. Like he was supposed to do that. "So, cut him some slack." He then left.

The only thing left was my plain room and the smell of Mike and Ashton's fragrance mixed together as one.

...

I was feeling a little better. I was now out of bed but I was still in my room. I was about to put a cd on.

I looked through the draws that had my old CDs in. I picked up one with faves written on it. I put it on turning it up loud. It was ignition by R.Kelly.

I smiled and began tidying up my room making my bed. I was dancing and smiling as I plumped my pillows.

I began singing and rapping and getting into the song when I heard small giggles from behind me.

I stopped abruptly looking back and seeing Ashton standing behind the open door. He was smiling widely.

"I love the singing and dancing." Ashton nodded at me.

"I was cleaning my room." I blushed.

"I see you're happier now." He walked in.

"A little. Music is my happy place."

"Snap. It's amazing isn't it. I like drumming too though."

"You are a drummer in a band." I laughed.

"I'm an a amazing drummer. The best."

"Of course. And I'm the hottest girl in the world." I laughed.

"You could be." He looked at me.

"I'm not, trust me. There are loads of girls who are hotter than me. One of which will most likely be the girl you're taking out tonight."

"I don't trust you on ratings. You don't believe yourself. Or in yourself. Also, I'm not going out tonight. Calum is going instead."

"Why?" I asked shocked.

"I don't really like going on dates with Michael's girls."

"What are they like?"

"Big boobed, big lips, big butt and just overall fake."

"Surely that's what you like?"

"No, I like my girls the way they are. Natural and kind. I don't care about how big the boobs are or how popular they are."

I nodded in understand meant and realised that he was a nice person. He wasn't bad at all.