Keeping Us Apart

Flowerbomb (4)

*Joel's POV*

It's good to have my little sister here in Australia with me. She had mentioned several times to me how much she wanted to be on her own again and I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to help her get back on her feet. The loss of her job is an unfortunate blow for Hudson, but I've got more faith in her than she does in herself. Besides, what kind of sibling would I be if I just left her to fend for herself? She'd find something eventually, but I wasn't about to sit around and let her flounder.

Today is supposed to be all about showing Hudson around her new home. In the week she's been here already we've accomplished a load of absolutely nothing. But Hudson and the guys have been using the free time to get acquainted. Both Ryan and Dan have told me how much we are alike. But I see more of our dad in her than anything else. They both have the same emerald green eyes. I took after my mother with my own dark ones, and every time I look at Hudson I can't help but see our father. Something gives me the fiercest need to protect her. And so when I see all of the lingering glances Ahren gives her, I feel my gut tighten. Ahren and Hudson? I try to shake the thought out of my head. No, no. I'm imagining things. I must be.

"Joel," says Dan suddenly as he pokes his head into my room, snapping my attention to him.

"Yeah?" I turn in my desk chair to face him.

"Hudson wants to know if you'll be ready to go soon."

"I'm coming," I say as I get up out of the rolling chair and lean to grab my shoes from their spot beside me.

"I'll tell her." Dan disappears and I hear his footsteps as he heads back down the hallway. After I've stuffed my feet into my shoes I follow, shutting my bedroom door behind me and walking towards the living room. I emerge to Ahren and Hudson sitting together on the couch, Hudson laughing at something Ahren says. Dan and Ryan are having a mini jam session a few feet away.

"You guys ready to go?" I ask loud enough to get everyone's attention. "We don't want to catch traffic, yeah?"

"Yup," replies Hudson, standing up and walking over to me with a smile. "We can go wait for the others in the car." She stuffs her phone into her back pocket and looks at me expectantly.

"Sure, sure, meet us in the car." I say to the guys. Ahren nods and stuffs a hat onto his head.

"And hurry up," adds Hudson, grabbing my car keys off the bookcase and tossing them in my direction. They smack me in the chest before I thrust my hand out and catch them, saving them from jingly merrily to the floor. Laughter comes from my lips as I turn to open the front door, shutting it behind me as Hudson and I walk out into the hallway. We board the elevator and come out into the lemon-scented hallway then into the warm sunny day. My sister turns her face up into the warmth and smiles, looking truly happy, which is really all I can ask for in life. I dig my thumb into the unlock button on my keys and hear the doors click.

Thankfully we only wait a minute or two before the rest of our group comes shuffling out of the glass front doors of the building and head toward my car, Dan behind me, Ahren in the middle, and Ryan behind Hudson. I roll the windows down a little and turn up the volume on the radio, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of an old rock song.

*Hudson's POV*

The skunky smell of pot fills the air around me as Ahren lights up a joint. I look immediately sideways to my brother, who I think for a moment is going to have a fit about Ahren smoking in Cherry because Joel glares at his friend through the rear view mirror.

"Hey, roller always sparks!"

"Sorry, sorry, here," says Ahren, passing the joint up. Joel takes it and inhales deeply, then passes it to me before putting both hands back on the wheel. Funny. Smokes pot but drives safe. I smile at that. Lifting the paper up to my lips I take a deep breath and hold for a moment before exhaling the flavorful smoke. I hit it once more before passing it behind me to Ryan, Ahren catching my gaze and giving me the littlest of smiles, but I know it's meant for me. My stomach gives a dip and I force myself to smile back before turning back in my seat, wondering what that was for.