Confiding in You ϟ a.i.

Chapter 1

"Can you get your feet off the dashboard?" My older brother Cooper's angry voice booms throughout the car as he speeds down the highway. It's clear that he's going much faster than he should be, but that's the least of my worries right now.

Coming back to the east after three years of living in California and the idea that I have to return to school with people I completely cut off communication with soon is enough to make me want to vomit. I suppose getting in a car wreck and having to delay that from happening wouldn't be so bad.

I smirk up at him from my book despite the anxiety I've been feeling since I boarded the plane hours ago, not responding to his request. He shakes his head and glances at me irritatedly before attempting to push my feet down himself. He fails, though, and lets out a sigh.

"Could you be any more rude, Maddie?" He says through his teeth, clearly trying not to start an argument with me just yet. I only just got to Ohio an hour ago and you would think he'd be more welcoming. I know he didn't miss me much, even though I didn't visit once in all that time. He didn't hug me when I came out of the terminal, or anything.

"What about you?" I ask, trying to comprehend the page I just read in The Scarlet Letter for the twelfth time, "I'm trying to read and you're yelling at me."

"You also have your damned bare feet on mom's dashboard and refuse to take them down."

"Whatever," I roll my eyes and give in to his wishes. I don't exactly want to start a fight with my brother right now either.

In the three years I've been living with my dad, Cooper hasn't changed at all. He's grown significantly taller and is 18 now instead of 15, but he's still a pain in my ass. We didn't have a great relationship when we were younger at all. I'm hoping that could change since we're both older and everything, but it doesn't look like it's going to be that way.

We pull into our driveway faster than I thought we would, thanks to his reckless driving. A groan involuntarily escapes my lips when I realize I've only made it a few pages into my summer reading. I only have two weeks left to do it all and that's additional stress I just don't need. I regret staying in California for as long as I did this summer because I just delayed everything that had to do with Ohio while I was there. California and Ohio are both places I don't want to be, anyway.

Without another word to me, Cooper gets out of the car and rushes to the small house in front of us. He doesn't even offer to help with my bags, which are quite the burden on me alone. I shouldn't be surprised, though. I was lucky he helped me load them into the car. Hell, I was lucky he didn't leave me stranded at the airport.

I hastily pull all of my bags out of the back seat and struggle to make it to the door, where my mother is waiting to greet me. You'd think she would help me at least, but nope. She only stands and watches from the house, which seems miles away with these suitcases in my hands.

Thankfully, she takes all of them and sets them down inside as soon as I successfully manage to make the trek. My cheeks flush as I watch how excited she is to see me. Once the bags are on the floor she engulfs me in a big hug that surprises me, but I politely return.

I think she has forgotten the huge fight we got into right before I left to live with my dad. They had gotten divorced and when given the choice, I decided to move with him. I thought I needed a change in scenery, but she took it much more to heart than I intended. Instead of leaving on terms that would allow us to keep touch, I left after a night of screaming and crying, which only led me to cut her off just like everyone else. Her memory lapse on the subject might be a good thing, but it's no less awkward than if she greeted me with a scowl and silence.