Freckles

Chapter 2: Brick By Brick

Quote of the chapter:
'Sometimes people build walls, not to keep others out but to see who cares enough to take the time and tear them down.'

~*~

Three soft knocks on my door brought me out of my uncomfortable sleep. I pushed my tangled hair out of my face before my hoarse voice rang lightly in the room as I said, "Come in, Jake."

My brother carefully pushed it open and stood in the doorway with his arms crossed and his eyebrows furrowed. He wore a dark blue sweater with dark washed jeans, obviously prepared to go to work. How he managed to be productive on a day like this was a mystery to me.

He was almost a mirrored-image of my father with his dark hair and light green eyes that every time I looked at him, a pang of hurt struck my heart. They even stood the same: chin up, arms crossed tightly, chest high, and with a stance that persuaded everyone of their 'alpha male' qualities- great for the business industry.

"You look just like Dad, you know?"

A small smile crept across his face, but disappeared almost as quickly as it came. I kept my eyes on the window and saw the street lights were still on from the restless night before, but the world was still as the sun rose. To everyone else, today was any normal day. People would wake up, eat breakfast, and continue on with their lives while I could feel every piece of my sanity be stripped away from me. It amazed me how Jake could become one of those people in an instant without even thinking, while it took every nerve of my will just to get out of bed.

"How are you? Since last night- I mean."

"I'm the same as usual, just a little tired. Where are you going?"

"To work, and before you say anything-"

"I'm not making you stay home. I know you don't struggle as much as me anymore, but I want you to know that you don't always have to be so strong. You've taken care of me since they died, but I've never seen any emotion out of you. I don't know how you do it, especially today. I've only been awake five minutes and I'm ready to cry my eyes out."

His eyes looked at me tenderly before I rubbed my face with my hands, and ripped the covers off my body as I suddenly became hot.

"Just forget I said anything. I'll see you when you get home."

My feet touched the rough carpet that covered my floor which made my raw feet ache before they were soothed by the cool bathroom floor. I closed the door in an attempt to shield myself from the pain that followed me around.

'Mia you need to get over it. Move on with your life. You can't just let them keep bringing you down.'

Jake's voice edged faintly through the door. Tears streamed down my reddened cheeks when he said,

"Mia...I'm not as strong as you think I am okay? I put on a brave face because I have to. You're my little sister, so I decided a long time ago that I wasn't going to let you see me become weak. I try to be strong for the both of us. I have to keep it together for my sake too. I take care of you because I love you. You're the only family that I've got. And its okay to be sad and afraid, because I am."

A looming silence cut through the air like a knife before he finally spoke up again.

"I-...I'll see you at five okay."