Thorn (n.h)

VII

Liam and I get our bags to his car and begin a quick check to ensure we have everything.

"Rose," I hear someone call. I know the accent and feel a ping of anger.

I turn and see Niall coming to Liam and I. "Rose, let me talk to you."

"I'm leaving," I say and open Liam's shotgun door.

"I want to say I'm sorry about how I acted," Niall says and holds my arm.

"Well you don't have to break my arm over it," I say and jerk away. Niall holds his hands up in defense.

"Sorry," he says and Liam pokes his head out of the drivers seat and over the top of the car.

"Are you coming?" Liam gripes and I nod.

"Why don't you come with us?" I ask and rub my arms to keep them warm.

"No way," Niall says and takes some paper out of his pocket. "here's my number if you need something."

I take the paper, "where are you staying?"

"My apartment," he ushers me in the car and closes the door before walking away.

"What was that about?" Liam asks after we get off campus.

"It's nothing," I respond and we stay quiet for the entire 3 hour drive home.

~

It's 2AM when Liam drops me off at my house. I let myself in and it's deathly silent.

"Hello?" I call out for anybody to answer me.

Nothing.

"Mom?" I call again and set my bags on the couch. "Daddy?" I say and still nothing. "Adam?" I call for my brother once I'm up the stairs.

"Damn Rose stop yelling for once in your life," Adam comes out if his room, he's grown.

"Where's mom and dad?" I ask after releasing my brother.

"I got home 30 minutes ago, I don't know either," he says and leads me back down the stairs. my head begins to race. What if they're hurt?

"Where were you?" I ask and turn into the kitchen.

"With some friends," he says and takes a bite of an apple.

I freeze momentarily before pouring some tea.

"I know what you're thinking and they're much better than them," Adam says quietly.

"Lets find our parents." We look high and low before Adam calls our mother. While he waits for her to pick up I watch him. He looks good, better than he did when he was in college. His hair is shorter, he has a small beard and mustache, but looks good.

"They aren't answering," Adam says and looks at me.

"What do we do?" I ask and lean on the counter.

"Well, I guess if they aren't here in the morning we'll call someone," Adam shrugs.

"Why aren't you at your house?" I ask.

"Eviction," he admits and looks at me, "how's college?"

"You remember college, Adam. Study study study," i laugh, that's not his college experience at all.

"Glad I graduated," he says and stands.

"I'll wait on the couch for them," I say and start for the stairs.

"I will, you need sleep," Adam says and walks me to my room.

It looks exactly the same as it did from August. Stuffed animals are scattered across my bed, clothes litter the floor. I add to the mess and undress myself. My clothes drop and I flop onto the bed, throwing bears off and climbing under the sheets.