In Too Deep (CrankGameplays)

18

Skye

I smiled to myself as I waited for my suitcase. The conveyor belt slowly shifted along carrying everyone's belongings. I picked up my bag as it came towards me. It was midday here and everything was moving quickly around me. We did this every year. My brother and I would fly home to see our mom on her birthday. We'd stay for a few days, visit dads grave and then go home.

I saw my brother standing by the exit smiling at me. I took a run up and hugged him really tightly. he hugged back just as tight and we just stood there, embracing each other.

"Hi, Alex. I've missed you," I laughed and messed up his hair.

"Me too. But we have an hour long drive and mom is waiting in the car, so let's go." He grabbed my suitcase and I followed him to the car. He put my suitcase in the back and I got into the car. He got in as well.

"Hi, mom. How have you been going?" I asked, trying to make small talk with her. She didn't really talk much. Unless it was about the newest and most expensive items.

"Oh, good. We got the pool replaced with a smaller one. And Maddie just finished school for good. She's looking for colleges to go to," She boasted about my sister. "Staying in LA for those few days really helped her with stress. What's been going on with you?"

Just as I went to open my mouth, my phone went off. I pulled it out of my bag and my fingertips grazed over the photos of Ethan and I. I looked at the message.

Hey. I'm guessing you got there safe. Enjoy yourself, but don't get too drunk.
-Ethan Nestor

I smiled at the message and threw my phone back into my bag.

"I got a promotion and moved house," I replied, making sure to leave Ethan entirely out of it. I knew that I'd never hear the end of it otherwise. My phone went off again and I dug it out of my bag.

And you left your keys in my car
-Ethan Nestor

"Wow I'm an idiot,"  I mumbled, looking at the message.

"Ha! Knew it!" Alex joked. "What did you do?"

"I left my keys in my friend's car," I answered, truthfully. My brother lost it in the front seat. "Stop laughing at my misfortunes, asshole."

"Language, Skye. Stop laughing, Alex. Tell me more about whats been happening in LA. I've had enough of Alex and his schooling." My mom looked at me through the mirror. "Like who's your friend?"

"Well, his name is Ethan and I met him about two months ago. Maddie might remember him actually. He helped me move house and dropped me off at the airport this morning." My phone went off again and I looked down at it. I had been tagged in an Instagram post of Ethan's. I opened Instagram to look at the photo. It was the Polaroid.

Dropped my friend off at the airport today. Enjoy New York, Skye.
-@CrankGameplays

He had put it on twitter just as I got on the plane and I was partly not wanting to read the comments. I looked back up at my mom.

"Besides, it's not like its a new thing, me leaving things with him. First, it was my laptop, three times. And then it was my phone." She laughed. Alex turned in the front seat to look at me.

"What else? Your nudes?" He teased.

"Don't patronize me," I replied.  "And no. Only my phone, keys and laptop."

"Skye, Alex. Just stop." My mom put one of her hands up in surrender. Alex continued with the meaningless bickering.

"Skye has a boyfriend. Skye has a boyfriend. Skye has a-" I had been rummaging in my bag for something to throw at him and found a stress ball. "Hey! Skye threw this at me."

He held up the black ball of foam and mom glanced at it.

"I'm sure it didn't hurt. Just don't throw things or talk to each other for the rest of this drive. You're not ten. You are twenty-one and I don't want to crash this car,"  She sternly directed. I sat back in my seat and Alex threw the ball softly at me.

About half an hour later, I had opened up notes and typed down what I wanted to say to Alex.

How's school?

I tapped him on the shoulder and handed my phone to him. He began typing and a few seconds later he handed it back.

Good. Just sucks that I don't get an actual 'break'. Took a lot to get this week away.

I smiled and typed back.

Figures. When do you actually graduate?

I handed it back to him. He looked, typed and passed it back.

On your birthday. I move back just before mine.

"Nice. Are you going to live here?" I asked, meaning the state of New York. He laughed.

"What? In the middle of nowhere? No."

"Oh, you know what I mean. Whats happening once you permanently move back to America? are you living with mom? Getting a new place? Moving out of state? What?" I questioned.

"I was planning to stay here until I can get a job somewhere else," He explained.

"So... forever," I teased. He laughed and shook his head disapprovingly.

we sat in silence for the rest of the ride. I was on my phone for the majority of the time.  Staring with snapchatting my brother from the back seat. I think he started getting annoyed with all the notifications, because he turned his data off, which he never does. I opened Twitter to see that Ethan had tried to become verified once again, and it hadn't worked. I laughed and showed it to Alex.

"That's depressing," He admitted, turning back. I sighed and retweeted it.

I was wondering what was happening in LA right now.