Anti-Academy

Been Missing You

I've just finished pulling my socks on when I hear the car door slam. Jumping on one foot I try to finish putting my sock on and make it to my bedroom door. Failing miserably I end up falling down in the hall. Scrambling up I race down the back stairs and rush out the side door by the garage.

Running in sock feet I race around the side of the house to meet my brother and sister. Only pausing once they're in sight. Marie is hold two bags trying to stacking them in Max's already full arms.

How long are they staying?! Why would anyone need that many bags?!

Marie squeals in delight at seeing me dropping all her bags on Max's feet. I giggle when I see his expression just before I'm enveloped in the warmest hug. She smells like jasmine and lily her favorite soap. Marie smells like coming home. I squeeze her tightly wanting so badly to absorb that feeling and store it for later.

Grumbling Max drops his bags and heads toward us seeing as we aren't moving. Soon I'm surrounded by an overwhelming sense of warmth and safety. The tears prick me eyes and begin running down my cheeks unchecked.

A few seconds later, I hear sniffling from Marie and lots of manly throat clearing from Max. It's so much like old times I begin to giggle uncontrollably. Soon all three of us are laughing so hard our side are hurting.

Eventually we manage to pull our selves together long enough to pick up the bags and head inside.

Mother is standing in the entryway with tears in her eyes as she greets the twins. She fawns all over them, bombarding them with questions about how long they will stay, the work that brought them home, how the jobs have been going and what's new in each of their lives.

I stand back by the luggage they dropped just outside the living room. When I go unnoticed for several minutes I grab two bags in each hand and start up the stairs without making a sound.

I'm making the third trip up the stairs when I suddenly feel the bag leaving my hands. Turning suddenly I meet Max's confused gaze.

"Sang, you aren't our maid. I was going to carry the bags up myself." He looks at me with a question in his eyes. I don't know exactly what it is he is trying to see but I hope fiercely that he doesn't see my secrets.

I shrug as though it doesn't matter and turn to head back up the stairs. He follows quietly and I can feel his heavy gaze on my back. Making the scars and bruises burn. I hold back the urge to reach back and fidget with my shirt making sure it is covering everything beneath. Self-consciously I try to sense if I've bled through the bandages to my shirt. He gestures to his room and when I don't enter first he nudges me with his bag. Not expecting the jolt I fly forwards. I brace myself for impact but feel strong arms wrap around me.

"Sang! Are you ok? I didn't mean to shove you that hard." Max exclaims turning me around and running his hands over me like he's checking for injuries. I hold back the whimpers and the flinches when his hands rover over several tender spots. I push his hands away trying to act like I'm just as ticklish as ever.

Suddenly Mother is at the top of the stairs. "What'd Sang do now?!" She stomps towards us angrily.

Max looks up confused and then looks down at me. I feel his gaze on my face yet don't even try to look up. I don't know what to expect right now.

"Mom, no. I almost pushed Sang down when I knocked my suitcase into her. It's ok though, no ones hurt." Max says quickly just as Mother makes it to us.

"Well Sang knows it was an accident. Don't you, Sang?" Mother questions defensively. I nod quickly before she continues; "Sang, I've told you before to stay out of people's way. If you got hurt it's no ones fault but your own. Now come Max let's go finish catching up. Sang can see to your bags." She turns and begins heading down the stairs again. She's half way down before she realizes Max isn't following her but is just staring after her dumbfounded. "Well Max are you coming? I rarely get to see you! I have no idea what my only son is up to these days." She says intentionally trying to guilt him into following her.

"I'll be down in a minute I just wanted to grab something from my bag."  Max wraps his hand gently around my arm to prevent me from moving. "Sang offered to help me find the right bag." He watches Mother nod and walk down the stairs. Then he turns and walks into his room quickly pulling me behind him.

Shutting the door quietly, he softly engages the lock before turning to me.

"Sang." That one word threatens the dam that holds my emotions tightly in check. Trying not to react in the slightest I make my way towards the queen size bed and sit down softly.

"Sang, is everything ok? Is that normal? Does she always talk to you like that?!" Max moves closer his fingers running anxiously through his dark hair before he kneels in front of me.

I look at his handsome face. His dark hair, dark complexion and bright green eyes are just a few of the striking differences between us.

"Max, calm down. She's just mad at me right now." I say softly laying my hands gently on top of his that rests on my knees. "I broke one of her serving bowls yesterday. Apparently it was sentimental. She's still not forgiven me for being so clumsy, that's all." I paste a smile on my face and watch his expression. 

When I see the relief clearly on his face, my stomach curls tightly with regret and a little disappointment. A tiny part of me had so hoped he would see through the lies and the facade.

"Good, I got so worried. I don't want you to think it's ever ok for anyone to talk to you like that when you've done nothing wrong."  Max rises and sits beside me. "She must have really liked that bowl." He murmurs in thought.

I hum my agreement not wanting to lie more than I have to. Not that it matters much what I did she'd still hate me.

He wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. "I've really missed you, Sang. How are your studies going?"

"So Well. I know several languages now and I have a fairly good idea on how to do a lot of stuff." I look up to see him role his eyes. "Maybe one day I'll get to use all this worthless knowledge in my head."

"Ahh. I remember that feeling. Always thinking learning is useless and that you'll never just get out in the world and just explore." He looks down into my eyes cupping the side of my face. "Sang. It's less than a year and a half more. Then you'll get to decide what you want to do with your life. Have you thought about it? Where you want to go, what you want to do?"

I shake my head. "I just want to go." I whisper quietly looking out his big bay window. It over looks the back yard so you can see the woods full of fall trees that go down the hill behind our house to the little creek that disappears into the tree line.

I don't realize that I've moved at all until Max's hand covers my own against the glass of  the window.

"Ok, Sang. We will go. Anywhere you want. We will go." He whispers quietly and just quietly stands with me looking out at the world.