Why did you-? (Tree Bros)

6

We take our seats at the table. I keep my face down in case my face is still red.

"Evan, sweetie, are you okay?" my mom asks.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I respond.

"Okay, just making sure. Could we see the poetry now?"

"Yeah, of c- of course." I take the notebook out of my lap and start flipping through to find a good one. When I find one I'm content with, I put it on the table. Everyone crowds around the book, causing me to start freaking out internally. I stay quiet though.

"Evan, can I see your book?" Zoe asks.

"Uh, yeah! I-I mean- sure."

Zoe takes the book and starts flipping through, reading over the pages as she goes. "Why are so many pages torn out?"

"Th-they weren't good so I-I ripped them out and-and I rewrote them."

She hums. "Can I read this one to everyone else?" I look at which one she's referring to.

"Y-yeah, just, in the other room p-please?"

She nods and everyone trails behind her on their way to the living room. Everyone except Connor.

I sit back in my seat and start picking at my food. "I really am sorry," Connor says. "I just...sometimes I don't know when to stop and even if I'm told there's something in me that doesn't want to stop. It scares me sometimes."

"It's f-fine Connor. I-I told you a-already, right?"

"Yeah but, I just want to make sure you mean it. Sometimes people say things without meaning behind the words."

"I know. I-it's the truth though. I-I was t-telling the truth."

"How ironic considering that's the complete opposite of what we're doing." He takes a sip of his Mom's wine like it holds all the answers to the mystery of the universe.

"You shouldn't r-really drink that."

"Why not? It's not like anyone would notice." He takes another sip. He holds the glass out. "Try some. I'm almost positive a chipmunk like you would never sneak wine from his precious mommy."

I stare at the glass before grabbing it. I stare at it in my hand a little longer. I take a sip and force myself to swallow. Connor takes the glass back and puts it next to his mom's plate as I start coughing. "It's gross," I say between coughs.

"I know," Connor says.

"Why do y-you drink it then?"

"It's relaxing."

Before I can respond, everyone else comes back into the kitchen. Mom smiles at me before handing me the book. I take it and stuff it under my leg. Out of sight, out of mind.

Dinner carries on like normal. At least as normal as a dinner that came to be based off of lies can be.

A/N

Sorry this one's shorter than the others. I have final exams this week and I've been focusing on them. On the bright side, my last day of school is Tuesday so I'll have more time to write because god knows I don't go outside.