The Sound of Silence (Previously I Know What You Did Last Summer)

{Ten} Run For Your Life My Love

When I was a child, Landon and I spent more time at Colton's house than we did our own. The matter of fact wasn't something we spoke of often; it ignited the spark of bitterness my brother had for our parents and set aflame any reasoning he had for their absence. Few people actually had the misfortune of witnessing his rage, and I was set on keeping it that way.

As I cooked at Colton's side, basking in the heat radiating off the stove top, for a second I imagined that we were kids again. The image of the boy at my side suddenly wasn't so intimidating and had replaced with the wiry fourth grader with braces and a mop of rusty brown curls. When he glanced in my direction worriedly, a deep bottomless ocean of different shades of blue, the faint picture my mind had painted dissipated into the tense air between us.

"You good?" He questioned softly.

I never got the chance to muster up enough energy to respond.

Landon made his arrival known by shutting the front door. The sound of his car keys jingling the only sound to break through the quiet house since we'd finished the last quesadilla. My fingers curled and tightened around the spatula with every step he took, edging closer to us in the kitchen. He finally peeked his head around the refrigerator as he tossed his jacket on to the back of one of the chair's, licking his lips.

"It smells like heaven in here." He complimented, ruffling my hair.

I looked up, a knot of guilt in the pit of my stomach. He looked far too exhausted to have to be up and back out the door in a couple hours. His dark blonde hair fell against his forehead in a slight sway, green eyes bright and wide against his pale complexion.

"I hope those are all for me." Landon joked, slapping a hand against Colton's shoulder over my head. I ducked out of the way, my back pressed into the hard metal handle on the silverware drawer. Colton slaps a couple onto a plate and pass them over to Landon with a comment I couldn't quite hear. My brother nodded and found his seat at the table, stretching his arms behind his head then dropping one of his hands hard against his stomach and patting it in a quick, semi-graceful movement.

To my surprise, Colton followed close behind without as much as looking back in my direction. I didn't know whether to feel happy to have the two of them off my back or worried because they weren't.

The feeling was short lived.

A second after Colton sat down, he pulled half of one of his quesidillas and set it on a small saucer. I outstretched my hands in an attempt to push it away, wanting to explain that as much as I'd love to savor it as much as the two of them, there was no way I'd be able to keep it down for more than an hour. My hands locked around the plate with a slight hesitation after being caught under my brother's intense look of disapproval. After a moment, I sat in the chair between the boys and thanked Colton with a nod.

"These, these are great." Landon commented with his mouth still full. "I missed these things. Remind me of my childhood, man."

They laughed, but my mind didn't process what he said until after I finished nibbling a corner of a piece. I thought agreeing with him aloud may make him feel better, but decided against it when he immediately broke into another conversation with Colton.

I leaned back in my chair once I'd finished eating, resting the palms of both hands against my stomach, praying the food would stay down. It wasn't long before my thoughts overwhelmed me and I jerked forward, slamming my elbow hard against the table.

Landon's hand shot out and grasped my shoulder with a fearful look, "Ave, are you okay?"

I forced back my tears and nodded. "I'm fine. I think my arm just slipped."