Unexpected

1

EMMA POV

"Hi sisters", James said excitedly, waving his manicured hands at the camera before us.

I awkwardly smiled trying not to lean to close into Grayson, who sat next to me. I didn't want to annoy him since he claimed to have a phobia of brushing shoulders. I was pretty sure it was just a ruse to keep James and I away from him.

"Hey guys it's Grayson"

"And me, Ethan, the better looking twin."

"Oh yeah and Emma but who cares it's just Emma" Grayson added, always teasing.

I gawked at him and rolled my eyes. They always included me as an after thought. I wasn't going to be a baby and admit their running joke stung a little so I laughed it off as always.

"Hi sisters." I chimed in mocking James' tone and trying to sound enthusiastic, so they wouldn't notice the tiny bit of hurt I was feeling.

We finished filming the rest of the video and I felt exhausted. The ugly side of YouTube that never gets shown is filming for hours for a video that could potentially last 10 minutes after editing. I for one was going to leave this one up to James' editing team, I had my own video to edit later tonight.

"Do you guys wanna sleepover at our place tonight? Our manager texted saying we would have to film this collab at 7 am so we could be ready for our shoot by twelve." Grayson said, standing up from the bench we were sitting on single file.

"Of course sisters" James responded with his signature smile.

"I actually kinda wanted to go home and get in bed..." I said quietly. I didn't have the energy to insulted for any longer.

"Aw come on Emma it will be fun" Ethan said, shaking my shoulders. "I'll buy you an almond whatever-the-fuck-you-call- it on the way home if you come.

"You don't have to be in the video then." Grayson shrugged.

James widened his eyes and quickly looked away.

I could feel tears burning at the back of my eyes. I didn't know if it was exhaustion or genuine hurt, but they were threatening to spill over.

"It's fine." I said standing up and grabbing my keys from the table in front of me. "I'll catch you guys later."

"Emma wait-" Ethan said, reaching out to grab my wrist.

It was too late, I was already storming past him.

—

ETHAN POV

"Dude you're such a dick."

"What did I i do?" Grayson asked, rolling his eyes.

I wanted to reach over and strangle him, but i had to keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road. I could see James pretending to text in the backseat from my rear view mirror.

"Come on I was just teasing her" he added, throwing his hands up in the air like it would make him look any more innocent.

"She's just a kid Gray, lay off. You always do this when we're around girls. You know if it's a way of flirting it's really quite shitty." I tried to make my tone sound serious, but I couldn't believe I had just referred to Emma like she was a 5 year old. I wanted to laugh, but in the back of my mind I knew I was being just as bad as my brother. I needed to take her more seriously and so did Gray.

"Yeah Grayson...that was neither funky nor fresh..." James chimed in from the backseat, finally deciding to weigh in on the situation. "She's my friend and if you're gonna keep treating her like this I'm not going to bring her around."

"Oh so it's just gang up on Grayson time. You guys act like we don't all tease each other." Grayson said, incredulously.

"You just take it to another level dude. Lighten up a little." 

The road ahead of me was piled with traffic. I wanted to nip this conversation in the bud so I didn't have to hear Grayson and James arguing back and forth over whether this was teasing or going too far. I slightly regretted bringing it up in the first place, but I had to admit it was even beginning to bother me how Grayson was staring to treat Emma.

"All I'm saying is, we're all friends so let's start to act like it and not pick on one person more than the other." I turned to Grayson to see if he was still on the defense or if it was staring to click in his head that we were coming from a good place.

"Okay no you're right" he said finally. "She's just an easy target I see her as my little sister. It's coming from love I swear.

—
EMMA POV

I shut the door behind me and clicked on the light switch. I was finally home. I couldn't help the long sigh that escaped my body. It felt like a giant weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I was finally home and in the peace of silence and my own space. I could see my reflection in the mirror opposite to the door, ragged was an understatement. My eye bags had eye bags and my dark circles rivaled a raccoon's.

My apartment was frigid cold, but even that was more comforting than the icy treatment I was getting from Grayson. I truly didn't understand his attitude towards me. It was like the closer we all got as friends the more he exed me out. At least James and Ethan were always nice to me. It was apparent when they teased me that it was just that - teasing.

I was barely five steps into my apartment when I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket.

E 🤠: are u ok

I texted back saying I was fine and shut my phone off. I had had enough of the sister squad for one day.

—

When I opened my eyes again I was expecting to see sunlight peaking through my blinds, instead I was met with darkness and a banging at my door. I considered ignoring it and rolling back over to sleep but the knocking was incessant and increasingly getting louder. I had not choice but to get up.

As I got closer to my front door I began to slightly panic. What if it was an intruder? Or worse someone trying to murder me.

"Who is it? I called out, my voice raspy from sleep.

"Open up it's me." The voice was muffled but familiar.