don't do it please (Treebros)

Ch.18 Zoe

Sunday was tomorrow. Connor wasn't home yet. And mom was going crazy.

Connor had been gone since Friday, when he didn't come home. And now it's Saturday and mom was going crazy.

I didn't know why, Connor has done this before and he'll do it again. Mom should really just stop caring.

"Zoe, honey, have you heard back from your brother yet," I hear my mom ask. She's peeking her head into my room and, I swear, she's getting more wrinkles every second she wastes on Connor.

"Not yet, mom. I'll tell you when I do," I respond. When I see the lines or worry worsen I add, "maybe his phone died. His phone does kind of suck."

"Yeah... yeah, okay. His phone died. He'll come home, he has to charge it. Thank you, sweetie," mom walks out of my room and I breath out a little.

Mom shouldn't waste her time on Connor. Connor isn't worth all this worrying. All these emotions.

I look down at my hands, which were holding onto my History binder. I was gripping it very, very tightly.

I let go a little and let out a sigh, feeling tears go into my eyes. I don't know why I get so emotional over my brother.

I shouldn't. We were just so close as kids and then he threw a printer in second grade and everything got worse.

I felt a tear go down my cheek. I put my hands up to my eyes and rubbed them, trying to get the tears out and away.

Connor ruined out friendship as kids. He's making mom worry. He used to be so close to dad, until the printer.

Everything bad could be brought back to Connor and the printer. I closed my eyes tight and, in an attempt to stop the tears, I held my breath.

More and more tears went down my cheeks. My breathing got wonky and my hands were shaking.

I groaned a little. I shouldn't be so sad over Connor. I shouldn't. I shouldn't. I wouldn't. I'm not going to waste time on someone who treats his family like shit.

I manage to stop the tears and lay down on my bed. I let out shaky breaths and think about my History work instead of Connor.

I manage to successfully distract myself and I start to work on my History work. As I was on the second to last question I heard the doorbell ring.

I stood up and yelled, "I'll open the door!"

I heard a muffled, 'okay,' from my parents room and walked to the door. As I opened the door, I wiped my eyes once more and hoped to god that my tears weren't visible.

"Connor, maybe they aren't—," I heard Evan's voice cut out.

"Evan, they're here. Oh, hey, Zoe. Is mom here," I hear Connor say. I hear Evan suck in a breath as he saw me, probably noticing the tears.

"Mom's in her room," I say, guest urging inside. "Come in, Evan."

Connor rushes off to see mom, probably so he can get smothered and not in front of Evan. Evan glances at me.

"Are you okay, Zoe? You look like you've been crying," he says, concern lacing his voice.

"I'm fine, Evan," I respond, turning away from the boy.

"No, you're not. I can see it in your eyes. Want to talk about it?"

"Yeah, a little," I puff out. I did want to talk about it. And I was willing to talk to anyone who was willing to listen.

I showed Evan to the couch and talked. Talked about Connor. Talked about the printer. Talked about anything I could think of.

After I was done I felt refreshed. I felt happy. I looked at Evan, Evan who was sitting, biting at his bottom lip and staring at the floor.

He looked... cute?

And in the heat of feeling energy flow through me from talking about my problems I kissed Evan.

My mind screamed at me, 'you have a girlfriend! Stop this!' But I didn't, as soon as my lips touched his I felt trapped and paralyzed.

I couldn't imagine how Evan felt. As my lips touched his I heard a door open. My parents room, which opened into the living room, door opened.

And Connor saw the kiss.