A House Full of Brothers

Chapter 41

   The next thing I knew, I was being shoved into a car by Kyle at 3 in the morning. The slam of the door that nearly knocked my teeth out, woke me up. Kyle bolted to the other side of the car and into the driver's seat.

  "Are you even sober enough to be driving?" I groaned, rubbing my hand down the side of my face as my eyes were still half-shut. He glared at me.

  "Yes. I'm not an idiot. Unlike you." He said with much more aggression in his voice than I was used to.

  "Whoa. What did I do?" My eyes opened the slightest bit more. 

  "You fell asleep in Blake's bed. At Blake's party. At Blake's house, and you're supposed to be where? Oh! That's right, at your house, in your own bed!" Kyle's jaw was tight and seemed thoroughly upset. 

  "Why are you so mad?" I would have expected some anger, totally, but he seemed more angered than he ever was before.

  "I just wanted to go home and sleep then Blake called me when I was almost home - almost asleep - telling me I had to get you home, cause he was drunk out of his mind. So then I had turn around, literally pick you up - you weigh a lot more when you're asleep - and now I have to take you home." He ranted.

  "So, you're mad because you're tired?" I spoke quietly, not quite fully understanding.

  "Sure. Let's just go with that." He replied quietly. The last few minutes were filled with only the splashing of the car driving through puddles. When we pulled in front of my childhood home, he explained that I had to hurry and he had to go, as the party was beginning to die down, meaning my brothers would be home soon. I was only able to nod before he drove off.

  I scurried into my room and into pajamas, hiding the "party clothes" at the bottom of my laundry basket before collapsing face first on my bed, falling asleep for the second time.

~~~~~

  Monday approached much faster than anticipated. It wasn't as dreadful as I knew it was gonna be one of the last Mondays I'd ever have to suffer through again. Thankfully, the tests were over, but the stress still lingered in the air as kids trudged by with bags under their now dull eyes and their clothes inside out and wrinkled.

  I was making my way to lunch when my body was flung into the air and hugged into the chest I knew as Blake's.

  '"Hi." He grinned, making his intimidating features cast a softer look.

  "Hi." I smiled back. "Can I have a piggy back ride?" I cut to the chase. He stopped, giving me a 'what the heck' look.

  "Why would I do that?" Blake shook his head, his black hair finding a new position atop his head.

  "Because I don't want to walk." I made my smile double in size, probably looking more creepy than persuading. He rolled his eyes but nonetheless crouched down so I could jump on his back. He grunted when my weight fell onto him.

  "Did you gain weight?" He asked rhetorically but I still gave him a light slap on the neck as I gasped, making him smirk.

  "That's my backpack, you jerk." 

  "Mhm, whatever you say." He sang in a condescending tone, triggering me to roll my eyes.

  When we finally made it into the cafeteria he sat me down on one of the tables and turned around with his hands on my knees and a smile on his face.

  "Guess what?" He squeezed my legs lightly as if it would transfer his excitement to me.

  "What?" I grinned back at him.

  "Remember the weird modeling thing you and Kyle made me do a few months ago?" His smile became more of a smirk. I nodded and he continued, "Well someone actually wants to sign me." Blake seemed much happier talking about modeling this time around than before.

  "Who would want to sign you?" I spoke with a fake disgust and he flicked my nose, causing me to giggle while slapping his hand away. "But are you actually gonna do it, is the real question." I raised an eyebrow.

  "I don't know, you were supposed to help me with that decision." He slapped my knee lightly.

  "Why would you ask me? I am the last person to go to for decision making." I gave him a skeptical look.

  "Yes, maybe, but the answer revolves around you."

  "Okay? I still suck with decisions - and wait how does this come back around to me?" I pointed to myself.

  "Well if I go to - wherever they tell me, and you go to college or whatever, then how is this gonna go?" His fingers flicked between the two of us as he said 'this'.

  "Um, I don't know. I don't even know if I want to go to college. And besides, even if I did, I could go wherever you end up living, or we could do long distance?" I suggested with a fading hope in my voice.

  "For four years? And that's the other thing, even if you did move where I 'end up living', I still would have to travel. A lot." He bit the inside of his cheek.

  "Well, it sounds like no matter what we choose, most of this relationship will still be held up over the phone and through Skype calls." I cupped his cheek and he leaned into my hand.

  "Ugh, growing up is a pain in the ass." He groaned, but I chuckled.

  "Just do it, we'll figure it out. We got past my brothers, I think we could handle a few more struggles." I smiled lightly. He didn't return the gesture but still hugged me. 

  When he pulled away, he shifted the conversation, and acted as if nothing had happened. I was a bit confused but I went along with it - for the rest of the day. 

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