Figuring You Out

Chapter Thirteen

"Round mine for pizza Saturday??" Liam asks, snapping me out of my own thoughts.

"Sure," I say, stripping off my training shirt and into a clean t shirt.

"You alright?" Bram chirps, laughing, my heart instantly drops, "You seem in thought,"

"Or just trying to avoid you," Liam spites, I chuckle and shake my head.

"It's nothing, guys, honestly," I say, but even I have to admit my voice drops three levels and then rises to a five year old tone by the end of the sentence. Bram shrugs and zips him bag closed but Liam studies me for a few moments longer before pushing his feet into his trainers. I glance at them both before getting into the itch to text Red again but I then realise the conversation was left closed so I make up something.

O: Hey, have you got a revision guide for science, or shall I bring mine?

R: We're in the library they'll have revision guides

O: Oh yeah lol

Shit. Shit. Shitty shit. What a fucking stupid thing to ask? Duh, library. Well, great if he hasn't figured out I'm gay he now thinks I'm dumb and a freak but somehow I can't figure what is the lesser of the two evils as I enter the house to the smell of Dad's famous Shepard's Pie.

"Hello stranger," Dad smiles from the sofa, he is sitting alone I raise my eyebrows in question, "Em's working on her thesis but she should be done soon," he answers.

"What about Mum? I saw her coming in," I say, dumping my bag to warm my stiffening hands by the fire.

"She's upstairs making a mess in our bedroom trying to sort out some orders or something, I don't know," he dismisses, waving me off and turning his attention back to Netflix.

"How longs dinner?" I groan, the torturous smell of cooking upsetting my empty stomach.

"Twenty minutes or so," he smiles, I nod and announce I'm going up for a shower. I race up the stairs bounding on the top ones that are right next to Em's room so she'll be pissed because if there's one thing that winds Emily up its noise. Sure enough, five seconds later her bedroom door is swung open dramatically and she stands with her hands on her hips.

"Oliver," she says dryly.

"Emily," I say dramatically, she shakes her head and then pulls me into a hug.

"Hate you," she teases.

"Hate you more," I respond, pulling away from her, she laughs, "Where's the slimeball anyway?"

"Edward?" she questions.

"Nah the Pope," I snide sarcastically, she pushes me lightly in the arm before turning serious again.

"He's at home,"

"Shouldn't you be with him?" I ask, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Shouldn't you be in the shower?" she questions, raising her eyebrow at me, I roll my eyes and stomp my way to the second floor where my room is. I jump in the shower and then proceed down to dinner.

"Set the table will you darling?" Dad asks, from the open, I grab the cutlery and begin laying four sets out on the dining table until my phone pings with a text and I practically pounce on it.

"Is there something I should know?" Dad asks, sceptically, I draw my eyes away from the unread text.

"What?" I say.

"Well, it looks like you have some poor girl on the end of that phone," Dad laughs, I swallow down the awkward lump of nerves down and let out a strained laugh.

"Now, now, Dad you stay out of his love life," Emily tuts, as she steps down the stairs her laptop still in hand, "We all know how it ended with Ryan Duggins"

"He was an arsehole," Dad comments, as Emily squeezes herself next to me without making eye contact instead her arm pressing into my side in a comforting stance.

"He was nice," Emily replies incredulously, turning to him, as I ran two very large glasses of water for me and Emily.

"You were thirteen," Dad comments, faux aggravated.

"Sixteen," Emily mutters beside me as I move to the table, now flipping my phone anxious to look at it but afraid of another comment from Dad. I see Dad begin dishing up the Shepard's Pie and quickly open the message;

Hey, I realise I was a bit cold earlier. Fancy round two, maybe some more coffee?

I feel my heart quicken, my breathing falter at the message as Emily smirks at me over her laptop probably knowing full well the type of person I was messaging but she was good enough to keep quiet.

I'd like that

I sigh as Dad places a steaming plate of food in front of me, finally setting my phone down determine to refrain myself from looking at it too much.

"Sorry, darling," Mum apologises, kissing my Dad on the lips hastily as she too sits down to eat, "Gariza had me on the Dior meeting and products today, he drives me insane,"

"Claire, I'm telling you, if he keeps pushing you like this," Dad huffs, shaking his head whilst serving his own plate of dinner rather aggressively.

"What's this?" Emily chirps in, Mum goes to respond but is cut off by Dad again.

"Your mothers manager has her working twice as much as she should,"

"He's my boss, I can hardly say no," Mum snipes back, twisting her hair up to the back of her head, a common sign to show she was overworked, overstressed and overburdened. Dad sighs but doesn't say anything more as we all awkwardly begin to eat.

I push my phone slightly noticing it hasn't lit up with a notification in a while, it was still going strong with 82% battery and seemed to be working as good as new.

"Oliver, you know the rules- no phones at the table," Dad corrects, I sigh and tuck it into the pocket in my hoodie.

"You don't say anything to her," I mutter.

"Not today, Oliver, please," Mum pleads, massaging her temples, I intake a large breath as I shovel more of the food into my mouth, "How's Ed, darling?"

"Oh, you know, good," Emily replies, casually as Dad nods with satisfaction.

"And the degree?"

"Thesis is coming along and my tutor has given some tips so again you know good,"

"Maybe you should give your brother some advice, huh bud?" I swallow down my last bit of pride as Emily gives me a sympathetic glance, I shake my head subtly at her to show her that it was fine- everything was fine.