Started With a Lie

Chapter Thirty-Four

I would like to thank @xoxsophxox for this lovely edit of Ivory and Lee. Again, you’ll reach me better on twitter! and i love these kinds of edits. (username: indiecigars)

Chapter Thirty-Four

“And if you see Mark, kick him out of the house. Kick Lesley out, too,” Brent says to me. He adjusts his carry-on backpack on his shoulder. “And no boys over. I don’t care if they own the world or own shit; no boys. You hear me?”

            I roll my eyes. “It’s Lee, Brent. And yes, you’ve made it clear I am not to come in contact with any males for the rest of my life.”

            “Good.” He pulls me into a hug—well, his version of a hug. To me, it’s him choking me with his strong arm around my neck and my face pressed to his chest. He pats my back hardly and it doesn’t help me breathe any easier. “Be careful, Ivory, okay? And if you need anything, call me. I’m only, like, ten states away.”

            I push against his chest, gasping for air. “Only ten, of course. And I’ll miss you, too, ugly.” He releases me and I back up. “Jeez, you need to ease it on the headlock hugs.” I rub my neck that starts to prickle with pain.

            He grins and then he turns to my right where Candy is standing. This is the calmest I’ve ever seen her. When I returned, I almost mistaked Candy for a lamb because she was so quiet and just…unlike herself. You’d think she’d be ecstatic but she was the opposite. It’s like Brent had told her that her grandma died or something. Brent had been talking to her and she had been softly smiling. I still haven’t grilled on her yet on what’s happened.

            “Uh, Candy,” Brent starts saying, scratching his head, “I guess—”

            She doesn’t wait for him to finish his sentence. She lunges into his arms and hugs him fiercely, her arms wrapped around his neck. Brent freezes for a second before slipping his hands around her waist and buries his head in her shoulder.

            I know I should feel strange or weirded out. I mean, this is my brother and my best friend and that’s basically illegal but I don’t find it peculiar at all. In fact, I almost wish they had gotten together faster. I’m not sure if Brent really is changing his stupid ways but I hope he treats Candy right. She deserves the best. They both do.

            “Take care, Brent,” she says when she pulls away. Her frown is long and depressing. “I guess I won’t see you until August because of your stupid summer school program.”

            “Wait, what?” I ask. When did this happen?

            Brent turns to me, grinning sheepishly. “Yeah, about that…”

            “You’re not coming home this summer?”

            “Just not till August,” he answers. “I have to make up some classes and do some extra work for credits. And there’s this cool summer football program that Mom wanted me to get into and I finally got in! She'd be—" His smile fades momentarily before picking up, realizing how the conversation was taking a turn. "But I’ll be back for graduation definitely.”

            I frown. “Okay, but I wish you could come back earlier.”

                    Candy chimes in, “You better come back in one piece for graduation then.”

            Brent grins at her and I squint my eyes watching them. It’s too dazzling. I feel like I’m standing in front of the sun with their mushy lovey-dovey smiles at each other. Is this how everyone else feels when I’m with Lee?