Youngblood

Chapter 21

Dianne's POV

I run over to him and wrap my arms around my brother.

"What're you doing here?" I ask, feeling my eyes brimming with tears. He's here. My brother is really here.

"I wanted to come and see you," Andrew says. "Dad said it was pointless, that you'd have already forgotten me. I headed over to Mum's and she said that I'd find you here."

"I would never have forgotten you," I say. I'd missed Andrew so much. He was always nice to me back in Australia. My other brother was nice too, but he was more focused on other things. Mum and Dad always wanted Andrew to go and focus on his dance career, never stopping for one moment to think that I might want one too.

"How is everything then?" Andrew asks. What do I say? That my own mother isn't that bothered about me? That someone who I thought was my friend bitched about me and sent two of my friends to hospital? That deep down I want the same opportunities that Andrew has had?

"They're..." I falter. "Wait, Andrew, say hi to Joe."

I beckon Joe over, changing the subject. Joe sits down on the sofa next to me and we both turn to face him.

"Joe?" Andrew questions.

"My boyfriend," I grin, feeling proud to call him that.

"Oh wow," Andrew says. "Hey, you probably know who I am, seeing as you've just witnessed the first part of this conversation."

Joe laughs.

"Yeah," Joe says. "Nice to meet you."

"Does he take good care of you?" Andrew asks, going into protective brother mode."

"Very," I say.

Then there's a knock on the door, and Tracey pops her head around.

"Dianne, Andrew, are you staying for dinner? It's just pasta bake but Zoe and Alfie are here too," Tracey asks.

"Er, yeah?" I check with Andrew.

"If that's alright with you," Andrew replies.

"Course it is," Tracey says, leaving the room.

"Who're Zoe and Alfie?" Andrew asks.

"Zoe's my sister," Joe says. "And Alfie's her boyfriend."

It feels great to catch up with Andrew, but I hate not telling him about Katya. We always used to tell each other everything, and it just feels wrong keeping something so huge a secret from him.

"Dianne?" Andrew questions. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," I say, looking at Joe. I want to spend time with my brother and not have him worrying about me when he heads back to Australia.

"Seriously Dianne, I can tell when something's wrong," Andrew says. I take a deep breath. I might as well tell him.

"Well," I start. "There's this girl, Katya. I started talking to her one day at school, but then she started saying that I didn't deserve Joe. But before that, one of our friends Josh got attacked after school and it sent him to hospital, and Katya's who attacked him. And then now, Katya also attacked another person called AJ, who's currently in hospital."

Andrew's eyes open wide.

"W-wow," Andrew stutters. "What's happened to this Katya then? Are Josh and AJ ok?"

"We don't know where Katya is," I say. "Josh is ok and AJ is in hospital."

"Gosh," Andrew says. "Have you tried contacting Katya?"

"School does everyday," I say. "Nothing happens. I'm just worried that she'll do harm to someone else?"

All of a sudden, making me jump, there are three loud knocks on the door. Tracey goes and answers it, and Josh, Anna, Conor, Caspar and Byron bombard into the living room.

"Guess what?" Caspar says, grinning.

"Jack and AJ are an item!" Conor exclaims.

"You didn't give them a chance to guess!" Josh says.

"I just couldn't wait to tell them," Conor says.

"Woah, really?" I question.

"I'm so happy for them!" Joe says.

"Oh wait, guys, we shouldn't be here," Byron says. "They have a visitor."

"No, this seems important, don't let me stop you," Andrew says.

"This is my brother," I say. "Andrew."

"Oh wow. You've come all the way from Australia?" Anna comments. "Do you dance like Dianne? Well she wants to anyway."

I feel a sick feeling in my stomach. Andrew doesn't know that I want to dance. I've never told my family, as it was always focused on Andrew.

"You want to dance?" Andrew asks. I nod tentatively. "Oh Dianne! You should've said something! We could've sorted something out for you back home!"

"You deserved all the opportunities more than me," I sniff.

"Hey no, don't say that!" Andrew says.

"Oops," Anna says. "Sorry Di."

"It's ok," I say.

"Listen, we're going to go," Josh says. "We'll catch up tomorrow at school?"

"Sure," Joe says. The group leave, so it's just me Joe and Andrew again.

Joe's POV

"Dinner's ready!" Mum calls, right when Andrew was going to bring up dance again. We head into the kitchen and sit around the table. Dianne deserves to have opportunities just like Andrew, and I'm determined to make something happen.

"Mum?" I question.

"Yes Joe," Mum says.

"Could we look for a dance school or something for Dianne? I can pay," I say. Dianne's mouth drops open as she looks at me, but she looks equally happy as she does surprised.

"You don't have to do that," Dianne says.

"Yes I do," I say.

"Course we can," Tracey says. "And I'll pay."

"No I will," Andrew pipes up.

"Here we go," Zoe says. "We could just all pay?"

"I promise Dianne, I'll look for something. We'll get you dancing in no time," Mum says. She really does treat Dianne well, seeing as her mum probably couldn't care less if she danced or not.

"Wow, thank you all so much," Dianne says.

Then my phone buzzes, earning me a stare from Mum.

"Joe, no phones at the table," Mum says. But I don't care about any silly rule.

"Lauren, Amy and Chloe have found Katya," I say.

A/N: What do you all think? I don't think that this fanfic will be much longer, but then you never know.