Foster Brothers

The Rain

Joshua at the top

"Mal, wake up or you're going to be late for school" Karen shouts, my eyes snapped open and she looked very upset.

"Okay, I'm up" I shouted and buried myself back in the sheets."mal!, get dressed and be down for breakfast, now!. She snapped and strutted out of the room.

I finished my morning routine and got dressed hurried down the stairs and saw Karen making breakfast. I sat down and she put a tray with waffles and scrambled eggs in front of me.

"Eat now!" She snapped, I consumed the food quickly, I turned my gaze to someone sitting opposite from me. Robert smiled and drank his hot coffee. "Ready for school?" he asked. I nodded and continued eating, he raised a brow. "In this house we use words " he snapped. I looked up with wide eyes "yes sir"

I stood on cue, Josh scurried down the steps with a smile "ready? " he asked, I nodded.
I put my book bag over my shoulder and went in the passenger seat of the car.

~~~

The drive was silent, I tried to look at Josh but he just avoided my gaze.
When we arrived, instantly josh got out of the car and then he came round to me "come on" he said, I stood there frozen, 'I'm scared of school and people they are too quick to judge'. He led me to the school I came to a halt " St. Charles high school" I whispered to myself.

I looked around the hall and saw students everywhere I  let out a groan. Josh turned to me "it's going to be okay" I fixed my gaze forward to see a slim girl running towards us,  she hopped in his arms.
"Josh!" She squeals, I rolled my eyes and stepped back.

She then planted a kiss on joshes lips, they stood there for a while kissing, I turned my head. My heart sank of the sight of josh kissing someone else.

I coughed to get their attention, their heads turned to me. Josh smiled at me then at whoever this is.
"Mal meet chanté, chanté meet Mal".Well I guess her name's chanté, she embraced me into a tight hug, her perfume smells awful, I turned my face and broke the hug.
"Oh Josh this is your brother, he's so handsome"
"Hi, nice to meet you " I walked off and they both followed closely behind.
I looked over my shoulder and saw josh and chanté embracing each other, my heart sank and I felt a pain of betrayal, its not like josh is my boyfriend, so I shouldn't be jealous.

"I can take it from here, you guys can go" I snapped, I didn't want to see josh with someone else, its too painful. I know I'm not suppose to have these feelings for my brother but I can't help it. They both walk away and I walked to the opposite direction.

I walked through the school for about 10 minutes before I found the main office, as I opened the door a women greeted me with a smile.

"Good morning, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I need the schedule for my classes" her face lit up with excitement and she fetched a piece of paper out of a draw, she read it then gave it to me.

"Here Mr Hale, I will have someone give you a tour, one of our best students"
I took a seat in one of the chairs and copied my schedule.

"Josh! Come in" when I heard the name my heart skipped a beat, out of everyone in the school why did it have to be Josh?. I really don't want to see his face after this morning.

I stood and fixed my gaze on the boy standing at the door. But it wasn't josh, he's white with brown curly hair and his eyes have this hazel colour, he's actually really handsome. I stood there staring at the boy, Josh raised a brow.

"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

"Nothing, just expected someone else" his worries faded and he smiled, his teeth are really white.
"Let's go" we both said goodbye to the nice lady and walked through the door.

"Hi, I'm Mal"  I  said, he looked me in the eyes and smiled. "Joshua" we walked through the locker section.

He stopped, "here is your locker"
"Great" I placed some of my books in the locker. And we continued walking again
"Your first class is in there, if you need anything you can come to me, okay!" I nodded.

I knocked on the door, a tall man gave me an intimidating look. I held my breath and straightened my back.
"Malique Hale?" He asked with an formal tone, I nodded.
"You're late"

" I'm so sorry, I'm new here so I had to go to the office to collect something" he glared at me

"Sit"

I sat at an empty seat in the back of the class, my nerves were everywhere, my classmates eyeing me didn't make my nerves any better either.

I let out a small sigh, and took out my book and pen out of my bag and the teacher continued his lesson.
~~~

Lunch time came quickly, I didn't go to the cafeteria, I'm more into libraries at lunch time. I went straight for the isle with fiction and romance. I scanned the books, trying to figure out which one I'm going to live in for the day.

"Hey! " I heard someone shout, I turned to see Joshua coming towards me.

"Hey" I replied.

"I see you like books " he stated, I nodded. "Yeah, I read a lot"

"Here" I eyed the book he gave me and smiled 'Gladiators' okay, the cover is really nice. I sat at the table at the back, Joshua followed my lead and sat adjacent to me.

He glared at me, I turned my head and my cheeks became heated.

"You know, you're cute when you blush" he said,

"you think I'm cute?"  I asked my cheeks red once again.

"Yeah" he said, I held my head down focusing on the book.

"Joshua, I need you" I heard someone whined, then chanté came into view. She had to ruin the moment I thought to myself, Joshua stood 

"See you around" Joshua said and walked away with chanté.

School ended and I was walking home since I didn't see josh to take me home. I felt something drop on my arm, I looked at a rain droplet. 'Oh god, rain! could this get any worst?'

I spoke too soon the rain came pouring down rapidly and I walked even faster

I turned and squinted through the rain on my lashes blurring my vision and saw a car pulled up next me, inside was Joshua.

"You need a ride?" I jogged to the passenger side and throw myself in the car.

"Thanks" I said wiping the water off my face and forehead, I put my book bag in my lap.

"Where do you live?" He asked me.

"Just a few blocks down, then the first road on the left"

I shrugged and put on my seatbelt, my clothes were soaked but I would survive.

"You have any siblings? "

"Yeah, an older brother name josh, I'm sort of adopted" I said as he watched the road.

"What about you, any siblings?" I asked.

"I have a younger sister"

"That's my house" I said pointing to my house, he leaned forward taking a better look at the house.

"Wait! My best friend lives here" my eyes wide open in shock.

"Josh is your best friend?"

Joshua immediately pulled up and parked in the drive way, I gave him a grateful smile.

"Thanks again"

I reached out to open the door when something stopped me, covering my hand with his "mal" Joshua said softly, his hazel eyes looking straight at me.

"Yes" I replied softly

"Nothing" he shook his head, looked on the floor and removed his hand from over mine.

"Bye" I said before opening the car door and ran to my front door, I went inside and close the door behind me.

The house was empty, I bathe, changed my clothes and sat on my bed, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

'What just happened and where the hell is josh?'