Pretend

14

"Lucas, this is a stupid idea." Tyler said as he grab Lucas' arm to stop him from walking. He look at Tyler and glared at him.

"No one's going to stop me from continuing this plan, Tyler." He then shake off his grip and Tyler reluctantly release him with heavy sigh.

"But you should've think this through."

"I have." Lucas replied. "It was bound to happen, Tyler."

"Yeah, but not this soon." Tyler gritted out his frustration.

"So when is this soon, hmm?" Lucas said, glowering over him like a dangerous predator. "Did you really think that I don't know the consequences of this? I've been thinking every night knowing that this plan would mostly not work out but I held hope, Tyler. I still want to try rather than come up with another better plan that would probably be more helpful. I've already lost so much time. I don't want to waste what's left of it."

Tyler stared at his brother for a moment and thought of what he have just said. It's true that they've wasted so many time but this is still stupid.

'Or maybe...' His subconscious said with a glint of mockery in its tone. 'You're just scared of being rejected.'

Maybe.

Maybe not.

"I still think that it's stupid." Tyler huffed out his reply.

"Then why are you here, Tyler?" Lucas growled impatiently. "Why are you planning on following me if you're too cautious?"

Why indeed.

Why was he so eager to follow Lucas if he's too scared to continue on?

Why was he here in the first place?

What was his plan all along?

It's to get his little sister back.

To help her and mend their mistakes.

To atone for his sins.

For his little sister.

That's why he's here and he needs to suck it up and be strong.

"I'm sorry... " He mumbled, feeling shameful for being so scared.

Lucas pat his shoulder and smiled softly. "It's okay... I know how you feel."

Did he really?

Lucas was the one who wasn't scared to face the consequences of his abrupt decision. He was the one who truly tried to save Sam. He stood up to Isaac while Tyler watched from behind his back with his hidden fear bubbling out of his chest.

Lucas was the one who mostly did the work and he followed.

So Tyler believed that Lucas don't really know how he feels. Not really, anyways.

"Thanks, bro." Tyler replied with a small tired smile.

Lucas gave him a few pats before looking at the door in front of them. He took a deep breath in before ringing the doorbell.

The sound of footsteps was heard and every tick of the clock passes as the two anxiously wait for the door to open.

And their wish came true.

Aunt Josephine stared at them, her eyes didn't held any surprise or shock. It was as if she was expecting them.

"Why are you two here?" She asked, it didn't held any cold tone or fear. It was nothing that they expected.

"You know why, auntie." Tyler meekly replied and she sighed.

"I was hoping that you're here for a different reason."

"What more reason could we possibly have, Josephine?" Lucas asked tensely and she scoffed and crossed her arms.

"Don't take that tone on me, young man." She warned, glaring at him. "Or I might have to cut your tongue."

Lucas cowered. "Sorry, Aunt Josephine."

Josephine sighed. "Your family are so stubborn. You should've given her more time."

"Time's going to be wasted." Tyler said, remembering what Lucas had said.

"So you think that you're gonna have some hope?"

"We're willing to face the consequences." Lucas replied.

Josephine snorted and shake her head. "Not this time, okay? Just because you're willing to jump into the consequences doesn't mean that you really want to take the risk. Time isn't worth wasting, right? But damn, you two really have bad timings."

"Why? Is she okay?" Tyler panicked as Josephine finished.

Lucas looked worried as well. They couldn't stop the growing fear inside of them as they stared at their aunt for answers.

Josephine only scowled. "No, you idiots. Of course she isn't. Did you really think that she'll be perfectly fine after everything that's happening."

No.

Of course she won't be fine.

What a stupid question.

"It's fine, Aunt Josephine."

Lucas and Tyler nearly cried when they heard Sam's voice. It was as if they haven't heard the voice for decades and it was like the heavens have blessed them with it.

Her voice was stern but it didn't held any emotions.

She soon came into view and she stared right at them with nothing but dullness.

It pains them.

So much that it's unbearable.

"Sam—"

"Just don't." Sam sighed, hugging her warm blankets closer to her. She looked at the both of them with flames burning up in her eyes. "I don't want to hear anything. You just came here because you two felt guilty."

"Sam, it's not like that. It's nothing like that." Tyler defended and Sam sighed tiredly.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"Because we want to prove it to you that we're wrong." Lucas begged. "I'm sorry. We're sorry."

"If you really were sorry then you would've given me more time for myself. You would stop bothering me like what you're doing right now. If you wanted me to talk to you and say crappy things like how you were wrong and how I was wrong and that we're both freaking sorry then you just chose the wrong time because I just can't handle looking at you two yet. I just can't, okay?" Sam said without any emotions. She was just tired and she just want to go inside and stay inside.

The two was so heartbroken.

They were so hurt and in pain and all of the hope that they held before was gone. It disappeared into thin air.

"Sam—"

"Just let them in... " She said tiredly, looking at Josephine with a little bit of warmth in her look.

"Will you be okay?" Josephine softly asked and she nodded.

Sam hesitated. Will she be okay?

She nodded. "I'll be fine."

Josephine nodded. "Okay, go back to the fireplace, you little rascal. You'll catch a cold here."

She smiled and nodded, walking away from them without looking back at them and that was just so painful. She didn't even look back and they didn't caught anything that was close to the warmth that they've seen before in her eyes.

Josephine narrowed her eyes at them. "If you two got too close to her, I will seriously cut your balls."

Lucas nodded, scared of the woman in front of him while Tyler gulped in fear.

"And don't think that this is an opportunity to talk to her. She was just showing pity because you two would be freezing to death if you ever walk to the nearest hotel."

Today, I pretended to be brave.