Two Sets of Dolan Twins

Chapter 13

Grayson's POV

My hands shook slightly as I prepared dinner, pouring sauce over the pasta that I sat on the table.
"Guys, dinner," my voice came out raspy, crackly from lack of use. I tried again.
"Ethan, Melody....dinner's ready."
"Coming, Gray," Ethan replied, helping Melody to get up from the couch. They both looked exhausted. We all were.
Melody slid into her chair, looking down as she twirled the pasta on her fork, never lifting it to actually eat.
I had a feeling Ethan didn't want to eat either but wanted to make me feel better, which I appreciated.
I bit into the food. It tasted like nothing. I gulped down some water, realizing no one had called Riley down to dinner.
"Where's Riles?" I asked.
   "She went to bed," Melody replied in a monotone.
    I nodded in response.  No attempts at small talk would work.  We were all broken and it would take time before the holes could be filled.
   

Ethan's POV
   I stared at myself in the mirror, washing my tired face.   I wanted nothing more than to help my siblings.  Two of which I felt like I already let down.  I could do nothing right.  With that thought in mind, I ended up outside Riley's door, listening for signs of her being awake.
    I instead her sniffles.  My heart dropped and I reached for the doorknob quickly.
    My baby sister was wrapped in her blankets, crying softly into her mound of pillows. 
    "Riles?"  My voice was gentle as I leaned over to pull back her shoulder.  To my surprise, she pulled my hand away.
    "No, you don't get to talk to me right now."   Her voice was still clogged with tears and pain.
    A flash of hurt skimmed across my heart and I sat down on the bed.
   "Riles, I know you're upset about before...but it's done, okay?  I'm sorry."  Before I know it, questions began to swarm through my head about what I had done as if the reality was sinking in.
   I hadn't gone to avoid the pain but I hadn't allowed myself to feel it either, to its true extent.
   "That's not an excuse for being selfish, Ethan.  Everyone else went and we needed you and Gray."
    A lump of anger and sadness grew in my throat.
    "I'm so sorry, Riley," I rubbed the back of her head and she slapped my hand away once again.
    "Go away, Ethan."
    She mumbled something else into her pillow and I felt my heart drop as if I knew how bad it was going to hurt before it even happened.
    "It would be easier if you did rather than Dad."
     My heart froze in my chest and I felt light headed.  I stood up, dazed, and felt the door click locked behind me. 
    In my lack of paying attention, I accidentally slid on a mat upstairs and tumbled down the stairs head first.
    "Oh my god, Ethan!"  Grayson ran over to me, helping me sit up as he assessed the damage of my face.
     My head and hands throbbed in pain and I felt like a little kid as the urge to cry grew stronger.
     Grayson rubbed my arm gently for a moment before running to grab the first aid kid and some ice.
     Just as I did so, Melody's voice echoed down the stairs, her voice sleepy.  "Is everyone okay?"
     "Yeah, Mellie, it's okay." She slid back into her room and I sighed in relief. 
      Grayson came back a few minutes later and handed me the ice pack just as he began to clean up my cuts. 
     It stung, just as my eyes did.  A small tear made its way down my cheek that I furiously scrubbed away.
    I was such a baby all the damn time.  I absolutely hated showing my emotions to anyone, especially Grayson.  Especially when he had too much to deal with.
    Grayson finished cleaning my other arm, crouched on the floor a stair or two below me.
   I began to cry, softly, as Riley's words began to repeat in my head.  I hated myself and I wished things could be different.
    I didn't want Grayson to see my face so before he looked up, I quickly fell into his chest, wrapping my arms firmly around his chest and neck.
    Grayson paused for a moment before doing the same.  I muzzled my nose deeper into his warm chest as the tears slid off my nose.
    I tried my best not to sniffle, obscuring my face as far as possible.  Grayson, somehow not realizing I was crying, tried to pull me away, but I clutched him harder, accidentally letting out a small sob.
    Grayson still tried to pull me back, probably trying to see my face, but now I was full on sobbing and he let me shove my face back into the crook of his neck.
     "Oh, E, it's okay.  I got you bro, I promise."   Grayson began to rub my back comfortingly and the tears refused to stop for a long time.  It would be a long time before I could heal, anyways.

Thank you guys so much for waiting for this next chapter!  I've been really busy but I hope to get this book moving again.  Ly ❤️