❝ sometimes love isn't exactly
what we think it's going
to be. ❞
hearts & other breakable things
by cassidy smith
[ started: 2019 - 2021 ]
[ edited 2021 ]
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
stevie hopkin - march 22, 2018 -
I TURNED TO CHELSEA WITH a faltering smile. I tried not to cringe when a screech of a saxophone blasted above all the other noise coming from the house, "Let me just apologize now for what's about to come. And just remember you can always choose to go home."
"Stop," her hand rested on my forearm, "everything is going to be fine. I'm not going anywhere."
I turned to face the front door and took in a breath, trying to convince myself to actually open it. A scream echoed from the inside followed closely by a crashing noise and an eruption of laughter, "Damion! Christopher! I'm going to kill you!"
Wincing, I opened the door and listened to the familiar creak.
"Mom?" I called out.
Laughter and chatter seemed to waft from every nook and cranny of the farm house. A tea kettle whistled from the kitchen, music pounded from somewhere to my left and an argument was taking place somewhere upstairs.
Chelsea stepped up beside me. A large smile formed on her lips, "Is it always like this? It's so loud."
Immediately, my stomach dropped, "Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. It's kind of hard to get used to."
"No," she bounced on her toes, "it's amazing. I love it."
Monica, my fifteen-year-old sister, whizzed past on her skateboard. She barely glanced our way before slamming her foot down and coming to an abrupt stop, "Stevie!"
She squealed and leapt into my arms. I almost dropped the crazy kid, but I stumbled back and Chelsea's hand pressed against my back to help me keep my balance. If only Chelsea knew what she was getting into when she agreed to drive me home for spring break yesterday. I should have given her a better warning.
A pair of heads popped over the tops of the stair railing, their eyes as wide as their smiles on their faces. They yelled down the hall before crashing down the steps with their identical grins and happy laughter. The two of them piled in on the hug Monica was giving me.
The upstairs bathroom opened and a beautiful blonde girl stepped out in a cropped shirt and pajama shorts. A belly ring caught the light and winked at us. Her hair fell well past her waist and when she turned to look, she smiled; with all her teeth perfectly straight and sparkling white.
I waved the best I could through all the arms wrapped around me. Kids raced from what seemed every corner of the house. I couldn't hear a single voice over the other. It was just one big jumbled mess of sentences. My head spun as I turned from person to person, trying to understand each of them.
