The Howards

Chapter 13

I agreed to go on a date with Rick.

I said yes in front of Randall.

I couldn't sleep that night. I thought about us and I realised I cannot let this go on anymore. I've always thought of them as my best friends. I cannot lose any one of them. Since Randall decided to push me away, gave us up.

What else can I do?

Force him to be with me? Force him to break his brother heart? Force him to drive a wedge between him and his brother? Force him to choose me over his family?

If he doesn't want to work on us, I won't force it on him anymore. It takes two hands to clap. And, Rick have been staying by my side, unconditionally. He have been working for it, harder than Randall.

Rick opened the car door for me with a nervous smile. He then helped me with the seatbelt again, his face close to me. I smiled, gave him a kiss on his cheek, "Breathe, Rick."

"So where are we going?" I prompted as he drove out of S.Angel.

Rick grinned, "El, every single time you get in the car, you'll ask that question but have I ever let it slip?"

I groaned, smiling, "Maybe a hint?"

It happened in a flash. Both of us didn't expect our date to be cut short. A deer ran out from the woods, right in front of our car and Rick swerved to the picket fences, driving right into a huge tree.

Rick shielded me from the impact. He winced, blocking the shattered window from me. He raised his head and I saw blood gushing out from the cuts he gotten from the broken windows. He tightened his jaw, gritted his words out, "Are you okay, El? Are you hurt?"

Tears began running down my cheeks.

I reached for him, gently cupping his face in my hands, "I'm fine. You?"

He let out a relief sigh, "I'm okay. I'm o..."

And then he blacked out.

••••

The other two Howard kids went to their shooting range, reloading their guns. Randall hit every target, every time he pressed on the trigger. He didn't stop until he ran out of bullets.

His mind was swarming with the image of Rick and Eleanor. Rick walked into them, the morning when Rick supposed to leave to Yale. Randall won't forget the look in Rick's face. He has never seen his brother so torn apart.

Randall pulled himself away from Eleanor, got dressed and went to the terrace to look for his brother.

"I was going to confess to El today," Rick said in low voice, his voice breaking, "I always knew you like her too, Randall. I've always give in to you. I've always watched your back. I will hand you everything of mine in a silver platter without blinking my eyes. But, I can't do it when it comes to Eleanor."

Randall looking at the cottage he built for Eleanor and thought about the girl who is still sleeping in his bed, "Eleanor is different from any other girl, Rick,"

"That what makes her special, isn't it?" Rick snorted, "Randall, you move on so quickly with every girl. I am not going to let you hurt El."

Randall's heart clenched. His finger nails cutting into his palm. His brother is serious about Eleanor. However, Randall wasn't sure. Eleanor is different, he'll admit. One look or one smile, his legs turned jelly. He was almost sure that he is in love with Eleanor. Almost.

How can he take away his brother's chances from him, if he himself, cannot confirm his feelings for Eleanor? How can he guarantee he won't have another feelings for other girls then risk his friendship and family?

He wanted to wash Eleanor out of his system when they were away at school. He tried to not think of Eleanor and he tried to not contact her. He tried not to go down and visit her.

That's why he have been pushing Eleanor away. To the point that his heart aches for her. He craves for Eleanor's attention that he couldn't see other girls anymore.

When he finally realised his feelings, he was too late. Eleanor decided to try with Rick. What a fucking idiot, Randall thought. Because of his indecisiveness, because of his love for his brother, he placed Eleanor on a silver platter and pushed her to his brother.

If Eleanor will give him a chance to make things right, he will go down on his knees to ask her to forgive him for being such an idiot.

Karina stood beside her brother. She observed her brother. She sighed, "Ran, you need to talk to her,"

Randall glanced at his sister and then back to his target, "What?"

"Stop acting like you don't care, Randall. I can see it in your face. Why are you pushing her to Rick?"

"I'll admit, I did push her away to Rick at first because I couldn't make up my mind," Randall admitted, he told his sister whatever was on his mind then he continued, "But El made her decision,"

Karina huffed, annoyance clearly on her face. She slapped the back of Randall's head, "Randall, you're fucking batshit blind,"

Randall winced at his sister's language choice, "What?"

"El told me that her feelings is stronger when you're around," Karina sighed, "And, you keep screwing it up! You watched Maverick asked her out for a date and you didn't stop it. You just watched! Randall, you need to tell her. You need to let her know how you feel before it's too late."

Finally, a smile crept up from Randall's sulky face. Before he could pull his sister in for a hug to thank her, his phone rang.

He reached for his phone, placed it on his ear, "Yes, speaking,"

The smile left his face. Karina frowned as she watched her brother disconnected the call and he said, "They got into an accident,"