Same Time

twenty-five

j a i m e e

+

"Delivery!" My brother announces as he strolls into my apartment, dumping his shopping bags onto my counter before running his gaze over the room. "Where's loverboy?"

"Work." I roll my eyes, "I've not seen you in a week and the first thing you ask me is where Shayden is?"

He shrugs, "I spent four years without him. We've got some making up to do."

For the first time, the reminder doesn't sting. Instead, butterflies flutter around my stomach at the relationship between my brother and boyfriend.

"He'd like that." I say softly, "We're back together, you know? Like officially."

"Duh." He deadpans, rolling his eyes as he unpacked the groceries he'd bought me. "Starr hasn't stopped talking about her Uncle Shayden and it wasn't as if you were ever just friends with him."

"That's definitely true." I laugh, "Has she really been talking about him?"

"Hmm. Seems she's quite smitten with him and his friend. Does the words 'dumbass' or 'dick' sound familiar?"

I hold my hands up, "I tried my best. The kid's too smart and curious for her own good."

"Just like Mom, huh." Remi said absent-mindedly, before his words sank in.

A silence falls between us, the soft music playing from my speaker being the only sound in the apartment aside from the rustling of the plastic bags.

"I miss them a lot, you know."

Remi's voice over the music yanked me right out of my thoughts. Suddenly, I was reminded of why I asked him to come here in the first place and felt a rush of guilt.

"I do too." I offered, looking down at my cup to see the marshmallows floating in the hot cocoa. Honestly, I might not talk about my parents too much, but God, I missed them everyday. Their absence was heavily noticed in my life, the void of their deep laughter and countless consolations always brought a smile to my face. "Sometimes, I wake up and think they're still around, you know? It's been eight years but it still sucks." I let out a sigh, feeling the familiar burn in my eyes that almost always occurred at the thought of my parents.

My thoughts always went back to what they would think of our lives now. Would they be proud of us? Would they have noticed how much I'd changed?

Mom would've been obsessed with Starr. She always wanted a granddaughter first and my Dad, despite all his rigid edges, would've been putty in her hands.

"You'll come to see us soon, yeah?" Remi asks, cocking his head to the side as he waits for me to answer.

"Course, Rem." I grin, hugging my brother.

"I love you, hermana." Remi ruffles my hair, laughing as I try to dodge it. "I'll see you soon."

(translation: sister)

My brother turns to walk out of my home. Shayden's words flow through my mind again, about how I need to tell people.

Remi's always been my closest confidant, the sunlight in my life. A part of me knows deep down that I can't run from this anymore. I can't pretend it doesn't affect me. And when Cameron gets out, I need to be able confront it head on.

"Rem." I don't mean for my voice to break as I say his name aloud, but it does regardless. He swirls around, eyebrows furrowed in concern as he waits for me to continue. The words are no longer stuck in my throat but it still burns as they leave my lips. "Cameron raped me."