ILYSB (it hurts)

[𝟷𝟿] moody Tuesday

Hero

I feel someone shaking my shoulder and I open one eye, the sun shining through my window. Radiohead is still blasting in my earphones and I somehow I forgot how I fell asleep.

"Come now, darling. Everyone's waiting." Mom caressed my cheek and I wipe my eyes, maybe the two glasses of whiskey is not a good idea when you're suspended in a someplace more than 10,000 feet in the air.

I look around and I'm the only one left in the plane. As much as I want to stay and be flew back to California, my Mom will just bug me all day and I would rather bear Josephine's presence than talk more than a minute to my Mom.

I grab my bag and lazily walked to the stairs, the sunglasses barely hanging on my nose. It's still broken and sore, by the way. Thank you to some cunt, I bear this pain. The pilot, Max and the stewardess, Sofia, smiled at me. They have been working for the family for years now and this is the first time I've seen them in years since I purposely not enjoy my family's riches.

Before I step out, I can hear Max and Sofia talking about me.

"He has grown up so much." Max whispered and Sofia agreed with him. I try not to be affected by it as much as it irritates me. Everything seems to be getting in my nerves lately. Maybe the constant front of my mother that she's a perfect human being or the constant nagging in my head about the Josephine-Knox situation. I also hate how my mother pretends with people. And the fact I also pretend not be affected by Josephine. Booker will be singing hallelujah if he can read my mind right now.

Once I'm on the ground, my backpack hanging by my shoulder and my phone in hand, I look up and see my Aunt and Josephine with their hands entwined smiling at one another. I stand next to Stephen while he's on his phone. He's tapping away like a maniac and I took a quick glance and see him browsing "sauna in Aspen".

"We have one in the house." I said to him. He looked at me funny, confused at what I'm talking about. "I meant, sauna. We have one in the house." I explained.

"Really?" he smiled and ended up chuckling. "I can't believe we're actually in Aspen. I mean, this has been in my list for so long. Thank you for having us." He clapped my shoulder and I just nod at him. I'm also thankful they're my buffer between me and my mother.

Elizabeth held my arm and smiled up to me. She has the same height as her daughter and it's always a welcoming feeling when she's around. She's like everything in a mother I hoped to be. Caring, considerate and real. She leaned on my shoulder thanking me for inviting us over. I gave her a tight smile and she teased me about losing up a bit more.

A white GMC truck pulled up in front of us and of course my Mom's already seated in front. She instructs us to hop in and I chose to be at the back, not to be bothered by anyone else. But for some reason that I don't even want to know, Josephine joined me here. Her pink hair messy from the wind, her cheeks pink because of the weather and still that pout she got when she's around me. It's exactly her 18th birthday today. Exactly 7 years of being a pain in my ass.

"Happy birthday, wombat."

"If we were in Australia right now, you will get slapped in the face." She looked at me disgusted. I know what wombat means besides from the fact that it's an animal but it's Jonah's pet name for her and she seemed unfazed by it. But then, she can tolerate her brother but not me. The feeling's mutual.

"Well, we aren't in Australia, are we?" I smirked and that resulted a side eye from her. "You should probably get your hair done, it's getting ugly." I can't help but chuckle.

"How dare you!" It was more of an exclamation than a question. She hurled her strawberry printed pillow at me and I dodged.

"You're no fun!" I said, still laughing at her facial expression.