April
I look at my phone again. Aden never texted me back which is honestly a little disappointing. I don't like when he goes dark on me, but I try not to think about it.

This isn't like last time he stopped texting. We're not fighting so there's probably a reasonable excuse why he didn't text me back. Maybe his phone died or something like that. Whatever it is I'm sure it is it's nothing.

I grab my backpack and leave out of my room. The first thing I see when I leave the hallway is Jamal standing there.

"April-" Jamal starts but I just brush pass him.

"April, wait." Jamal reaches out a hand to grab me. I turn back and glare at him. I can see the hickey marks on his neck. They instant remind me of what he and that trashy girl made me listen to yesterday. The thought of it makes me want to through up.

"I'm sorry April. I shouldn't have brought her hear and I shouldn't have been drinking. I just felt so lonely. " Jamal said taking a step closer to me. "Besides ask yourself what's the real reason that you're mad. Is it really because I could have got hurt or is it something more you don't want to admit?"

I take a step closer to him. Our eyes lock and we stand nearly inches apart. His brown eyes stare down into mine.

"Mad? Since when do I even care?" I say.

I yank my hand back and turn away from him. Before I turned away I could see the hurt in his eyes. I don't care. In fact I want him to hurt. All I did was throw his words back at him. Jamal seemed to think he could say whatever he wanted without worrying about how I felt. I didn't see why I couldn't do the same.

I march down the stairs seething in my anger. He asked me if my anger came from smoothing more than just worry for his safety as if I needed another excuse. Like he doesn't realize what seeing him in a hospital did to me, as if my fear of seeing him back there isn't a valid enough reason to be this upset with him.

Screw him. I'm done worrying about someone who doesn't worry about themselves.

Even before the accident I tried to tell him that selling weed and hanging out with the wrong people would get him into trouble, but did he listen? No, because I'm just the paranoid sister who cares too much.

Now he wanted to put himself in more danger with women and alcohol. Well, you know what, fine by fvcking me. He can go dig himself an early grave for all I care.

I'm so angry that I almost don't see Keith stepping out of the kitchen. His holding his bowl of fruity pebbles and giving me a confused look.

"Is ever thing okay." Keith asked.

"Fan-fvcking-tastic"

"I'll take that as a no."

"I don't know, why don't you go ask you're brother. He's the one acting like an a$$."

Keith sighs. "Are you two fighting again?"

"Nope, we're not fight, I'm just done. From now on his your brother and I want nothing to do with him."

"April don't say that. You just think that because your upset right now. Once you calm down-"

"I am calm."

I'm just tried of being the forgiving one. I bend myself backward to try to see the good in my brother, to try and be understanding. I'm done understanding him.

Keith put his bowl down and walks back over to me. He rest his hand on my shoulders. "No your not. Remember the one time I cut your pigtail? You pretended I didn't exist for a whole month. You told everyone you only had one brother. That's all this is. Your upset right now, and maybe that's for a valid reason, but you still love Jamal because that's how family works."

"I don't want to be near him Keith."

"Then don't. Maybe that's for the best. You too have been so close lately it was only a matter of time before you started to grind each other's gears. Everything that happened with Jamal probably only made it worse. So probably what you too need is air and time away from each other."

I sigh because his words have a ring of truth to them. "Why are you suddenly so good at giving advice?"

Keith shrugs and smiles. "I'm like an onion baby. I got layers for days."

I role my eyes and shake my head but I have a smile on my face. At least one of my brothers is being tolerable.

"I think I'm going to catch a bus." I say.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, like you said I need air."

"Okay just remember if the strange man in the white van offers you candy to bring some back for me."

"Bye Keith." I say with a laugh. That boy can't be serious for longer than two minutes, but I guess it's apart of his charm.

"Seriously April, be safe." Keith calls as I open the.

"Will do." I yell back before heading off to the bus stop.

The only bad thing about the bus is that thing never comes on time. I sit and wait for a bus that was suppose to be here ten minutes ago. I pull out my phone and text Aden that I might be a little late to class.

A few seconds later my phone buzzes. Aden already texted me back.

Aden: is something wrong? Are u okay? Ur not hurt r u?

I look down at his text. He seems to be really worried.

April: I'm fine. Just waiting on the bus.
Aden: Y didn't you ride with ur brother?
April: didn't want to. He was being an annoying butt face 😤.
Aden: I'm coming to get u.

I look at his last text message and look at the time. There's no way he can make it here and still get to school on time. Knowing how early Aden gets to school he's either almost there or already in class.

April: No it's good. No reason for us both to be late.

I wait for him to text me back but he doesn't. Guess class must have started. I sit on the bench at the bus stop kicking my feet back and forth. If I'd had know I was taking the bus I would have left earlier.

Hopefully Mr. McCat isn't too upset when I walk into class late.

A few more minutes pass by before someone pulls up to the bus stop, but it isn't the bus.

I look at Aden's car in confusion. Aden gets out of the car and opens the passenger side door.

"Get in." Aden say.

I stand up and walk over to the car. "Hello to you too." I say eyeing him.

Aden sighs and combs his hand through his hair. "Sorry it's been a rough morning."

I nod and get into the car. Aden goes back around and gets into the drivers side.

"It's okay I understand. I've been having a rough one too, but I texted you and told you that you didn't have to come." I say as Aden starts the car.

"I just didn't want you to wait alone. From now on if you don't want to ride with your brothers text me and I'll come pick you up."

"Aden you don't have to do that. I've taken the bus a million times. I know how to avoid the creepy people."

"I don't want to put you in that type of situation. I just want you safe."

I frown. Aden seems a little upset. His hands are tightly griping the wheel and his body is tense.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah."

"Aden?"

"Okay actually no I'm not.  I was out all last night trying to work out some issues and I still haven't reached my resolve.  And please don't ask me what those issues are because I really can't talk about it now, not yet."

I stare at Aden. I want to ask, I really do, because he isn't happy and I don't like when he's upset. But he made it clear that he wasn't ready to talk. I didn't want to pry.

I place my hand on Aden's arm. He glances over at me and I smile. I feel him start to relax in my touch. Whatever is going on in our home lives I want him to now that no matter what at least we're here for each other.

"Aden?" I say.

"Yeah."

I bit my lip. "I'm starting to think boys in glasses are sexy. Is that weird?"

Aden looks over at me and smiles. It's the first one I've seen all morning.  I smile back and feel the tension in the car lift.

"No. Just make sure that I'm the only glasses wearing boy you look at." Aden says.

He takes his hand off the wheel and holds mine. I sit back in my seat. His thumb strokes the back of my hand and I feel content. I'm so glad Aden isn't like my brother. Unlike Jamal violent and uncontrollable emotions, Aden is sweet peacefulness always makes me feel warm inside.

I love the calm nonviolent side of him and hope it never changes. I just want him to stay my sweet adorkable Aden for forever.

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👄 Author's note: hey guys. Hope your enjoying the story so far. I love writing it and I hope you love reading it, but sadly it's that time again.

Test session!!!😡

I've got a big exam coming up next week so I won't be updating as much. Sadly I don't have a Aden of my own so all my studying must be done alone. 😢

But fear not I will be back soon and the story will continue 😁....

Ps: I've been seeing some great couple names in the comments. What do you think we should call our lovely soon to (maybe) be couple?