12 am { ON HOLD }

Ch. 15

❝Deciding whether or not to trust a person is like deciding whether or not to climb a tree because you might get a wonderful view from the highest branch or you might simply get covered in sap and for this reason many people choose to spend their time alone and indoors where it is harder to get a splinter❞- lemony snicket

Instead of earning a hit that Tyler was already bracing himself for, he watched with surprise as the older boy instead stood in front of Emily and half helped, half pulled her up without sparing Tyler another glance.

“Get in the house, Emily,” Nathan asked of her as she stepped away and wiped down her backside, Tyler getting up and doing the same.

Her eyes flew to Tyler’s in what he saw as worry, “But-”

“Now, please,” he growled out before catching her frown and softening his voice to try again, “I just want to talk to him,” he murmured more gently this time, his back still facing the other boy even though Emily’s eyes were still on Tyler.

“Talk?” she asked, looking up at her brother curiously with a look that Tyler knew as trust as the older boy nodded and she was already backing away. “Okay,” Emily muttered glancing again at Tyler as her heel touched the first step, “Just talk, alright?”

Nathan smiled at her as a sort of reassurance then, still refusing to face Tyler, “Promise,” he nodded a second time before watching as she finally turned around and went back inside the house.

Loyal and trusting as ever.

Tyler swallowed once as he watched Nathan's back straighten, his shoulders broadening as he stood to his tallest height but still refused to turn around, Tyler’s body reacting the same way as he waited for a fight.

“If you’re going to hit me for talking to your sister, go ahead and do it already,” Tyler uttered as he readied himself for a blow when Nathan finally turned to look at him, lips thinned and fists clenched.

“I’m not going to hit you,” Nathan growled stepping away from him as if being less than five meters away from him could be contagious.

“What? You actually want to talk to me like a human being for once?” Tyler couldn’t help but retort, despite Nathan’s current foul mood and clenched hands, his scowl deepening at the younger boys’ reply.

“I don’t like that you’re here; that you’re getting all close and comfortable with Emily.”

“I’m not asking for you to like it,” Tyler said calmly letting his body relax at the prospect of no danger and shoving his hands into his school pant pockets. “I just hope that you’ll respect her wishes and don’t restrain her from seeing me.”

“When it has anything to do with you,” Nathan spat, “I’ll do anything to keep her safe.”

“Not like this,” Tyler shook his head, doing his best not to flinch at the memories Nathan’s words brought, “You can’t keep hiding her away like this-”

“She’s my sister-”

“And she’s my friend,” he countered without a blink as he glanced once at the house before holding Nathan’s darkened blue eyes yet again, “She’s the only girl who’s ever meant a thing to me; the only person who knows me just as deeply as I know her.”

“That’s great; truly,” Nathan replied sarcastically as a sneer covered his usually friendly face. “But does she know about your step dad?” he asked feeling satisfaction at Tyler’s flinch. “Does she know about all the drugs and the dealings and the gangs that your whole damn family is caught up in?” Nathan asked lowly as a wicked grin took place of his sneer the paler Tyler seemed to grow at the words he was saying.