His Mission

Meeting Tobias.

I'm settled on the couch with Jake and Ivory. There's a box of extra cheese pizza sitting between us, and we're making our way through the classic comedy movies on Netflix. I hear the front door slam shut and Ivory sits up before glancing at the door. There's a look of concern on her face, almost as if she doesn't know what to expect. The door swings open and a figure steps into the living room. My eyes immediately land on his face.

His features are sharp and he bears a striking resemblance to Jake. His wavy dark hair is longer than Jake's, and his eyes are the shade of dark melted chocolate. He's wearing a hood over his head and he's dressed in all black. A neck tattoo sticks out from under his shirt, spreading across his pale skin. There's an unsettling aura surrounding him and it causes me to quickly look away. This must be Tobias Melvin. I feel his dark eyes burning intensely in my direction. "Who is this? I thought the party was over," Tobias asks his sister. His voice is low, lined with boredom and a hint of irritation. I squirm uncomfortably in my seat before shooting him a friendly smile. He doesn't return it.

"Her name is Emily. She's going to be staying with us for a while," Ivory says casually. The entire time Tobias' presence is known, Jake keeps his eyes glued to the television. Am I wrong in suspecting there's major tension between the two of them? "Hey," I smile at Tobias but he ignores me completely. My heart deflates.

"How long?" Tobias snaps with a deep frown on his face. I slowly lower myself in my seat, hating how the awkward tension seems to be growing with every second. Tobias' question causes Jake to turn toward him with a scowl on his face. "Does it matter? Last time I checked, you didn't own this house." The two boys stare intensely at each other before Tobias eventually releases a deep breath of frustration. He steps out of the room before slamming the door shut behind him. I jump at the sudden noise and Ivory throws an apologetic look in my direction. "Ignore my brother, he's acting like his usual moody self," Ivory tells me.

"He's an asshole," Jake corrects her before reaching for another slice of pizza. Ivory doesn't correct Jake's opinion of Tobias. We all go back to watching the movie, but I can't help but wish Tobias would have been a little more welcoming toward me.

I'm searching for the bathroom later that night when I come face to face with a surprised looking Tobias. His room is engulfed in darkness and it's lit up dimply with a lava lamp by his bed. He stands in the doorway of his room, blocking my view from the rest of his space. "Stay out of my room," he warns me in a low tone. The hostility radiating from him makes me uncomfortable, but I've dealt with worse. "Sorry, I was looking for the bathroom. Can you show me where it is?" I ask him. He stares straight at me with a blank look on his face before releasing a dramatic breath.

"Fine," he mutters before walking down the hallway. He turns the corner and flings open a door that leads into a large bathroom. I shoot a tight smile at him in gratitude. "Thanks." Tobias brushes past me to walk away. Before he disappears back into his bedroom, I make the first move to break the tension between us. "Have I done anything to offend you?" I ask him a question. I want to clear the air so we can all live without unnecessary drama. The last thing I want is for my presence to cause more tension in the family. Tobias pauses before glancing at me from over his shoulder. It's eerie how much his face resembles Jake's considering they're cousins.

"No." Tobias responds bluntly. "If you want me to leave, I can leave. I appreciate this is your house too, so you should get a say in who stays here," I say to him. My words appear to take him by surprise. He lifts his head until his dark eyes lock with mine. Having his stare on me causes a flutter of nerves to fill my stomach.

"Nobody cares about my opinion. They both want you here, so I can't argue against that. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours." Tobias says with a hard edge to his voice. He doesn't hang around to hear my response. He storms back into his room before slamming the door shut. I exhale a deep breath when I realise my attempt to break the ice between us has only made things frostier.