Dangerous Liaisons [✗]

𝟐𝟏 | 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝

Disappointment filled my brother's face and I wanted to sigh at how much he mirrored our father when he wasn't agreeable of what Elyas himself was doing after school sometimes, getting up to mischief with his classmates. 

Tia and I uneasily surveyed one other and communicated with our eyes only, as if to indicate that now would be the ideal time to get up and leave before things got weird. Except he interrupted me when I stood up.

"I bumped into Blaze." Elyas shared mid-sip into his drink.

"What did he want?" I said unevenly, holding my breath without realising.

Elyas raised a brow. "We reconnected and had a brief chat. Hasn't changed."

I started to scowl. "He hasn't changed but I have? What did you discuss?"

"Nothing important." Elyas replied grimly. "I told him we'd be sticking around until Christmas and that it'd be nice to catch up when he's free. He suggested that I go over for dinner, that my family and I come along and we all spend the evening."

"I think I'll pass." I immediately stated. "In fact I have better things to do rather than having dinner, like watering the plants and some gardening, or doing my laundry, or better yet baking the red-velvet, swirl cake I promised Irena I would make."

"You can still do all of that, Audrey." Elyas said unamused. "Just get it done before five. Because that's when we're going over to the Thayer house, as a family of four. I'd appreciate it if you put effort in to look put together too, wear something nice perhaps."

"Are you being serious right now?" I gasped in outrage, offended that he was speaking to me that way and expecting me to just listen to him. It wasn't fair that because he was older than me, and had suddenly decided to show up here with his baggage, he had sway over me.

"More than ever. I don't know what's gotten into you, but while I'm here, you'll get your act together." The stern unfaltering look in his eyes only amplified and I knew Elyas too well to start arguing with him right now. He meant what he said and he wasn't going to go back on it, so I defiantly left with Tia at my side, whispering under my breath.

I wasn't in the habit of outwardly disrespecting my brother, and I hadn't ever done so with my parents, but he wasn't ever going to fill their shoes and there was no way that it was acceptable for him to swoop in and make his unreasonable commands.

"Maybe it's worth going to his home." Tia said. "Blaze, I mean. He doesn't seem so bad, he kind of seems like he has his eye on you even. In a protective sense."

"I never asked for his protection." I grunted. "He's nobody to me and I'm nobody to him. We both know it too, unlike my brother and his insistence to make us get along."

"But considering everything it could serve you well to look him in the eye and see what he really knows." Tia whispered lowly, her voice laced with danger.

"Well he's far from an open book and he's too mysterious for my damn liking. He'll have my brother believing all sorts about me." I whined, moaning even.

Tia pondered my words for a moment and gave me a brief hug, before she left me to stand on the porch, staring down at my feet. I heard Salma scold my brother on my way up the stairs and he grumpily admitted he had spoken harshly but it was for my own good.

I scoffed to myself at his words and his behaviour towards me. He was going to potentially question everything I did and everywhere I went. If he could he would also tag along, even if I supposedly had business in Philadelphia.

In the safety net of my bedroom, I massaged my temples and removed the smeared makeup with balm, stripping down as I headed to the shower. Once washed and clean, I dried my long hair and slipped into a flowing dress that went above my knees.