It All Started with a Lie

Chapter 15

I finally give her my attention, smacking her foot away and pretending to grimace. Her lips curve into a cheeky grin and pride dances in her eyes. "What snacks do you want?" She nods towards Alexandria who holds the tray of candy, showing it off like the models on television.

She knows. She must know. She has caught me in my lie. "Just a few jolly ranchers. Can't eat too much before work." My voice comes out fine, perfectly normal, but in my head it is shaky and hoarse and screaming my deception.

Alexandria picks a few red ones from the bowl and tosses them to me before grabbing Bea another handful of m&m's and we return to the movie like everything is fine, sitting in a quiet silence filled only by the occasional laughter from the two of them. Alexandria snorts a little bit everytime she laughs and I bite back a smile at the sound.

Half way through the movie, as my sister giggles, leaning against her friend, the door swings open and my brother comes running in, tears streaming down his cheeks. I am up from my spot in an instant because he is my brother and because I cannot stand a minute longer with the two of them and my crimes. "Sonny?" I shout after him, but he is already gone and up the stairs before I am able to catch him.

My sister sighs, watching the spot his figure had just stood before turning to me. "No crying alone, right?" She asks me just before we follow him upstairs.

She is as exhausted from doing damage control as I am, but people can be so cruel, especially to someone they think is 'different'. We follow him up and I knock on his door slowly. "Can we come in?"

His muffled sobs are the only response, that and the locked door. "Come on Sonny, we don't even have to talk about it, just let us in," Bea's voice is tender.

"You shouldn't cry alone," I add.

I don't know what makes him come out but he does, falling against me second the door opens, crying into my shirt, I wrap my arms tightly around him, trying to shield him from the world. Bea does the same, brushing her fingers through his hair. He doesn't tell us what is wrong, only stays like that until he can stop his tears and crawl into bed to cocoon himself in blankets. We sit beside him and Bea hums softly, rubbing his back.

I can't even begin to think of what has made him so upset. It feels like we've been here a dozen times for a dozen reasons. Life has never been kind to him. People have never been kind to him. "If someone said something mean to you, we can beat them up," Bea tried to lighten the mood, though we all know she is serious.

The last time a girl called Sonny a slur, she had to have her jaw wired shut when Beatrice was done with her.

Sonny tries to make out a laugh but it is weak and hollow, masked by the sound of my watch beeping. I curse and turn it off quickly. "I have to go to work."

My gut twists at the thought of leaving him like this but I have no other choice. I debate calling in sick but I know that is not an option, not if we want dinner on the table, so I say goodbye to my family and leave them. He will be okay. He is in good hands. Bea has always been better with Sonny than I am anyway. I am too much like my father for him to ever truly feel safe around me.

I head down the stairs where Alexandria is in the kitchen doing the dishes. I should leave now, while her back is turned but I have spent an entire evening beside her, yearning to feel the material of her night gown, to taste her lips. I can't help but join her in the kitchen for just a moment. She is startled to see me but stands just a bit closer when she realizes I am alone. "How is Sonny?" She asks, her voice a low whisper like we have something to hide.

"He'll be okay. Bea is staying with him, it might be a while."

She nods, scrubbing a dish that sat so long in Sonny's room, it's begun to grow mold. "What did Richard mean by 'no crying alone'?"

I help by drying off the dishes with a rag and setting them on the counter. "Just something we read a long time ago. No one should ever cry alone."

She takes in every word I'm saying, her facial expressions following along. She looks...surprised. "So you always sit with them when you cry?"

The question catches me off guard, and I almost wish I'd just left when I'd originally thought it. My jaw grows tight. "I don't cry." I haven't since the fire that scarred my family. Since my father left. "I have to go to work, I'll catch you later."

Her brows crinkle as she tries to stop me but I am too quick to leave. I slide past her, my hand finding her waist, the delicate fabric of her gown that is just as I'd imagined it but it is bittersweet now.

I grab my coat and hop onto my bike. I do not cry. I am not a weak little boy who can't take care of his family anymore. I should have known better than to get involved with a girl who is so nosy. A girl who thinks she knows me because my sister tells her about me. What was I thinking?

A/N
Hi lovies!

We are almost at 2.5k!! How exciting

Finals are coming up and it has been a crazy busy week, but seeing everyone votes and comments make it so much better.

QOTD: when do you start listening to Christmas music if you do?

If you don't, which holiday has your favorite music?

Lots of love,
Rachelle <3