Masterpiece | Christian Akridge

3.4

Song of the chapter: Tear In My Heart-Twenty One Pilots

unedited

Tanner

"Okay we're all going out today so get ready." Christian says after we eat breakfast and clean up our dishes.

"Where are we going?" I ask as he puts on his clothes.

"That's for us to know and for you to find out. I have to go home, I'll be back in an hour." he says, and kisses my forehead before grabbing his keys and jogging down the stairs. I groan, listening to the door shut. It's too early for this crap.

I get back up and begin to rummage through my clothes to try and find something cute but warm to wear, when I hear a soft knock on my door.

Andy walks in, and climbs up onto my bed. I sigh, plopping down beside her.

"Do you have any idea on what I should wear?" I ask, and she pretends to think for a second before nodding her head vigorously and jumping off of my bed, making her way to my closet.

She pulls out a pair of boots, a navy blue pair of jeans, and a white pullover, tossing each of them to the bottom of my feet.

"Rad style." I say, nodding my head in approval. She smiles triumphantly, running back to hug me.

"You're not going to leave us now that you're old like Mikey did are you?" she asks, her voice breaking as if she were beginning to cry. I shake my head in reply.

"Mikey said he was gonna visit but he hasn't called, do you think we're not important to him anymore?" she asks, looking up at me expectantly. For a 9 year old, this girl knows what she's about.

"No, I just think he's a little caught up in college stuff. But he'll come visit when he can. Now, mom and dad are taking us out, so go get ready." I say, and she runs off, leaving me alone with my thoughts and an outfit I'm too lazy to change into.

~

By the time I showered, brushed my teeth, did my hair and makeup and got changed, Christian rang the doorbell and everyone was ready to go. Christian and I took his car, for the sole reason that we blast music Andy isn't aloud to hear.

On the way to wherever we are going, I turn on the radio, one of the songs I hate playing, so I turn it back down. I don't feel like listening to music anyway.

I try focusing on the cars, and counting them. But I can't focus, for the main reason being that I can't stand surprises.

"The last time I saw you squirm like that I was the cause." Christian chuckles cockily, and I roll my eyes.

"There's not that many great things to do in central Texas in the middle of winter so where are we going?" I beg.

"Fine, since you're so desperate to find out. We're going out for lunch, does that satisfy your needs?" he asks, and I huff in defeat.

"I wish Jack was here." I say, pulling out my phone to text him.

"What, am I not good enough?" Christian asks, adding a short laugh to the end but I know that's his attempt to cover up the fact that he's upset I said so.

"He hasn't missed one of my birthday's since the second grade, Christian." I snap, and he scoffs.

"You can stop with the attitude, okay? I was just making a joke. Let's make today a nice one, please." he says. I mumble a 'sure' and open my phone to keep myself occupied with a game.

A few minutes later, my phone dings with a reply.

Jack Skellington: I was wondering the same thing, we still have all of break to hang out. Maybe we can all hang out tonight.

I smile to myself at the nickname I had given him when we were kids. The Nightmare Before Christmas was always his favorite movie, and he's always been tall and lanky so it fits.

I reply with a simple 'that sounds like fun' and put my phone back in my pocket.

When I look up, my eyes widen and I look at Christian as he pulls up in the parking lot of the airport.

"Dude you're shitting me!" I say, unbuckling my seat belt and he turns the car off, smiling at me.

We both get out of the car, and my parents are already pulled up beside us and getting out. I ignored the freezing cold air, and crossed my arms.

Andy looks up at the large building with a confused look etched across her face. "I thought we were going out to eat?" she asks.

I grab Christian's hand, eagerly pulling him to the entrance of the building with my family in tow.

I look around at all the people inside, trying to match a face with a head of curly hair.

The rest of them help look, while Andy asks about why a restaurant is so big. She can't help that she's never been to or seen an airport.

"There he is." My mom says, pointing her finger. I follow the direction, seeing a tall boy in a green jacket pulling a large suitcase off of the baggage claim.

"Mikey!" Andy squeals, running ahead of us. My dad yells and tries to get her back, but gives up when the little girl jumps into her older brother's arms. He's smiling widely, kissing her on the head.

"It feels like you've been gone for years." I laugh, but hesitate when I feel tears brimming in my eyes.

"Is my little squirt crying? For me?" Michael fake gasps, engulfing me in a hug. I clutch on tightly to his jacket, breathing in his scent of airplane pizza and cologne.

"I could've come home earlier this month but I wanted to make a big entrance and all." He chuckles lowly, pulling away to look at me.

"You douche bag!" I gasp, slapping his arm.

"You act like I've been shipped off or something, Tanner, it's just college." He laughs, wiping a year from my cheek.

"I can't help that I miss my brother dimwit."

"Oh my god you're such a dweeb. It's only been five months." he says, walking over to our parents to hug them. Him and Christian do their little handshake, and with that, we're ready to go home.

~

On the way back, we make a stop at Carson's apartment, while my parents continue on to the house to make reservations for the actual restaurant.

Christian, Michael and I stand at her doorstep and Michael calls her, waiting until she picks up.

"Baby? Yeah, I kind of have a problem...yeah...I lost my spare key to your apartment-"

"She hung up on me." he says bluntly, looking at his phone. He shrugs and puts it in his pocket, crossing his arms and rocking back and forth on his toes.

I hear faint footsteps and suddenly the door is yanked open, and Carson and Michael are kissing.

"I fucking hate you for not telling me you were coming home. I'm dumping you, it's official." she says, and pouts at him.

"I know, I know I already got the speech. Now, I love you and all but you look a hot mess and today is Tanner's birthday so we're going out to eat. That means you have to get ready." Michael explains, and Carson nods, pulling me into a hug.

"Happy birthday. You're 18 now and I don't care what you say, me and Michael are getting you guys drunk tonight." she says, smiling innocently, and I laugh, nodding.

"Now let's eat food!"