It All Started With An Apple

Chapter 45

And, as a way to prove my point, an hour later I was screaming, and hiding my eyes into Garrett’s shirt.  Garrett shook his head at me and laughed.  Apparently I was amusing.  “You’re such a girl.”

“Shut up,” I whispered, peaking out at the screen.  “Is the creepy guy gone?”

“Yep.”

I looked up fully and shrieked, ducking back under cover.  Stupid Garrett with his stupid tricks!  “That was mean,” I hissed, glaring at him.

“Sorry.”  Garrett chuckled.  “Okay, he’s really gone now.”

I looked up and froze.  “Holy shit,” I whispered.

The character on the screen looked exactly like Dannon.  I struggled to breathe, closing my eyes.  Besides the fact that his eyes were hazel instead of that beautiful blue, they could have been twins. 

Garrett cursed under his breath and shut the TV off immediately.  “Sorry,” he apologized, wrapping his arms tightly around me and rocking us slowly back and forth.

Tears I didn’t even know I was shedding streamed down my cheeks.  I clung to Garrett, shaking my head vigorously.  “It’s not your fault.”

“I should have remembered that actor was in there!  I’ve seen the movie.  Gosh I’m so stupid.”

I pulled away, placing my hands on Garrett’s cheeks.  He looked so pissed at himself.  I bit my lip, hard, trying to force myself to stop crying.  You’d think I’d be a professional at that by now.  Nope.  I was just a professional crier.

“Stop it,” I ordered.  “It’s not your fault, got it?”

Garrett nodded, not looking at all convinced.  “Okay.”

“Got it?”

“Got it.”

I pulled away, sighing.  “Good.  Now, let’s find a better movie.  This one sucks ass.”

| It ♥ All ♥ Started ♥ With ♥ An ♥ Apple |

“Here they are!”

I internally groaned as Aunt Jill crashed into me, wrapping her arms around me.  Why she had to hug me first, I didn’t know.  Maybe it was out of pity.  She didn’t hug me for long, though (which I was thankful for), because she had to hug the rest of the family, too.  She paused to listen to my mom’s stomach creepily, however, talking to it like the baby could hear her.

Yep, I stopped calling it sea monkey.  It just didn’t seem funny anymore.

“Hey, Jill,” my mom greeted, smiling.

I moved away from my family members, dragging my feet toward the house.  I hoped that Vincent wouldn’t come outside.  I didn’t have the strength to pretend to be happy and hug him back enthusiastically.

This visit was going to suck.  I could just tell.

I pried open the door, stepping inside.  The house was freakishly quiet for a place that held twelve children.  I could hear Lexi and Hartin arguing from upstairs about some stupid science thing.  As I stepped into the living room I saw six or seven cousins playing with toys.  Britain was nowhere in sight.  He was the cousin I wanted to see right now.  He was the only one who knew what I was going through.

“Brianne,” someone called.

I turned, giving a small wave when I saw Britain coming toward me.  I didn’t even attempt to smile.  It would only disappoint me when I couldn’t.  “Hey, Britain,” I said softly, moving toward him.