Forever August ✔️

chapter eighteen

"You're driving!" she called over her shoulder.

When they were driving down the street, about to turn the corner, Aurora looked back to see Gus walking down her driveway, skateboard in hand.

She smiled to herself and turned up the radio.

____

Aurora glanced over the menu before shutting it quickly and placing it on the table. "I'm getting ice cream," she declared.

Thomas peered at her from above his menu. She watched him roll his eyes. "It's lunch time," he said.

"What's wrong with ice cream for lunch?" Aurora picked the sugar packets off the table and began to stack them into a tower. Her brother watched her disapprovingly.

"You know you shouldn't eat dairy, Ror."

Now she rolled her eyes. "I can handle a little diarrhea." Thomas choked on his water and she leaned back in her chair, satisfied.

"You're not getting ice cream," he said, wiping the water off his chin with his shirt sleeve.

"Fine," she sighed. The waitress came and took their orders and she reluctantly ordered a sandwich, glaring at her brother the entire time. "So tell me," she said once the waitress had left, "what brings on this lovely morning of sibling bonding?"

Thomas' eyes drifted to his cellphone, gaze not meeting hers. "I was craving something other than frozen pizza."

"Liar!" Aurora yelled, kicking him under the table. "You love frozen pizza."

He sighed, his face taking on that serious look Aurora had grown to hate. "Ror—"

"Is this about Josephine? Because I'm fine, Thom."

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

Aurora nodded as she took a sip of her drink. "I really miss her," she said. "I don't think I'll ever stop missing her, but I'm alright. I promise."

Her brother's next words made her freeze. "I know you loved her," he whispered.

"You— What?"

"You loved her." He said the words so casually, eyes locked on hers, that she felt her breath catch. "As more than a friend," he added with a smile.

"How do you ... How do you know that?"

Thomas chuckled at her surprise. "It was so obvious, Ror. Just the way you looked at her was enough," he said with a shrug. "I think I knew how you felt about her before you even did."

Aurora's head raced with the sudden realization that her secret wasn't as private as she once thought. "What about Mom and Dad?" she asked quickly. "Do they know?"

He shrugged again, leaning backwards as the waitress placed their food on the table. "Doubt it," he said while chewing on a fry.

"I miss them," she admitted while chewing. Sometimes it didn't feel real, that she would never see her parents again.

"It's not too late to tell them," Thomas said, eyes locked on his cellphone again.