Hate You, Hate You Not. (unedited)

CHAPTER 14

I was tired and irritated.

If I thought people walked on eggshells around me before I have no idea what they walking on now. All I wanted was to get out this hospital, but I was to be discharged tomorrow.

My mother was too nurturing, my dad was too protective, Hayden was an overly loving big brother and Katherine was... let me not.

"You do know we still gonna irritate you any time we get." Luke said nonchalantly while flipping through a magazine.

Then you get those three, who wouldn't leave my side.

"Of course, you shits would irritate me even with my critical health condition."

"Critical health condition my ass, you need to get some therapy or something. I have never heard of someone fainting from anger. White people." Rico muttered.

I laughed at his bluntness.

"Hey, you white too." I protested playfully.

"Nuh uh, I'm mixed." I'm pretty sure my eyebrows shot up to my hair line. I'm extremely observant, but I failed to notice this. Then again it explains his slight caramel skin tone, his mane of chestnut curls that reached his ears and his blue-green eyes. I assumed he was Italian, but I clearly didn't look close enough. Rule number two about life, never make assumptions.

Rule number one is to forgive and all shall come to pass, but I have given up on that one a long time ago since I have discovered I can really hold a grudge.

"My mom is Congolese and my dad is Italian." No wonder he is so gorgeous, I mean have you seen how stunning Congolese women are, it should be illegal.

"Dave, only paint horizontally because that's how you started." I told him. He made a face at me.

"You the one who wanted to paint my toes."

"I know, now stop wiggling your toes, purple is such a nice colour on your feet, complements your pale skin." he said.

"Dude who knew you were a beauty expert." Luke laughed.

"I painted Lacy's toes, she use to tell me these things." Dave whispered.

I could sense this Lacey person was someone Dave truly loved by the faraway look he had in his eyes, he was probably reminiscing.

"Who is Lacey?" I asked Dave.

A hushed silence made itself present in my hospital room almost immediately and I wondered what I said out of line. Rico started fidgeting with his fingers, while Luke suddenly found a certain page in the magazine he was 'reading' interesting. Both boys did not know whether it was their place to tell, so they preferably welcomed the awkward silence.

"Lacey was my little sister." Was. Dread filled every inch of my body at what he was about to say next.

"She died in a car accident along with my grandparents." I used my hands to cover my mouth hoping it would hold back the gasp that dared to disturb the silence that gave me time to process this information, hoping it would hold back all the questions that threatened to escape past my lips. How old was she? Do you know the cause of the accident? Are you okay? How long ago did it happen? Why hasn't it been brought up before? How do manage you to be so positive? Was it really a accident? Do you wear a facade too?

My mind was on overdrive, but even I knew that now wasn't the time to be insensitive and ask such questions. "Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked him gently, putting my hand on his shoulder hoping it offered him some sort of comfort.

Dave looked up from my toes and gave me a weak smile that barely reached his eyes," No, I'm fine I just have to go outside, I'm in need of some fresh air." he got up and walked out the room.