My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 17

Author's Note:
The photo attached is Cat just so ya know ;)

I entered my room and closed the door. The familiar sound of it slamming didn't come until Cat followed behind me and stood nearby. I didn't face her. I didn't want to deal with her right then. For a long while, all I could hear was the sound of our exasperated breaths.

She finally collected herself and said,"I didn't want to find you there. In my heart, I didn't want to see you there...with him because I can still see..."

She paused.

"I can still see you with him and I couldn't bear to witness it again. But I did."

"Cat, we never..." I said as I turned to her.

"Had sex! I know. But what I don't know is why it's so difficult for you to understand that you stole him from me. You didn't have to sleep with him to hit me the hardest. And you knew that I liked him-- that I loved him yet you went ahead and stole him from me."

Astonished, I remained silent and watched her try and rub out a headache flustered. "We never loved each other, Cat," I said. Though barely audible, she looked up. I continued,"We only fed off each other. The little strengths we had, we stole from each other and our weaknesses only grew the longer we stayed together. I used him--Trey--for comfort and he used me to make himself feel greater. That wasn't love. That wasn't love."

Instead of her face softening, it contorted into disgust,"Of course you didn't love him. Of course he couldn't love you."

She continued to stare at me with her penetrating eyes shooting daggers at me. "You take everything from me," she growled.  "Everything. You take everything and I hate you for that."

As soon as she released those words, my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach and I couldn't move. I was left alone in my room still trying to digest what had just happened.

Drew

"What do you mean by crazy?" Will asked turning from the fridge to take a seat.

"I mean they believe that Alison's...attempt might have been triggered by Anna's death as well as her 'psychological need for love and affection.'"

"Love and affection?" Will repeated rolling his eyes. "This is Alison, Drew. She pulls this kind of shit all the time."

"Not all the time, Will. Nothing like this anyways," I continued.

He didn't respond as I quietly said,"She wasn't loved and she lost someone she loved. I not only pushed her away for months, but I blamed her."

"Drew," Will said,"this isn't your fault."

I nodded but still didn't believe him.

All of a sudden, I heard footsteps and Cat appeared before us with an opaque expression smeared on her face.

"Cat," Will called out. The door slammed before the last syllable of her name would even reach her ear. My eyes wandered to the stairwell as well as Will's.

"I'll be back." Will said before lunging quickly up the steps.

Lauren

I heard the door open not too long after Cat stormed out. I didn't acknowledge the figure until its arms were wrapped around me in an embracing hug. It was then I realized that I was trembling hard and the figure who I now knew as Will was trying his hardest to comfort me.

"She hates me," I said in a rush.  "Cat. She hates me."

Will rubbed my back and attempted to whisper soothing words but then I started to cry uncontrollably. It wasn't just because my only sister hated me but because she was right. I took everything from her and for that I was losing everything.

I continued crying and not the perfect single-tear-down-your-cheek cries but the full on mascara-running-ugly frowning-hiccuping ones.

I missed Drew and he was the one person I wanted with his arms around me.
"It's okay," Will said quietly.  "It's okay."

Will gave me a final assuring hug and pulled away,"Don't worry about Cat."
I nodded wearily.

"Drew and I are headed to see Samantha so I won't be back until late. Will you be okay alone?"
I nodded again.

"Okay," Will said unsurely.  "Well, mom should be back in an hour or two so do me a favor and don't run away again. I don't need two missing sisters. They'll get suspicious."

I chuckled as he gave me a light smile.

Soon, I was alone in my room.

***

"Bio is killing me," Hanna mumbled over her textbook. We were stuck in AP Biology for another hour and ten minutes.

"Get a tutor," I said automatically.

"Ugh. No--wait, maybe if it's a hot senior. Do you know if Drew's available?"

"Hanna," I said defensively.

"I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Plenty of fishes with gorgeous caramel hair, pearly smiles, and leg muscles in the sea."

"Yeah, with a kid."

Hanna's smile remained plastered on her face for what seemed like a minute before frowning and repeating, "A kid?"

I nodded.

"No talking," Mrs. Boyd, our lazy biology teacher, said sternly eyeing me and Hanna. Her stupid "no talking" rule was initiated every time she wasn't lecturing from her large desk. "Don't make me catch you again."

"With Alison?" Hanna whispered secretively as soon Mrs. Boyd wasn't watching.
I nodded again.

She pulled back sharply and said, "Damn." She still wore her utterly confused look. "Damn." she said again, "Drew and Alison?"

I rolled my eyes and huffed annoyed, "Yes."

"And how-how old is she...or he?" she stammered.

"It's a she and I don't know how old she is," I replied.

"Ask your brother. He should know something."

"Ugh, Hanna.  It's not my concern anymore," I said trying to convince myself.

"Yes it is. Drew has a kid."

"Hanna!" I shouted a bit too loudly.

"Miss Gray," I heard from the corner of the room. I turned my head to acknowledge Mrs. Boyd for the first time. "I don't tolerate talking nonetheless yelling."

"I'm sorry."

"Or back talking. I'll see you after school in detention. Don't be late," Mrs. Boyd said turning back to her work.

Surely my mouth dropped open in astonishment before I turned to frown at Hanna.

"Bitchy Boyd's at it again," she mumbled more to herself than to me. "I'm sorry, Laur. I could join you. 'Fess up to the fact that I had someone else write my English essay."

I sighed and said,"No, don't do that. It's fine."

Drew

I slammed the door to my locker after talking out my sneakers and searched the locker room for the umpteenth time.  Will usually arrived to gym before me but as time passed by, I began to worry.

One of my classmates passed by and I grabbed his shoulders and said,"Nichols, you seen Gray?"  He shook his head and continued on his path.  "Weird," I mumbled to myself once he was gone.  I put on my shoes and as I was finishing the laces, I noticed Will entering.  When he noticed me, he began walking in my direction upset.

"Gray, where you been?" I asked standing up, "Are you--"

Before I could finish my sentence, he shoved me into the lockers hard.  "Really, Drew," he growled. "My friggin' sister?"