The Story of Milo and Jade

Prologue

My feet touched the cold floor as I descended the stairs. I wrapped my arms around myself, hugging my hoodie tighter to my body. It was eerily cold tonight, and it was rarely this cold in Burnsley. As I reached the last step, I saw a silhouette standing at the front door in the dark, so I squinted my eyes to get a better look at the silhouette and instantly, I recognized who it was.

"Jay?" I whispered as I walked towards the light switch to turn it on, and my guess was indeed correct, my brother was standing in front of the door all dressed up. His hand was a few inches away from touching the doorknob. "What are you doing down here? It's three in the morning." His body tensed up for a moment before he took a deep breath and sighed.

I was quite shocked when he turned to look at me. His eyes were tired and, scared? Jay wasn't one to show his emotions, well at least, he didn't show them often, but tonight he looked extremely fatigue-fragile almost, and I can't help but feel concerned. Jay isn't the only sibling that I have, but we are the closest since our age difference wasn't that far, and besides, he was always there for me.

My face turned into a frown, but as soon as he notices my expression, he quickly hides his. "I should be asking you the same thing LJ." He said as an amused grin appeared on his lips. I walked towards the kitchen with him following behind me.

"Well dearest brother, I came here to drink some water," I grabbed a glass from one of the cabinets before pouring water in them and drank it. "And as you can see, I'm still in my PJ's unlike you," I said as I eyed him up and down, pointing at his outfit. He was wearing his usual black jeans and a navy blue t-shirt with his black trucker jacket.

Jay pouted, grabbing my glass of water. "Awww you got me LJ, tsk tsk." I playfully rolled my eyes at the comment as he drank the rest of the water in my glass. The sound of a notification popping came from his phone. He put the glass down before grabbing his phone from his jeans' pocket and read whatever text that he received. He raises his palms and wipes his face with them, letting out a long shaky breath at the same time.

There was something that's bothering him, and my heart ached to see him like this.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked softly, and he looked up at me. He stared at me for a few seconds before answering my question, but it wasn't even a proper answer. Well, it was not the answer that I wanted.

"You are an amazing sister, and you know that right LJ?" He said, and my heart dropped.

"Why are you saying stuff like these? You are scaring me." I looked at him with my eyebrows scrunched. He was acting very weird. He wasn't making fun of me or try to say stupid things to me either. I don't like what he was doing at all.

He chuckled at my comment, "yeah, yeah, I'm sorry about that." He sighed. "Anyway, I have to go now-" I didn't let him finished.

"Where are you going?"

His eyes shifted away from me, "place."

This is not happening.

"You are going to meet them, aren't you?" His eyes widened as he was taken back from my question. My heart raced.

Oh god please tell me this is not happening, he just got back three months ago. Please tell me this isn't happening.

His mouth opens and closes as if he was going to say something but couldn't find the word to, he looked down and sighed, "Look LJ, I'm just going to go and see them for a while." He paused and looked at me. "I have to end things with them for good."

"Well yeah, but does it have to be right now? At three in the morning? Can't you just text them that you don't want to be friends with them anymore? Do you really have to go there?"

"You know how Derek is. I have to go there no matter what and besides, they won't stop blowing my phone, so I have to go and see them now." But he didn't look at me. There was something else that he was hiding from me.

"Let's just file a restraining order against him or something," he chuckled at my comment.

"You know that won't be enough to hold him back." He paused and looked at me. "Hey, don't worry okay, I will go there, talk to them and come back." An unsettling feeling started to grow in the pit of my stomach.

"No." I said, "You can just go there later on during the day and bring Malcolm or me with you."

He shook his head, "The faster I finished this, the better it is for me, and besides, this is my problem so I will solve it myself." Rage built up in me. He always helps me solve my problem, but I can't help him solve his. How was that fair?

"Like hell it is! You are my brother, Jay. Your problem is my problem."

"Language, young lady and keep your voice down," I rolled my eyes at his comment. "The last thing I need is for mom and dad to wake up and come downstairs before they start fighting again." He sighed.

"If that means that you are going to stay then, I wouldn't mind waking them up," I said, raising my voice louder, intentionally. At this point, we were standing in front of each other with tension filing up the space.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. I did hit a nerve there, but I could care less right now. I just got him back, and I'm not about to lose him for the second time. When he was gone for three months, it was dreadful enough for me.

"Jade please, I know you don't want me to do this, and I don't want to do it either, but I have too so please, just trust me on this one." He looked at me pleadingly. Of course, I trust him, I always do, but at the same time, I wanted to say no so bad because in this messed up world, they always win and I could lose him again. Permanently even.

Both his hands grabbed my shoulders, and with pleading eyes, he said, "Please Jade, just this once, I need you to trust me," he paused. "I'll come back, I promise."

Just this once, I said to myself. It will be alright.

I looked at him in the eyes, and with a heavy heart, I nodded. "Fine, but please come back, ok?" I pleaded. He nodded his head and pulled me into a hug. I hugged him back, and it was the most comforting hug ever. The kind that gives you the feeling of protection, comfort and reassurance that everything will be alright.

"Thank you, LJ, you are the best," he mumbled. We pulled away from each other, and I watched as he walked towards the door. He opened the door but stopped midway, and looked back at me. "I love you LJ." With that, he walked out of the house for the last time.

"I love you too Jay," I mumbled.

If only I had known better than to let him face the devil alone then, maybe I wouldn't have lost him again.

...

Hello! I hope you guys like my second book, and I'm trying my best with this one. Feel free to comment on my mistakes, I would really appreciate it. Also if you like this book, don't forget to hit that vote button;)

Love, h.