ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ✓

T W E N T Y - T W O

Alexa

I followed Cameron out to his car, overcome with nerves, but I suppose this is kind of better than being in a house full of people that hate me, right? To my mistake, I looked back at the house to see Zach standing there at the doorway with a scorned expression on his face.

I don't know what I ever did to him or the others, but Cameron's clearly apologetic —— or setting me up for something. It's one or the other, so I can't let my guard down. But the trick for the other brothers to leave me alone is to find out their secrets, like I found out Cameron's.

I noticed Justin and Jason walk up to Zach, all three of them glaring at me, as I put my hand on the passenger's door, waiting for Cameron to find his keys somewhere in his pockets and unlock the door.

It became even more uncomfortable when Ryder joined his brothers in the glaring at me game. Why are they all standing there? I questioned. Don't they have anything better to do?

"Ha-Ha! Found them!" Cameron suddenly exclaimed. I jumped up, startled, and jolted my eyes away from the guys at the doorway, and instead turned my attention to Cameron, who held up keys proudly.

"Okay, get in, Alexa!"

I made an exasperated sound, but obliged. It felt like the back of my head was being burned from the piercing gazes of my stepbrothers. I wanted nothing more than to leave.

•••

Cameron

As I drove, I kept glancing over at Alexa's pale stricken face, as her eyes didn't move from the streets and cars in front of her. Her hands kept clenching and unclenching, but she seemed completely unaware of her current state.

But then she met my eyes. "Look at the road, please!" she yelled and then looked down at her lap, muttering to herself: "I thought it was over. Why am I still scared?"

She didn't seem to notice that she was talking out loud, or that I could hear her. She was in her own, terrified little world, and I had no idea what to make of this.

But I drove with my eyes peeled to the road, only because Alexa sounded so panicked before. I was tempted to look over when I heard sniffling, but my grip on the steering wheel only tightened

"You're afraid of cars," I said, not an ounce of hesitation and not in the form of a question. But, that was because I already knew. Still, though, I should play dumb, but....

Alexa slowly looked up, I noticed out of the corner of my eye. "No," she said in a monotone voice. Most people would have believed it, but I knew that she was lying.

I decided not to press her, though, since that would've seemed suspicious, especially to her. I simply pursed my lips, not saying anything more.

•••

Alexa

I was relieved when Cameron pulled up in the parking lot. I quickly got out of the car, letting out a breath of relief. I was supposed to be over my fear of cars; why did it come back? The car crash that killed my mom and almost killed my brother happened two years ago... my fear was supposed to be gone, yet it's back —— and who knows what else is!

"Let's get your ears pierced!" Cameron said. I followed him inside the mall. I don't really come here often, but the gist of it it is big. Really big, actually.

"I think you should get your ears pierced, too," I said. "Or at least one. Wouldn't that be cool?" Well, actually, the truth is that I just want to see how bad the ear piercing will hurt.

Cameron seemed to think about that. "Hm, maybe I could.... do you want me to?"

"More than you'll ever know." I kept the smirk that was itching for me to let loose off of my face.

"Erm, okay, Alexa."

I followed Cameron deeper into the mall until we stopped at Claire's. I glanced up at Cameron's face who looked as if he'd seen a ghost. He must regret that he agreed to get his ears pierced. I am too, actually, but I'm not going to back at unless he does first.

"Time to get our ears pierced?" I chuckled awkwardly.

"I've decided to only get one done." Cameron gulped.

"Okay, well, you go first."

Cameron sighed, shooting me a small glare. He went up to the smiling lady at her desk. "Um, hi.... I would like one ear pierced." She gave him an amused look and had him sit down on a chair.

I watched in anticipation as the lady put rubbing alcohol on Cameron's ear. Cameron tensed up, his eyes closed tight. The lady pierced his ears, but Cameron continued to clench his fists with his eyes closed. "Just get it over with," he begged.

"Um.... it's done," the lady said. Cameron opened his eyes, confused. "Now, just leave this earring in for a week, okay? Or the piercing will close up. Now that would be twenty dollars."

"That didn't even hurt," Cameron muttered with an embarrassed blush on his cheeks.

"Oh, the usual seven year olds react the same way, don't worry," the lady said. "You're cute." She winked, causing me to giggle to myself. Is she flirting with my gay stepbrother? That's hilarious.

Cameron didn't respond, just merely handed over twenty dollars. "Now my sis... um, stepsister now. She'll like both ears pierced."

"Sure thing. Come over here, sweetie."

I bit my lip, sitting down on the chair. Cameron gave me a thumbs up and I awkwardly smiled, only for both of my ears to get pierced without my knowledge.

That was easy.

•••

I walked beside Cameron, fiddling with my new piercing on my ears. "Thanks," I told Cameron shyly. "I like it. And yours too."

"It's the least I could do," Cameron said. "I'm sorry, Alexa."

"I forgive you."

Everyone deserves second chances... right?