The Bad Boy's Girl (Now Available as a Paperback and ebook)

Chapter Twelve :I'm Not The Love Child Of Edward Cullen And Tinker Bell.

"Is everything okay?" He's slurring his words and his eyes are drooping. Disappointment shoots through me as I realize that this is the person he's become. From having everything one minute to being reduced to nothing the next has taken its toll on Travis. Seeing him like this further strengthens my resolve to get his life back on track.

In a sudden display of affection, I sit by his side on the bed and ruffle his blonde hair so like mine, his grey eyes concentrate on my face as I smile sadly at him.

"I just need my big brother right now."

My mother's spoon slips from her fingers and clatters on the ground. My father is forced to put down his glass of wine and I smile widely as Travis pulls up a chair next to me and sits down at the dining table.

Shock. The single emotion is plastered onto both their faces as they watch their son sit and eat with them for the first time in years. Mom's mouth hangs open in the most un-lady like of ways and Dad looks like he's going to start choking on the wine he just put down. It's priceless, seeing them like this and knowing that I somehow have a part in all this. My talk with Travis went really well, I'd been able to get through to him not only by making him feel slightly guilty for being so selfish all the time but also by reminding him that he's Travis O'Connell.

That, in this town means a lot.

"Travis?" My mother finally manages to croak as she stares at him like he's a foreign creature or the owner of a fake Prada.

"Hey Mom," He disarms her will a single crooked grin and her eyes widen. I can relate to how she's feeling since it's been a really long time since we've seen Travis in good spirits. The fact that he's smiling and being so nonchalant about all of this is kind of creepy but hey I'm not complaining. At least I'm going to get my brother back this way.

He's helping himself to some of the Lasagna that's cooked and Dad still hasn't said a word. He's just staring at him, much like our mother but even she's managed to get herself under control.

"Can I help you with something Dad?" Travis asks with an edge to his voice.

I start to panic just a little. My brother and father don't exactly have the best relationship. Well that would be putting it mildly; they hate each other's guts. Dad didn't take well to Travis's little crash and burn experience. He practically disowned him and my brother's never quite gotten over the desertion. Now watching them having a stare-down I realize that it might take some time to fix this.

"Just surprised to you among the living that's all," His snide remark had me wanting to pour my glass of Coke all over his head. This is not the time for settling old scores, we need to show Travis that we love him and support him and the way my father's looking at him you can't really see the rainbows and unicorns. Instead I see the steely cold and calculating gaze which I've become accustomed to in the past four years.

"Dad," I begin in a warning tone and Mom darts her eyes nervously between the three of us. She looks like she might just have a panic attack, never one for confrontations she's beginning to look a little worse for the wear.

He raises his palms defensively and looks at me innocently, "I'm only stating the obvious honey."

"You haven't changed a bit have you Dad." Travis says through gritted teeth and I can see his anger rising, the famous Irish temperament that I didn't inherit is rising to the surface.

"Well we all cant stop living our normal lives and become raging alcoholics can we now?" He says calmly before returning to his food.

Okay, that's it. One more word from him and he's going to be drenched in fizzy goodness. Why must I be surrounded by so many douches? It's not fair I tell you, its just not.