"I can be a gentleman
Anything you want.
If I was your boyfriend
I'll never let you go."
- Boyfriend, Justin Bieber
-*-
BILLY HARGROVE watched the ceiling as he recalled what happened the night before --- or hours ago. He was still thinking about every single event that happened that night. Hell, he didn't even know if it was real or it was the cause of the alcohol in his system. A daydream that Naomi didn't attend that party and he was simply hallucinating. If he was indeed hallucinating, then he knew one thing. It was an amazing hallucination.
Naomi was looking around the room, watching the other teens dancing, making out, or drinking. She was pulled back in the party when Billy encircled his arms around her waist.
"Don't look at them. Look at me."
Naomi smiled at him and followed his steps. At the next minutes, Naomi and Billy was dancing around the room.
"This is fun!" Naomi shouted through the loud music.
"What?!" Billy asked, unable to hear her.
"I said, this is fun!" Naomi leaned in his ear to shout the words she wanted to say. In return, Billy leaned into her to answer her back.
"I told you. Hey, want a drink?" He asked which she answered with a nod.
Billy wiped his newly washed hair and face. He looked at himself in the mirror. At times like this, he would find himself winking and flirting with himself in the mirror, however, he had a lot of things in his mind.
"Are you serious?" Billy smiled at her.
"What? That I haven't tasted alcohol before? Yes, I am serious." She laughed.
"Who are you?" Billy asked with a laugh, "I mean, you were homeschooled, this is your first party and now, you haven't drank alcohol before. Who's your parents? The chief of police?" Billy asked jokingly.
Naomi's smile became forced. Unexpectedly, Naomi snatched the alcohol from his hands and drank it.
"Woah, slow down." Billy said in shock, "I didn't know it was a very sensitive topic. I'm sorry." He apologized.
"No worries. I just want to have fun. You said you'll show me?" She challenged.
"You bet I will."
He sprayed some of his cologne all over him before spraying in his hands and reaching underneath his pants. He looked at himself, already looking ready for school.
He looked like he was never in the party last night or a person who didn't get to sleep. He looked fine.
Back to his usual self, Billy winked at himself, already finding himself in a very great mood. The feeling of rush and excitement began to spread all over his body as he continued to make himself look handsome. More handsome.
Naomi's back crashed with the walls as Billy pushed her, lips not detaching. The loud music boomed inside the house and vibrating in the walls. They didn't even know what part of the house they were or whose room this is. All they know was the feeling of lust and need.
Billy holds her waist tightly as he entered her mouth with his tounge, pressing her into him and not leaving any space between them.
It was obvious, it was the teen's first kiss, as she was only following his mouth (and she told him before they started making out).
They don't even know how they got into this situation. They were drinking, dancing, dancing while drinking and drinking while dancing. All Billy knew is that this was the best thing that ever happened to him.
Billy opened the door to the car, seeing the redhead sitting in the shotgun. His mood deflate a little. Just a little.
"Nice lie, by the way." He said as he entered the key and started the engine. Max frowned in confusion.
"What?" She asked, confused.
"That kid yesterday, it wasn't Naomi's brother. But of course, you already knew that." He scowled at her, "Sly little bitch." He murmured.
"Dustin isn't Naomi's brother?" She asked him, also shocked about the information.
"That was Dustin? Dustin Henderson?" He asked her. Looking at her sideways for a second before returning his eyes on the road.
"His last name is Henderson?" She asked back.
"So it was Naomi's brother, the honorary one." Billy said to himself, remembering the boy from Naomi's stories to him.
"He is?" Max asked again. Billy looked at her, scowling at her questions.
"You know what? You're no use." He stated and turned the music on. He tapped along with the beat of the music, bouncing on his seat.
Max scoffed at him and decided to ignore him the whole ride.
-*-
"Good morning." Naomi groaned, sipping from her coffee.
"Is it?" Naveen asked sarcastically before standing up to put his dishes in the sink.
"What's wrong with you?" Naomi asked, her forehead creasing in confusion as she followed him with his gaze.
"Oh, I don't know. I mean I did tell someone about not going to that stupid party but who cares? She did go anyway." Naveen shrugged before stomping away.
"Is this what this is all about? About me going to the party? I mean I did tell you I don't need your permission." She followed him.
"Of course, people who don't need permission asked for permission first." He emphasized.
"I asked because I thought you'd say yes. You're the one who wants to live a normal life." Naomi argued.
"I didn't tell you I want a normal life. You thought I want a normal life. Because let's face it, Naomi. We can't live a normal life!" He shouted.
"Yes, we can." She shouted back.
"By what? Pretending? Pretending that it's all okay and I just didn't appear out of nowhere? Pretending that we weren't test subjects? That we don't have abilities?" He pointed out.
"Yes!" Naomi answered, "because no one will believe us, Naveen. What more could you possibly want? I'm giving you all of it. Freedom? I gave it to you, even if Dr. Owens insisted to keep you quarantined, I convinced him. Me! House? You might not know this, but this is our grandparents house, from our father's side. I took it back. Food? I gave it to you, with my money. I didn't pushed you to go to school because it might overwhelm you. I did all of it --- I brought you back ----."
"Yes you did!" Naveen cut her off. Naomi went silent, "you did! You brought me back! You thought about my feelings, my basic needs but what about my thoughts?" He asked.
"All of the decision, you were the one who made it. I didn't even agree to eat dinner at the Henderson's house, I don't know them-- "
"But you can! They can also be your family." Naomi shouted desperately.
"There! There it is again, you making decisions for me! I am older than you --"
"Stop dragging your age in this. It doesn't matter."
"Maybe it does." Naveen said, calmly, "all these years, of you being alone, you are used by you making your own rules. But you're not alone anymore, Naomi." Tears started to cloud his vision.
"I know that." Naomi said, tears springing in her eyes.
"Then why does it feel like that? That I have no use?" He started, "that I'm just here. Existing. I don't make decisions for myself, you treat me like I'm some sick child, that I'm fragile. Naomi, I feel different. I know I am different. I have abilities, for pete's sake."
"Ever since I got here, I feel like I'm a heavy baggage. I don't have money, house, clothes, everything. You asked me what I could possibly want more?" He asked, eyebrows meeting as the emotions he was desperately pushing down surfaced like a tsunami and taking over his actions. His words.
"I want to live. I want to feel like I'm not stuck in one place. I want to make my own decisions. One time, I could be a big brother yet you denied it. It may not be obvious, but I was so so happy when you asked me if you could go to that party. Because finally, I can be a big brother, I can make some decisions for you. When I can protect you. Imagine my panic and surprise after seeing you weren't in your room." He sniffed.
Naomi sobbed while listening to him.
"You asked for my permission, then your off to disobey it the next second because you thought that I'll agree with it. Well guess what, Naomi? We're not kids anymore. We can't make a decision then change it later because all decisions have consequences. And you know what? I don't have any consequences because I didn't make any decisions." He chuckled dryly.
"You thought this and you thought that, wake up, Naomi!" He shouted, "not everything is all about you. Yes I agree, killing your only sibling hurts like hell, but I made that choice. I made that choice to die not because I was scared, or I was hurt. Because your right beside me." He admitted.
Naomi looked shocked. She thought all this time, her brother begged her to kill him because he was hurting.
"Please."
That he was really hurt to the point of begging your only sister to kill you.
"You can do it."
That he was scared.
"I know you can do it."
Naomi's heart stopped, her tears fell like waterfalls. She doesn't have any control in it. She was overflowed by emotions that it couldn't stop. She watched her brother, talking about his side. Explaining his side and not somebody else's.
"Your right beside me and I don't know how to control that much power. Better I die than you." He said, at this point, Naomi started sobbing harder.
"I want to live, I want to be me. To run around with nothing to worry about. To make my own decisions. Not the decisions you made for me."
"For you to include me with your plans, to make me feel like I'm helping, to spend time with me. Because let's face it, the only time we spent together is when we ate that ice cream at the park. The next day? It's like I'm invisible."
"Naomi, let me go." He said.
Naomi sobbed and hugged him, "I am so sorry. I'm sorry you felt that way. You are and always will be my big brother."
Naveen stayed still for a moment before pulling away and walked to his room. Once his door slammed, Naomi's knees buckled on the ground. The overwhelming knowledge about what really happened that day. Not just her side. But his.
Naveen's side.
-*-
EDITED