Nick joins me up stairs and I'm in a panic-stricken state. "Nick, it's going to look so weird if I'm wearing your clothes."
"Liliana, no one is going to care." He goes into his dresser and pulls out black shorts and a black shirt. "Here." He hands then to me "Those shorts are really tight so, you'll probably only have to roll them like once or twice."
"Great." I reply.
He goes into his closet and comes back out with scissors. "You can crop that shirt if you want."
"I'm not going to cut your shirt, Nick." I tell him.
"I honestly don't care. It's just a plain black shirt."
I end up cropping the shirt.
As we head back down stairs, my heart pounds harder as I complete each step. I was not at all looking forward to this interaction.
The moment we hit the bottom floor and turn into the kitchen, his dads eyes are locked onto me.
"What is she doing here?" He immediately, asks.
"I'm on a bi-week again. So, we are just hanging out." Nick answers.
I notice bags of food on the kitchen table.
"We didn't know you were going to be here, sweetie. I'm sorry we might not have enough food." Nicks mom, says.
"It's okay, she can share with me." Nick replies.
I try not to look at Joey, but my eyes briefly scan over him. He was avoiding me as well, and his body posture appeared uncomfortable as we all took a seat at the table.
As they dish out the food his dad starts to speak again. "I thought this little thing between you two was over?" He says.
"Dad, can you just drop it for now? You already know how I feel about her." Nick replies.
"I think.." He starts to respond.
But Nicks mom cuts him off. "—John. Leave them alone, there's no need to be an asshole. He is our son and we support him in any decisions he makes." She gives me a warm smile.
Everyone is quite for a moment and starts to eat. I felt like his father was never going to like me, no matter what I did and no matter what Nick proved to him about our relationship.
"So, speaking of decisions. I do need to tell you guys that Liliana and I are getting back together." Nick says, without holding back.
Before anyone could answer, Joey looks in our direction. "What? You guys are getting back together?" He desperately, clears his throat.
"That's great news!" His mom chimes in.
Joey pushes out his chair, he frantically stands and grabs at his chest. Everyone's attention is now on him.
"What's going on with you?" Nick questions.
"I—I think I'm choking." He replies.
"You can't be choking, you're talking." Nick says, unamused.
"No, I feel like I can't breath." He answers, starting to hyperventilate.
"Honey, are you okay?" Their mom stands up now looking extremely, concerned.
"I can hear you breathing, Joey. Calm down." Nick responds, still sitting in his chair and staring at him.
I now stand up as well, feeling worried for him. I've never seen him look so fragile.
"I think you're having a panic attack." I tell him.
"I can't breath." He replies.
"Dude, your fucking breathing! You're talking." Nick says.
"You should go outside and get some fresh air." I speak up again, I knew how panic attacks felt and I knew he truly believed he couldn't breath.
"Why don't you take him outside?" Their dad says, to me.
"Okay." I start to usher Joey by his back towards the back door.
"Liliana.." Nick says, looking at me.
I look over my shoulder and give him a reassuring nod. "It's okay, Nick." I tell him.
Once Joey and I get outside we sit down on the step. I gently, rub his back. "Just breath, you're going to be fine." I try to make my voice sound as comforting as possible.
"I'm not going to be fine." He replies.
"Yes, you are."
"No, Liliana. I fucked you, my brothers girlfriend. Holy shit, nothing is going to be fine." He answers, I could tell he was becoming emotional.
"It's okay, Nick and I have already been working to get past it. Everything is going well so far, don't worry." I reply, I try looking at him, but he keeps his eyes glued to the ground.
"I'm such a piece of shit." He says.
"No, you're not. Don't blame yourself, Joey. I was the one that came on to you. It's my fault."
"—And how am I supposed to feel about that, Lili? About my brother being with you? I mean.. what if you tried to do it again?"
"I'm not going to Joey, and you didn't help saying the things you said to me."
He looks at me now, pushing his hair away from his face. "You just said it was your fault."
"If you want me to take full blame, if that makes you feel better, Joey. Then I will." I tell him, staring back into his eyes.
"I didn't mean it like that." He replies, softly.
"Then, how did you mean it?"
"I like you." He finally, answers. I watch as he nervously, picks the callouses on his inner palm. "And this is all just so fucked up."
"You can't do that, Joey. You can't say that to me."
"I know.."
"I'm in love with your brother like, I'm really, really in love with him."
"I know, Lili." He says.
"Are you going to be okay?" I ask, I felt horrible on the inside. My stomach turned in ways that made me want to puke.
"He just always gets the best of everything, you know?"
"Like what? I think you've done pretty well for yourself, Joey."
"—Like, the best genes, the best team, the best girl." He quickly, replies in a miserable tone.
"You can have all that too, and what are you talking about? You have the same exact genes. I think you're just as amazing." I answer.
"No, you don't." He says, quietly.
"Yes, Joey. I do.. or I wouldn't have slept with you, I think you're a great guy."
"—But not great enough."
"Joey, stop. You cannot keep comparing yourself."
"How could I not? He's better than me." He replies.
"You both are great, you both are absolutely amazingly, talented. You have to know that."
"So, it's all about just being talented? because that's what I've had to work really, fucking hard to become."
"It's not all just about that, but you are."
Just then the sliding door opens, Nick pokes his head out of the opening. "You alright?" He asks, Joey.
"I'm alright." He says, definitely lying, he was not alright. I had no idea he had this much inner turmoil, it killed me knowing this information. I almost wish he had never told me, because I was going to carry the weight of it with me forever now.
"I think he'll be okay." I say.
"You guys want to come back inside?"
We both agree and follow him back inside the house. His father didn't look happy, but I didn't care. I had an epiphany, he treated his sons like they were cattle. If it took me to love both of them and make them feel worthy, then that's what I was going to do. They both needed to know how amazing they were.
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•Writers note: When I first started this story, I planned on doing 49 chapters (because obviously.) Unfortunately, I've realized how hard it is to develop characters and their ups and downs together. So, here's my question.. Should I finish this story within two chapters? (They'll be long length reads) packed with lots of information, and details or should I just continue writing until the story is built up enough to finish at a slower pace? I'm not sure if you guys like reading the boring parts of building each character, or if you want me to just get to the meat of it.
Please comment below with your answers.
Finish it within the next two chapters.
Or a slower read that will take a bit longer.
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