"Um, have you guys heard of privacy?" Sawyer replied with his eyebrows raised.
He never came home last night and didn't tell anyone where he would be, but he has the nerve to ask for privacy?
"Have you heard of calling?!" My mother shot back.
She never raises her voice at my brother, but she was beyond angry right now. I sidestepped away to escape her wrath.
Sawyer just shrugged, which set off a bomb in Gigi.
"What's the matter with you? You don't call us to let us know where you were at and you disrespect your mother?!" Gigi's voice was laced with fury.
She smacked him with her cream-colored, church hat on his bicep. Sawyer's eyes widened at her action and looked between all of us. He didn't answer her and instead completely ignored her question. His face hardened so we couldn't read him.
"I'm fine, okay? I'm tired, so could you guys like...get out of my room?"
I've never seen my mom and Gigi's mouth hang open like they were. They were in shock. Heck, I was in shock too, but I was still confused and scared for him. Something was off about him and not just in looks, but in his personality too. He's never rude to our grandma and mom. He's one of the most respectful boys I know besides Wesley.
My mom gave Sawyer a look that showed she was hurt before she left the room. Savannah and Molly had already left as soon as my brother talked back to my family. They definitely felt the awkwardness.
Gigi looked like she was going to say something, but was at a loss for words. Instead, she took off after my mom. His face changed just for a moment, and I could see guilt before he was emotionless again.
What was his problem?
It was just me and him now facing each other. I could feel the tension. I couldn't find words to speak to him though.
"Um, leave," he ordered with a deeper, more authoritative voice and his eyes pointed towards the door.
"Um, how about no?" I challenged him.
I was angry with him now. How dare he act like this when we were all terrified? He knows to always check in because of my dad. He of all people was affected the most by what happened and should understand.
He narrowed his eyes at me. I wasn't doing what he asked me to do. I needed some answers.
"Rae.."
"Sawyer.."
"Seriously, leave me alone," he growled.
My eyes met his and my jaw clenched.
"No, not until you tell me what happened to you. You think no one noticed how you suddenly grew like five inches or suddenly have an eight pack? Or how about why you didn't think about letting us know you were okay, especially after...dad.."
His now large, muscular chest rose and fell. I watched as he ran his hand through his messy hair, which is something that he does when he is nervous. He was hiding something. Sawyer turned so that his back was facing me. Quietly, I stood by the door and observed him. He just stood there for awhile until he finally decided to walk towards me.
My brother was definitely taller and bigger. He towered over my small frame and looked down on me with the muscle popping out the sides of his jaw.
Instead of responding back, he used one hand to push me out of the room. Despite me using my weight to push back into the room, it was like I was as light as a feather to him. Before he shut the door, his light eyes met mine, and I could have sworn that they had an unnatural glow to them. They were different but familiar.
He then slammed the door in my face, and the frame around the door cracked. For a minute or so, I couldn't move. I just stood there in the hallway in front of his bedroom door. I was trying to process what just happened. Everything began to get strange in Darling since Friday.
I finally forced myself to move from my spot to the kitchen, where I could hear everyone talking.
Savannah and Molly were eating cereal at the kitchen table while my mom and grandma were talking at the bar. They stopped when they saw me grab a chair and sit down.
"Did he say anythin' to you?" My mom asked with hopeful eyes.
I just shook my head and she put her hand on her forehead in a stressed-out manner. My eyes met Gigi's, and then I poured myself a bowl of cereal. My friends and I ate quietly while my mom and Gigi left for church. Sawyer and I go every Sunday, but my mom decided that I should stay home to watch Sawyer because of this morning.
"Sawyer is taller...and has muscles," Savannah pointed out after taking a bite of food.
Molly added, "He is acting different too."
I bit the inside of my cheek and mumbled almost to myself, "That's not my brother."
They finished their cereal and took off to go to church. Just because I was excused didn't mean that Molly's dad and Savannah's grandma would let them slide too.
I sat at the table and stared down the hallway towards Sawyer's room.
What was he doing in there?
My mind ran wild with multiple explanations on what was going on. Nothing made sense, especially how he changed over night. How was it that he was a different person? And his eyes?
By the way he looked after my mom was hurt by his actions and what I said about our dad, I knew that my brother was still in there somewhere. I just didn't know why he was putting up a cold front.
After contemplating what to do about him, I decided to confront him again. Sitting and doing nothing was making me anxious. I couldn't take my thoughts anymore. The walk to his room was short, but the anticipation was killing me. I hoped that when I opened the door that what I saw earlier was in my head and not real. That person couldn't be real because it is physically impossible.
I twisted the brass knob slowly and cracked the door open. When I peeked in, I could see that he was sleeping. Even though I was all about confronting him a few moments ago, I feel relieved that he was sleeping. Maybe I feel that way because he is intimidating with how he looks now or maybe because I know that he can't do anything crazy while he is asleep.
His new, muscular body barely fits on his twin bed. His arm hangs off the side along with one of his legs. Sawyer looked exhausted.
I stood in the doorway only for a moment longer and then carefully shut the door. I needed to talk to my grandma about everything.
My mom and Gigi wouldn't be back for another two hours, so I settled on watching some T.V. to pass some time. Not even an hour into my movie, I heard a door shut in the hallway. Sawyer emerged wearing his workout clothes that he usually wears at football practice. They now looked two sizes too small.
I didn't move from my position. Our eyes locked as he stood where the living room and hallway meets. I silently begged him to tell me what was going on. He didn't get the message or didn't care because he broke our eye contact and made his way to the front door. The screen slammed against the door frame so hard that it made me jump. He was definitely stronger.
Wasting no time, I followed him onto the porch. He was already walking down the steps.
"Sawyer!" I called out, hoping that he would talk to me.
Like I figured, he kept walking.
"Where are you goin'?!" I yelled at him while quickly stepping off of the porch.
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs because of what was in front of me. I couldn't believe what I saw.
My brother was walking up to Rhett Dixon at the edge of our front yard. Anger and confusion bubbled up inside me. My brother was willingly going up to the one person that he hates in this world. Was it Rhett that gave him a ride last night or something? Was Rhett the reason why my brother has mysteriously changed?
Why is he with Rhett Dixon?!
My brows furrowed when I couldn't say anything. I was at a loss for words. All I could do was stare at the anomaly in front of me.
"I'll be back later," Sawyer finally responded to me in a deeper voice and began to walk in the direction of where the Dixons live.
Before Rhett followed him, he stood at the end of my driveway and locked eyes with mine. Goosebumps made their way up my arms, causing me to get the chills. Even though I wanted to look away and run inside my house, my body wouldn't let me. It was like we were having some type of silent conversation where he was telling me to drop everything I saw.
I don't understand Rhett, and I probably never will, but I had to find out more about him and why my brother suddenly took an interest in hanging out with the guy.
Rhett finally walked after my brother, releasing me from our strange encounter. I watched as he walked further away. For some reason, he turned his head to look back at me one more time. There was something odd about his haunting, green eyes and the way he met my gaze, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
The one thing that I did know was that my brother has a secret, and he can't keep it from me—neither can Rhett Dixon.