I looked up at a sleeping Angie, and smiled.
"What, do you wanna be carried?" Joseph snickered as he walked by my side.
I jumped and let out a small squeal which made him smile.
"What, no..." I scoffed.
"You sure?" He cooed, a small chuckle coming forth.
I shook my head and crossed my arms. He hummed and slowed down. I sighed and relaxed, maybe I was a slight bit envious but, I barely know Joseph. Why the hell would I ask him to-
I squealed again as I was suddenly lifted into the air. I clung to Joseph and shut my eyes tight. A deep chuckle vibrated and I blushed dark.
"Boo." He chuckled.
"N-not funny!" I gasped.
He hummed and nodded," Sure."
"Me too!" Hyung yelled making me look up.
Archer chuckled and stopped, crouching down to let her on. She giggled and jumped on him, laughing he stood and continued walking. Josy shook her head as she walked.
"Geez you guys are babies."
"Damn right." Hyung laughed as she leaned her head on Archer's shoulder.
I smiled, she looked more awake and the dark bags under her eyes were gone. Maybe she is a superhero. I hummed and swung my legs gently as we, or rather the boys and Josy walked. My thoughts clouded by questions that I had about Joseph, why exactly was he so soft on me? Why did he protect me? Why did he suddenly come up to me on the bus? Just who is he?
"You look like you're having fun." Joseph smiled.
I hummed and looked up at him, gazing slightly into his eyes.
"You're not telling me something, what is it?" He asked.
I blushed and shook my head," What, nothing. Put me down.."
He smiled," Not a chance shortcake, now tell me what's on your mind."
"Almost there!" Hyung giggled.
"Wakey wakey." Jayden spoke softly.
Angie groaned and hid her face.
"Come on it's time to wake up." He chuckled.
"No..." she whined.
He chuckled," Come on sunshine, we're almost there."
Angie lifted her head and yawned," Icecream?"
Jayden nodded.
She brightened almost instantly,"Icecream!"
Jayden chuckled,"Yes."
"I wanna be first!" She beamed.
Jayden nodded," Well, I suggest you hang on."
She nodded and wrapped her arms securely around Jayden's neck. He suddenly started to sprint ahead of us.
"Hey!" Hyung laughed loudly.
"What, you wanna be first love?"
She nodded excitedly.
"Well, then hang on. I won't let that dunder head beat us."
Laughing she copied Angie's actions and they too rushed off.
Josy and Duke looked at each other and rushed ahead as well. I smiled and leaned against Joseph.
"Comfy?" He asked.
I nodded," Can I walk now?"
He stopped in his tracks," First you tell me what's on your mind. "
I groaned and hid away.
"I can stand here all day."
I sighed and gave in, desperately wanting Icecream," Well, I just have so many questions."
"Well then?" He chuckled.
I took a deep breath,"Why exactly are you so soft on me? Why did you protect me that day? Why did you suddenly come up to me on the bus? Just who are you?"
He hummed and set me down," Well, I'm soft on you because you're small, and I feel like of I dont protect you, you'll get seriously hurt, there wasn't much place to sit that day I came up to you, and I'm Joseph Garnet."
I blinked as I watched him walk ahead of me, trying to process his words.
"Well then, come on. Or else we might not get any Icecream!" Joseph called.
I shook my head and rushed up to his side," But that doesn't explain anything!"
He chuckled and pushed his hands to his pockets," Alright, well ask me more questions then."
"What?"
"You want clarity, and I'm not going to lie to you." He smiled.
I blinked and hummed," Well... um... how old are you?"
"14."
"What is your favorite song?"
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day."
"Do you play an instrument?"
"Guitar and Piano."
"Can you dance?"
"Never tried."
"Have you ever had a girlfriend?"
He stayed silent.
"Well?"
He cleared his throat and avoided eye contact," That is... um... hey, look we're here."
I looked up at the Icecream parlor and back at Joseph," But you didn't-"
"There you two are, hurry up. We've been waiting!" Hyung laughed as she opened the door.
Joseph nodded and smiled," Well, come on then."
I sighed and walked inside where the others waited.
"Joey?!" A high pitched voice squealed.
I jumped slightly, bumping into Joseph.
"Anabelle?" He muttered.
The girl waved happily from her table of friends. Joseph looked down and kept his jaw clenched.
"Joey?" I muttered and pulled on his shirt.
He looked down at me and smiled faintly," Yeah?"
I opened my mouth but nothing came out.
He chuckled weakly," Come on, let's go."
I glanced back at my hyungs who stood glaring sharply at the girl. I nodded and the eight of us walked to the counter to order out Icecream.
Joseph was quiet as the others ordered, his eyes were low and for the second time since I've met him that he hasn't had a smile on his face.
"Joesph." I whispered and tugged on his wrist.
He hummed and looked down at me.
"It's your turn." I smiled.
He looked up and told the lady what he wanted.
I sighed and bit the inside of my lip, I didn't know what I could do to make him smile again. I sighed as I grabbed a spoon, then smiled as I grabbed another one.
Hyung looked at me confused but smiled gently at me after seeing Joseph's expression.
I looked up at Joseph and took a deep breath, this was for him I have to overcome my fear just this once," Joseph."
He looked at me as I put the spoons as ears.
"Lookie I'm a panda!" I giggled, feeling a hot blush treading my features.
He laughed and pulled my hands down," Yes, yes you are."
I smiled up at him.
He smiled back," Mind if I take one?"
I shook my head and handed one to him," Here chu go."
He chuckled and took the spoon as we grabbed our orders and took a table with our friends.
The table was filled with joyful voices from my friends. I smiled and ate my Icecream happily.
"Ale," Joseph whispered.
I hummed and looked up at him.
"Thanks, for what you did back there. I really needed it."
I beamed at him," Hey, it's no problem."
"Heyya Joey." Anabelle cooed and leaned flirtatiously against the table.
My group stopped talking and looked at her.
Joseph sighed and his smile vanished," Hey Anabelle..."
"I told you to call me Ana." She cooed.
"Um, excuse me." I whispered.
"Shut it pintsize." She hissed.
I cowered back in my seat.
"Stop it." Joseph hissed.
My hyungs glared heavily at her, fists clenched.
"Oh Joey, why didn't you come sit with us? You know we miss you." She giggled, leaning closer to him.
He kept his eyes away from her and pressed into his seat.
I felt my heart beat wildly in my chest, I so badly wanted to say something but I couldn't, nothing but small and shaky breaths would come out. Yet I could feel an intense rage building up in the pit of my stomach and I couldn't hold it back any longer.
I slammed my hands on the table and stood," Listen here you freaky little whore, can't you see he's not interested in you. So why don't you back off and go back to your fake friends."
Joseph and the others looked at me with wide eyes.
I felt my shy side beginning to creep back, and my confidence giving out.
"Listen here pintsize, you can't tell me what to do. And why don't you go on a diet for once in your pathetic little life."
In an instant I was pulled back and Anabelle was on the floor screaming, blood pouring from her nose.
"Euca!" Angie yelled.
There she stood, my hyung her hand trembling and her eyes dark, small spots of dried blood littered her clenched fist.
"Go. Now." Duke hissed and looked at the two brothers," Take them and get back to the house."
"Don't you ever think that you can insult my friends and get away with it." Hyung hissed as Anabelles friends surrounded her.
"Go." Duke growled.
Joseph and the others grabbed us and rushed us out of the store. We waited in the parking lot, the cold air coating our bodies.
After a couple of minutes, hyung and the group of kids walked outside. She looked at us with soft eyes.
"Don't worry, it'll be over soon. I promise." Euca breathed and gave Duke a nod before walking off.
We watched them head into the back and I pulled away from Joseph running after them.
"Ale no!"
I stopped as I saw Euca pinned to the floor, kicks and punches flying from every which way.
"Hyung!"
Her eyes shot open and she pulled down one of the people, but the eyes that I knew weren't there...Before I could see any more my eyes were shielded.
"Take her and go, now!" Duke yelled.
I was picked up, and I kept my eyes shut tight, the images of my elder on the floor flashing through my mind. I trembled in Joseph's arms.
"Ale...?" Joseph muttered," Ale..."
I looked up at him," What happened?"
His eyes were soft," Are you ok?"
I nodded," Hyung..."
His eyes averted to the alley that we came from," She'll be ok."
"That wasn't her..."
"That was her Ale, just a version I told you that you shouldn't see." Duke spoke as he walked by.
The others stared blank into the alley, waiting for Euca to walk out. I trembled and hid in Joseph's arms. He held me close, shielding me from the cold air.
"Euca!" Angie called out.
I peeked out from my hiding place as Joseph set me down. I looked over where my hyung stood, Archer had made it there first. He held her close and helped her back to us. Her eyes were dark and empty as she walked. She gently pushed him off as they walked.
"Don't even Ange..." She murmured as she walked passed us.
"That was stupid!" She snapped.
Euca stopped and looked back at us," What was... making sure that Ale wasn't placed back into a hole? Or maybe it was protecting my younger. Maybe it was fighting off every person that has tried to hurt you guys. Instead of telling me off for every fucking fight I get into, maybe try something different. Now, I'm going home. See you guys, whenever you feel like seeing your stupid hyung." She walked off as the kids from the alley limped out with each other.
Each looking worse than the last. Beaten black and blue from the fight with Hyung.
"You know, she's right..." Duke muttered," She has told me every story about you guys and never has she scolded you like you do her. Sure she does it but she helps you after. From what I've seen in the last few hours, you guys scold her until she feels guilty..." he turned on his heel and walked off as well.
"I don't know about you lot, but I'm going to go make sure she's alright." Archer spoke and ran off as well.
I cowered in Joseph's side," Was that really my Hyung?"
"Yeah, it was. We'll go check on her later. Let's give her some space."
I nodded and stuck close to his side as we walked off, the others followed after us.
Angie was silent, even Jayden couldn't make her budge.
"That ass..." she muttered," Duke didn't have to go and say shit like that..."
I looked back at her.
"We don't do that... do we?" I asked.
Josi stopped and thought a moment," I think we do. Whenever she came back with an injury. We would scold her and she would just look down and obey. Yet when it comes to us. She scolds us then sits us down to try and help us."
Angie looked up," What do we do?"
I looked at my elders and took a deep breath," What we do best. We lift each other up no matter how far we've fallen."
The others looked at me with confused expressions.
"Look, we know now that what we do is wrong so let's change that and go give Euca some support for once."
Angie brightened up slightly," Yeah, we wouldn't be where we are now without her."
"She's our stupid hyung." Josi smiled.
"And only ours." I beamed.
Angie smiled softly," She is our idiot... our little big sister."
I nodded," So, let's go bug the crap out of her like we know how."
Angie smiled and nodded," Yeah, let's go cheer up that sour puss."
We laughed and rushed down to her house. Barging inside, we piled on top of Euca. Poking at her cheeks, patching her up and annoying her to the best of our abilities.
Angie dangled food in front of her while she fed her. I played with her hair, Josi kept up her sound effects as she squirmed for attention from Euca. Soon she was laughing and trying to push us away from her like she always does when we annoy her.
My hyung was back.
Our hyung was back.
And now we know the truth. And never again will we hurt each other like this again.