A/N: Listen to this song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wycjnCCgUes and this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvj3KWO1-_w

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I wake up by the alarm, squinting my eyes around the room. I finally manage to get myself up out of the bed, feeling like a zombie, I walk over to the bathroom.

Deep breath in Bri.

You will be missing a day off from school and you will finally get to see your brother. You ARE happy to see him. The alarm on my phone rings out loud and clear. Crap!!! I’m late. Briskly, I perform my daily routine of bathing, brushing, and finding clothes to wear. The end product- wet hair, no makeup, a buttoned up shirt under a red pullover paired with a navy skirt. I look a mess. Grabbing a banana from the fruit basket, I pull on my shoes and run out the door.  I run out to see my grands-parents waiting for me, again.

“Twice in a row. Really? Are you even making an effort with your appearance?” asked grands-maman in a high voice.

“Did I not ask you if you were ready to come today? And what do I get in return? Huh?”

“I have no idea, but I get the feeling you will tell me,” I said.

She gave me a glare so sharp, it could probably cut through glass.

“I’ll tell you. I get a granddaughter who looks like a clochard.”

My face scrunches up in pain, she just called me a hobo.

“Now, Now, Paulette. You know this is a tough time for her,” said gands-papa.

“Anyways, we must get going, we can’t keep James waiting!” exclaimed grands-papa in an attempt to change the subject of discussion. He looked around for a cab and finally found one to hail. We all piled into the small car, and grands-maman gave the cab drivers the direction to where we were headed. Grands-papa squeezed my hand and whispered, “ I rented a limo for us to get home with. Won’t that be fun ? And don’t worry about your grands-maman, she is just being une vieille dame gênant.” I laughed. He always knew the right thing to say, at the right time.

“She’s just worried, that’s all. Her nagging, old lady character is back so please just bear with her,” he said.

 

The ride to the airport was long, but somehow it was also bearable. We emerged from the cab and went to the arrivals. Glancing from left to right, I couldn’t find him. I couldn’t seem to find his lanky body and long legs, his short black hair, big brown,  timid eyes. He had shipped himself off to London once he had turned eighteen, and had left me to live with my grands-parents. He now lives in Korea temporarily, moving every now and then to somewhere different. He never called home, not on birthdays - well that is, not including this year- or on holidays. Suddenly, I noticed a man walking towards us with a pair of combat boots and skin tight jeans. He had a flannel plaid shirt tied around his waist, white long sleeved shirt, and sunglasses perched comfortably on the bridge of his nose.

His hand was raking through long, jet black hair while the other tugged a suitcase. Each ear was pierced and the hint of a tattoo was visible from his sleeve. It was my brother. No, it couldn’t be. He looked familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. There was an air of confidence around him which had never been there before. My brother, who swore never to be the kind of guy who wore leather jackets, skinny jeans, and the kind who would wear his hair in a braided ponytail. The kind who regularly sported piercings and tattoo’s , and looked like a “douchebag”- his words not mine. I could hear grands-maman gasp beside me, and grands-papa gave me another reassuring squeeze. Grands-maman ran towards him and gave him a great big hug, her eyes shining with tears. I walked behind gands-papa in a leisurely pace, and watched him give a hug to grands-papa also.

“Where’s my little Bumblebee? Is she hiding?” he said calmly. His voice sounded thick and had no trace of anxiety like he used to be. He used to be a panicking mess.

Awkwardly, I wrapped my arms around him, trying excessively hard not to wring his neck.

“Oh look at my little sister. Already wearing heels, looking like a woman!”

“Oh James, It’s been so long. And who is this?” asked grands-maman. She gestured towards a figure behind him.

“Grands-maman, grands-papa. I would like you to meet Sora, my girl” stated James.

That was when I saw her. Small in frame, her black hair fell in loose ringlets, her lips were blood red, she had wide brown eyes, a milky white complexion, and a pert nose.  She was gorgeous.  There was a conversation occurring between grands-maman and James, but I was not listening. All I could do was to stare at her. She returned the stare with a look of confusion and curiosity. She came forward and bowed to everyone of us, and I heard grands-maman murmur quietly, “I like her.” I literally do not know how I’m supposed to feel.

“Okay, everyone our ride is waiting outside,” said grands-papa. We followed him and I hung at the back, trying to gather my wits.

Since when did James go out? He never used to talk to girls, but all of a sudden he managed to get one. Especially one so sweet and fragile looking, at that. He looked so different, he was so pale now. You couldn't even tell that he was my brother anymore. How could someone change so much but still be the same person? The answer was no. There is no way anyone can change and be the same. I already knew this.

"So how've you been , Bri?" asked James.

Was he really going to continue acting like we were good? Honestly, there's only so much of an act I can put on for the rest of the world to see. But like always, I place a fake smile on my face and give him a short, cold reply.

"School's been good."

"Have you gotten that art portfolio of yours done? I hear it's quite a collection."

I narrowed my eyes at him. How did he even know that I was creating an art portfolio. Then I realized it. Grands-maman must have told him. God! Will this woman ever just stop sticking her nose up people's business?

“It’s coming along well. That is for now, I still have a year to expand it.”

“Don’t university applications start at the end of this month? I hope you’ve been keeping up with school. Anyways , I am just so glad to see my little sister again!”

As if!

Grands-papa barged into the conversation, saving me from saying something I would later regret.

“So how is Korea treating you? You seem quite a bit thinner and paler from the last time we saw you,” said Grands-papa.

“I’m actually great. After I finished with my MA in English and my BA in Linguistics in Oxford, I applied for a job in the UN and now I get to travel around the world, and then I met Sora on my stint in Korea,” stated James. He seemed over eager , and had a large grin on his face.

“And what do you do Sora?” questioned grands - maman, with a pretentious look of curiosity, turning the conversation towards her. The only reason grands-maman asked about Sora, was to see if she was good enough for James.  She may have fooled everyone around us, but not me. Her actions were transparent in my eyes.

Sora smiled with bright eyes and opened to speak.

“I’m actually a med student in hopes of becoming an Anesthesiologist one day,” she said. Her voice was sweet and had a slow, tranquilizing feel to it.

“Wow! A physician!”said grands-papan, “Son, you hit the jackpot with this one.”

“And look at her a bright, young, fashionable lady, Bri, you could learn a few things from her,” cooed grands-maman.

At least now we know who wears the pants in this relationship.

Grands-maman reached out and gave me a smack on the arm.

Crap! Did I say that out loud? Supposedly so, on account of grands-maman giving me a slap.

A long awkward pause followed my statement, but then Sora started ranting about how much she wanted to get to know me, and how much James has said about us being “a wonderful family”. It isn’t like I don’t like Sora, I think she’s a beautiful, cultured person. But judging on her choice of men, I am beginning to have my doubts. The fact that she used that word to describe my family, is entirely laughable.

Hah! I internally chuckled at that, my family “wonderful”, we were definitely far from it.

 

We finally reached home, and I could not stop cringing every time James would talk to me. Dinner was even more uneventful, and I decided to call it a night around six.

“Really, but it’s only six. And don’t you want to help James unpack?,” exclaimed grands-maman, once I declared that I wanted to be excused.

Unpacking, talking, and more family “bonding” was not on my to-do list today.

“I think I’ll just head to the cafe to do some homework and then head in.”

“But cafe grumpy is all the way on Es street, that’s just too far away.”

“I’ll take a cab or the bus.”

“Okaaaay, be careful,” said grands- maman hesitantly.

I headed up the stairs to change out of my outfit, and into something much more comfortable. As I walked out the back door, I caught a snippet of their conversation.

“Is she alright?” said someone, most likely James.

“Ughh, She’s been better. You know she still can’t... you know... and she’s just been more of a puzzle to me. Sometimes there are days that I feel like she’s happy, and then things ... you know … so ,” replied Grands-maman. I ran out so I didn’t hear the rest.

I never understood what her problem was with facing the fact that I was an insomniac, she couldn’t even tell my brother without replacing the words with euphemisms.

Deliberately, I slammed the door and passed by the front glass windows so that they would know that I heard what they had said about me. Hell, I don’t even care anymore if that’ll give ‘em something to talk about. Let them talk. I stalked unto the bus and stood to await my forsaken stop. Glancing around, I noticed people were all in their own little worlds. No one bothering to make small talk with the person next to them. Of course, I did the same but my reasoning was because I didn’t want to have to talk to a psycho or a lady who could barely speak english, but everyone else’s reason was the same. Their reason: Me.

Everyone is so wired to think about themself, it’s always me, me, me , me. Of course, I am the same, but my self-interest wasn’t so blatant.

Pulling the marble handle, the squeaky bells ringing above my head, I walked into Cafe Grumpy. They served the best Frappuccinos in all of New York, and my little table, although it’s not reserved but it is clear enough to anyone that it is mine, was intact.

I sat motionlessly on the couch, and a figure stood in front of me, her shadow blocking everyone in my peripheral vision.

“Hi, Brielle,” she said while flashing a smile.

“Hey, Hudson.”

“The usual?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

She walked off, and then I suddenly remembered something.

“Wait! Hudson!” I called out.

She quickly teetered back and a look of confusion was on her face.

“I was wondering, if you were hiring. I kinda need a summer job just for the next month or two,” I said carefully.

Her face swiftly changed to a look of amusement.

“Oh, I don’t know, but I’ll ask my boss.”

I replied with a small grin, and she left with nothing but her blonde hair flying in the wind.

Hudson also went to Tristan, but she was a Sophomore, I on the other hand , a Junior. She’s probably the only girl in our school, that I have said more than a few sentences to. I thought she was a cool girl, she was not very tall, had a very fresh face with bright blue eyes and curly long blonde hair. She rarely wore makeup, and always had a pencil and notepad on some part of her body or clothing.

Searching through my purse , I found my History textbook. School was a cinch for me, but when it came to interacting with actual people other than the ones I read in books , I was clueless.

“Aaah, History. Isn’t it just the best? My boss said that we are actually hiring and I’ve brought with me an application form. Also here’s your vanilla frappuccino.”

I glanced up to see who was talking , and smiled to see that it was Hudson.

“Thanks! And history isn’t all that bad, it’s just the memorization of dates, treaties and stuff . Now that’s a killer.”

I grabbed the form, and my drink. She reached into her pocket and gave me a pen, and I eagerly took it.

“When your done, just give me a ring on that black button.”

Perplexity must have been written all over my face because she continued on to explain.

“It’s a new incentive. It’s supposed to make us be better with the customers. If you have any questions, or if you want a refill, you just push on that button and it’ll ring in the back , so I won’t have to be hanging around you.”

“Oh.”

“Kay, well, I’ll see you later, Bye!”

“Bye,” I muttered shyly. Sipping on my drink, I go through the application form. Questions pop up, and I have no idea how to answer them. After extensive researching and doing my history homework, I push the button. Hudson jogs towards my table and I hand her the money.

“I’ll give you a call later on about the application, thanks again,” I say.

“It’s no problem, and I’ll see you in school,”she replied.

“Yeah, see ya.”

 

As I walk out of the coffee shop, a hand pulls me back and I trip and stumble into their lap.

Blushing, I look up to apologize and my gaze drops down.

“Hey, Will,” I whisper.

“Hey,” he whispers back.

His hand reaches to touch my face, and my breath shortens and I inhale sharply. Suddenly, I hear the bell of the front door to the store ring as a customer steps in.

“Brielle?” questions a very deep, and familiar voice.

! Kai.

Glancing up, I notice Kai as he stares down at me with deep, dark, brown eyes filled with hurt.

“What are you doing here?” I mumbled in confusion.

“I noticed you sitting by yourself, and I just came in to keep you company but I see that you’re busy.”

He quickly turns around and barges his way out the door.

“Kai, please, wait,” I mutter out to his back.

I quickly move up off of Will’s lap, and sit on the couch next to him.

“Sorry, Brielle. If I had known, I wouldn’t have…” started Will.

“Will. Please. It’s okay, it was my fault anyways.”

“No, it totally wasn’t. I don’t know what came over me. I’m really sorry.”

I give him a sardonic smile, and stood up to leave.

“Bri, wait!”

I turned around and looked back.

“Come, Sit!” he exclaims and motions for me to take a seat. Tentatively, I walk back and move myself down. His hands quickly grasp my waist, and pull me towards his lap.

“Will!” I cry out.

“Oh hush up. You came back, so you must want to talk to me about what just happened. Are you two dating?”

“Who? Kai and I?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Interesting….”

Why does everyone keep saying that about Kai and I ?

“Well, If you’d like to know. I’m single.”

“Eww, Will. No. Just no,” I giggle out. His arm reaches to my back and rubs circles on my back. Shocked at his gesture, my mouth hangs wide and open. My hands start to itch with a burning feeling. Finally, with a shot of courage, I reach out and start to play with his hair.

“Your hair is really soft. It’s a really great tool to use to wheel in the ladies,” I say.

He laughs out loud and his fingers lift up my back, making light circles on my back.

“Your tense, real tense. Wanna tell me what’s been going on?”

And just like that, I began to tell him everything. I don’t know what it is about him but he makes me just want to pour my heart and soul to him.

“Good to know. Now tell me why you stopped coming to the music and literature department. The Fine Arts Department just seems so incomplete without you patrolling the halls like before,” says Will at the end of my confession.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A/N: I finally updated after a long while and decided to increase the length of this chapter as I felt it wasn't complete. Comment and subscribe below and above :)  .