Chapter 58: Zack

It's been an hour since Luke left. I've just been sitting here, watching the gray sky. It's peaceful in a way. I heard the entrance door close. Everything seems louder when you have nothing to do. Nothing to hide. Nothing to worry about.

Nothing.

I heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" I shouted.

"Zack." Replied my friendliest brother.

I sighed. "Come in."

He opened the door and hesitated, then opened it wider and slipped through. "Hey." He said, still standing at the door.

"Hello." I answered, looking back at him.

"So um, what-what are you doing?" He quizzed. Anyone with a brain could tell he didn't know what to say. They could also tell our brothers put him up to this.

Meanies.

"Watching the sky?" I replied, an eyebrow raised.

"Th-that's cool I guess." His pitiful attempt at conversation made me snort. He raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I said as I giggled again.

"Did you just snort?" He slowly asked, a playful smile written on his face.

I looked back at the sky to try to hide my smile. "No."

I heard him step towards me. "That's not what it sounded like." His playful face smirked.

"Well your ears are obviously wrong," I rolled my eyes in a slightly playful manner. Oh who am I kidding? It was even more playful than Zack's face.

"Oh sister, I am never wrong. When are you going to learn that?" He tutted, shaking his head. He sat down in the chair beside me.

"Oh brother, when are you going to enroll in a psych ward?" I quipped back.

He laughed and I smiled. Silence enveloped us. Don't get me wrong, I was still a bit mad. It's just, Zack has a way of making someone laugh. Even when they're not supposed to. Like earlier, his awkward approach to me was funny. Everything about him is funny.

Out of nowhere I remembered a memory of us. It was the day I first met Sasha. He took me in the theater room and we watched The Titanic. We both had our eyebrows raised at the end of the movie and laughed for a solid five minutes.

I grinned at the memory and immediately Zack went, "What? What is it?"

I grinned some more. "Nothing. It's nothing." I tried shut the new conversation down.

"Lidiaaaa," Zack groaned, "tell meeee." He was acting like a three year old throwing a temper tantrum.

"Nope. My mouth is sealed." I made a zipper motion with my hands.

"Lidia seriously, tell me," he deadpanned. I stared into his face as long as I could. Granted it wasn't long before I cracked up, "I win!" He shouted and fist pumped the air.

I laughed and sighed, giving up. "It was a memory."

His face scrunched together. "Okay? Anything else?"

I grinned. "It was the day Sasha and me met. We watched Titanic? Remember?"

He looked like he was deep in thought, "Holy shit! I remember! Shit I cussed! Wait no-fuck. Shit! " Zack face palmed as he caught himself cussing.

It must've been infuriating for him, but for me, it was like watching someone miss their mouth as they were putting the food in...but it was their fourth time missing.

"Stop laughing at me! It's not funny!" He insisted, but he ended up laughing too.

It was silent again. It was different this time though, it wasn't playful silence. Instead it held a deeper meaning. I instantly knew he was going to ask a question about Carl.

"Chica-" he started.

"Don't call me that," I said quickly. His eyes quickly developed a sad look in them, "it's just, Chica is the girl who's mom died. She's the one you all are familiar with. Not me. You all don't know me."

I looked over at him as he sighed sadly. "Lidia, you know I didn't mean to find your diary."

My eyes widened. "You were the one who found it?"

"Well yes but if you let me explain-"

"Never in my life would've thought it would be you!"

"It was on accident I swear!" He pleaded.

I glared at him. "How could you 'accidentally'," I air quoted, "find a diary that was hidden behind a fake wall in a towel cabinet!" I yelled angrily and stood up.

"Because I missed you!" He yelled back. My glare faltered as I staggered back a few steps. "I did your laundry because it smelt like you! I sat on your bed, because it reminded me of you! I put your clothes away and my hands brushed the back of the cabinet and heard a weird noise. Naturally I went to investigate! Is that so wrong?"

"Z-Zack," his hopeful but teary eyes gleamed in the shadows of the gray sky, "you still shouldn't have looked through it. It isn't yours."

He looked defeated as he held his head low. "I can't help myself Lidia. I love you so much. It physically pains me to see you hurt," he sat back down and ran his hand through his hair, "like when you were younger, you got a paper cut. There was nothing I could do to make you stop crying. I felt useless."

You never know how much someone loves you until you're at your breaking point. It doesn't matter if they constantly show it, or if they don't show it at all. That person needs you, and they will do anything to make it better.

"Were you there when dad was shot?" I asked very slowly. I didn't know how much dad meant to him, although I know he meant a lot to each of my brothers.

He popped his head up. "How'd you know it was his death day?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Luke." My one word response was all that was needed to be said. He nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"Yes. We were all there. I'll never forget how Luke cradled father's lifeless body, rocking him back and forth," Zack sucked in a deep breath. I could tell it was hurting him. I was about to tell him he could stop but before I could say anything, he spoke again, "the twins dropped to their knees. Caden turned away harshly. I-well I just stood there, in total shock," he glanced up at me, "Lidia our father was indestructible. Nothing got to him. He took so many bullet wounds. So many stabs. Yet he never complained about the pain. Said it wasn't as bad as losing you. He loved you so much."

I smiled. Who wouldn't smile after hearing that their father loved them so much?

"I love you too. I love you all. But-and don't tell the boys-I love you just a tiny bit more than them." I whispered.

He chuckled and held his pinkie finger out. "Deal."  Our pinkies intertwined.

A harsh knock ricocheted throughout my room. "Quit hogging her! It's my turn!" Caden's voice spoke. We both giggled as he stood up to leave the room.

"Lidia," he stopped and turned around, "father would've acted way better than us if he was still alive."

I smiled at that.

Their father is like actually the best character on her tbh. Who's ur favorite brother 🤨 gotta go with James or Luke (just cuz they remind me of my brothers) anyways I hope you liked it and don't forget to vote, comment, and obviously like :)