"What was that in there?" I ask the two boys when we are out of the room.
Ashton and Miles look at each other and grins again. "Bro Code," Miles says and walks ahead of us.
I roll my eyes. I'll never understand boys.
So I don't press them on the matter and fall in step beside Ashton. He keeps typing away on his phone.
"Are you busy later?" I ask Ashton. "Or we can hang out in Miles' or my place."
Ashton smirks. "Missing me already?"
I smack his arm, making Ashton laugh loudly.
"I would've loved to," Ashton says once I stop hitting him. "But my sister has her first-ever dance recital today. I won't dare to miss it."
Who knew he's such a sweet brother.
"When is this recital?" I ask him.
"Three in the afternoon," Ashton replies. "I still have two hours. It's on the outskirts of the town."
"Tell her I wished her luck," I tell him.
"Sure."
"This must be a big day for her."
"You have no idea," Ashton says. The way he's smiling I know it's more about just the recital. The smile on his face says so.
Ashton has different smiles for everything. One for faking, one for flirting, one for convincing people to do things his way, one for hiding sadness, one for being happy and one for genuinely being happy, like right now.
He has to truly love his sister to smile like that only at the mention of her name. I've never seen this smile on his face before.
Don't ask me how I figure them out. It's not like he's an open book. Or I'm an observant person. I just did.
Ashton is like a thousand pieces puzzle, so mysterious yet not boring.
But there's something that hurt him before. He doesn't have to say it. It's written all over his face whenever he's in deep thought and thinks no one's watching him.
And I want to know what that is.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
I hear my parents shouting when I open the front door of our house.
Wait, parents? Dad's home on a Saturday noon?
I can hear the tv going on in the living room as mom shouts, "You think I'm stupid? You're home while the sun's still out."
I look outside the window just to make sure.
"Yes, I can see that," I hear dad saying calmly.
"Don't talk to me in that dismissive tone!"
"Well, then what'd you want me to do?! I thought you're the one who told me to spend some time with my family."
"That's my point! I've only left to beg you to spend the weekends with us! But no! You never listen. Not in the last ten years! What changes now?"
"I have no idea where you're talking about."
"I know you do," mom says. "Just because I let it slip doesn't mean I forgot about it."
"Sure I would like to talk about Monday too," I hear dad say. Wasn't it the same day Ashton and I caught my parents fighting? "Let's talk about that guy you went to drop off."
Wait, what guy is he talking about?
"I told you this before, he's just an old colleague who came to get some important documents from the Dean. He doesn't know many people around so I offered to ride him to the airport. I don't see what's bothering you here."
"I bet you don't," dad mutters.
"And don't try to turn the arrow at me!" Mom warns. "Why don't you tell me what were you doing there? I saw your ticket. What business did you have in Seattle?"
"It was work-related."
"I bet it was," mom quotes him. "You didn't come home on Sunday night. I didn't want to bring it up because I didn't want the girls to know about it. What will you tell your daughters when they'll get to know about it?"
"The truth. I went to Seattle on a work purpose. But the operation got delayed and I had to spend the night there," he says. "You think I liked it to spend the night away from you guys without telling? Moreover, I didn't know I had to tell you every detail of my life."
Oh no he didn't say that!
I didn't wait to hear mom's response and run up the stairs silently. I walk past Kat's room and find it empty. She must be still out for her weekend practice.
When I open the door of my bedroom I find Grisbee laying on my bed. At least someone's living in peace. I jump on the bed beside her as the first sob leaves my mouth.
My parents were never like this. They rarely disagreed on things. I think the only time I saw them arguing was when I was four, a few months after Kat was born. I can't remember what it was about. We used to live in our old apartment back then. And when they didn't stop yelling, I started crying.
That caught their attention and both my parents rushed to calm me down and apologized to me continuously until I calmed down. We went to the amusement park the next day. I don't remember seeing them fighting again. Small arguments but they always used to talk things out.
Not until lately.
And they're both acting like stubborn five-year-old kids. I know dad's kind of distant and signs aren't good either, but was he seriously accusing mom to do the same?
That's when I realize I need to talk to someone. I don't think I'll be able to bear this much stupidity. I know deep inside my parents love each other. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to stay together for twenty-year in marriage. Yes, it's their twentieth anniversary in November. They're wedding anniversary plan is still on. They're going to Australia this year.
Let's just hope things will get back to normal after that week.
I try to call Ashton and it goes straight to voicemail. Maybe he had already left already. I don't know why I tried his number first.
I tried Derek's number too but he didn't pick it up. Twice.
When my parents' voice rises downstairs, I know I won't be able to bear it anymore. I need a distraction.
And I know just the place where I can crash in on any day at any time.
So I pack a pair of my pajamas and other necessary things in my backpack. Not wanting to catch my parents' attention, I climb out of Kat's bedroom window as it's safer to climb down her window (I always knew her room was better than mine for a reason) and cross the fence that separates our house from the one next to ours.
I ring the bell and wait for one of the Stewards to open the door.
Candace, aka Mrs. Stewards, opens the door. "Kiara, come in, come in," she welcomes me inside and hugs me. She always says Kat and I are like her own daughter as she doesn't have one of her own.
"It's been a while you visited us," she says. By a while, she means a week.
I pull back and say, "Is Miles home?"
"He's upstairs, I made some cookies, don't leave without tasting them."
"I'll be staying for a while," I tell her. Candace beams hearing that.
"Mom who's it?" Miles jogs down the stairs and pauses when he sees me. "Kia?"
I grin and show him my backpack. "It's been a long time since we had our last sleepover."
Miles grins. "I'm calling Grace. Pick up the movie."
"You aren't locking yourselves in the room before eating lunch this time," Candace warns.
Miles and I look at each other and smile guiltily.
Candace turns to me. "Have you eaten lunch yet sweetie?"
I shake my head.
"Great! Tell Grace to have lunch with us too. I'm making something special for you guys."
I thank her and follow Miles upstairs as he calls Grace. I hear her screaming on the phone.
"She's coming ASAP," Miles tells me, quoting her. I smile and follow him to his room.
Why would I need boys in my life when I have such amazing friends?
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