I wasn't going to cry in front of him. He didn't get it, he didn't understand. I don't know what went down with his dad, but I basically watched my mom die for three years.

I ran down the street until I couldn't anymore. I didn't know where to go, I didn't know this town well enough yet. So I decided to just walk around, feeling tears run down my cheeks. I wasn't going back there, not yet.

I felt so shitty now. I know Joyce is a nice woman, but I just, I can't do it. Not yet. It hasn't been long enough. I can't just forget about my mom like my dad did. It only took him a year, a fucking year. I don't know if I'll be over it.

I continued to just mindless walk around, I didn't feel like going home. I know this might fuck up Jack and I's plan to keep our parents happy so they would leave, but it just went too far now. I couldn't even go to her grave anymore, it was too far away now.

I felt my phone vibrate, but ignored it. It kept going on, switching between the long periods that meant I was getting a call and the short one that meant texts. After while. I just took it out with a sigh.

I had miss calls from Jack. Why did we exchange number again? I ignored them and went through my messages. They were from Jack and Alex.

'Ember, where are you?' -Jack
'Come home, please. I'm sorry.' -Jack
'It's been too long. Where are you?' Jack
'Ember? Jack's freaking out saying your missing, what's up?' -Alex
'Look, whatever he did, he's sorry. Seriously, answer us.' -Alex
'Ember please tell me you're at least okay.' -Jack
'Dude seriously, answer. Jack's panicking.' -Alex
'We're looking for you. We'll pick you up. Text us back or something.' -Alex.

I locked my phone and put it away. It buzzed a few times, but I just ignored it. I didn't want a ride. I didn't want to see Jack. I didn't want to hear him apologize, cause he accused me of basically hating his mom with no knowledge about me at all. He even dared to think my mom was a bad person. She was not, she was my best friend. She was everything to me, she had most of the custody of me until she got ill. Now she was gone and she wasn't coming back.

I don't know how long it took me, but I knew it was really late by the time I got back home. I walked up the yard, intending on just going to bed when I saw a figure sitting on the porch. Getting closer, I realized who it was, and I really just wanted to turn back around.

Jack's head snapped up as I stepped on a stick. Well fuck.

“Ember I-” He started, but I lifted my hand.
“Save it. Are our parents still leaving?”
“They don't know you were gone. I-i told them we were hanging out with the guys tonight.”
“Okay.” I went to walk passed him, but Jack grabbed my arm.
“Ember, please, just listen.”
“I don't want to Jack. You had no right to say anything, and I know I was a little rude to your mom, but I didn't mean to be. It's just really hard.”
“I know, I just-”
“No, you don't know!” I snapped, and pulled my arm from him. “Just leave me alone.”

I opened the door only to have it shut again, Jack's hand flat against it. He turned me back around, his body close to mine. How did we always end up like this? More importantly, why does my heart race when we do?

“No, we're finally getting along. I know we said it was just for show, but it's not like that anymore. At least not to me, and I'm pretty sure you feel that way too. I know I made myself seem like a dick again tonight, but I'm sorry. I didn't know, but that's no excuse. I knew you were attached to your mom, just the way you sometimes refer to her, and I still said something suggesting she was a terrible person and I am sorry.”

I didn't say anything, just stared back at him until he finally let me go. I felt an intense need to just hug him, and be held, and cry some more and forgive him. I kept it in though, I knew better. Despite all he said, tonight just proved we would probably never really be friends, or anything. I went to leave, but he spoke up again.

“Say something. Please.”
“Night Jack.” I mumbled, and opened the door and left him alone.

I went to my room, looking over at the picture I had of my mom. Picking it up, I looked at her old, smiling face. Mumbling, I said something I thought I would ever admit to myself to the frame photo.

“Mom. I think I might like my brother.”

Notes

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh~