Fiddling with the sleeves of my sweatshirt I stand up slightly on my toes in search for Nate. Considering Rhys wasn't at school today I'm looking for the youngest of the brothers. I know he's here, I saw him walk past my class last period and I'm just hoping I haven't missed him.

Apart from that I sent him a text saying I want to talk to him. I did get a text from Rhys saying they were both okay and that would have been fine if he actually turned up. That's what put the doubt in my mind that things weren't okay.

"Hey! Do you need a ride home?" I ask Nate as he approaches me. Unlike usual there's no noticeable happy expression on his face. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," I raise an eyebrow at his sharp tone and he exhales, shaking his head. "I'm still a little shaken up from yesterday. That's all. I feel bad because I ruined the date but someone was trying to break inside."

I frown and decide to ignore the part about it being a date. "Did you find out who it was trying to break in?"

"They stopped when Rhys got there," He sucks his lips in, eyes flickering out of nerves. "I'm not supposed to be telling you any of this. I know that I shouldn't but I'm figuring you're someone Rhys will actually listen to."

"He doesn't listen to me."

Nate furrows his eyebrows. "You're oblivious. For some reason you do have sway on what he does and says. I've known my brother for ages and well enough to know that he doesn't apologize, nor would he bother to try."

"What about Lachlan?" I question, fiddling with my car keys. "If you're worried about Rhys why not talk to his best friend? It makes logical sense rather than someone he barely knows."

With that Nate pinches my arm. "Because he cares what you think you idiot," I rub my arm which is now red thanks to him. "I know that Lachlan would support him but if it's something bad that's going on he wouldn't steer him away from it. That's the way their friendship is. They support one another but when it comes to trouble they're magnets."

"So you're telling me your brother is in trouble?" I hesitantly ask. Nate nods and I puff my cheeks out for a second. "As in illegally or as in life threatening?"

Nate gives a one shouldered shrug. "I'm not sure and that's why I'm scared. I don't know whether or not I'll end up being targeted for whatever stupid shit he's involved in."

"I get your concern and in all honesty I can't blame you. I'm feeling worried for Rhys myself after hearing that from you," I fiddle with my ring trying to think of the right wording. "But he won't tell me anything, especially not if it's illegal because of my father. I seriously don't know what you want me to do."

"Could you at least talk to him?" Nate asks hopefully and I shake my head slowly. "Please? Just tell him that you're concerned at least, that way he knows he isn't alone."

I try to find the words to fire back but against my better judgement I nod. For the first time Nate smiles although it isn't out of happiness, more out of relief. But why can't he talk to Rhys himself?

"Are you sure now is the best time?" I ask Nate as we pull up the front of his house.

My eyes flicker to the two storey house, taking notice of the condition of the neighboring houses in comparison. It's not a dangerous neighborhood but it isn't a stranger to crime a block or so away.

Their house has a security door unlike the others which are just flimsy wooden doors and easy to access windows. You can tell that the Adams house has had security preventions in place. It makes me wonder how they tried to get inside.

Nate opens the car door with a nod. "Well he won't be expecting it. So he wouldn't be able to come up with some elaborate lie or back story. My brother's smart but under rapid fire he crumbles."

I don't get to respond before the car door shuts. What the hell am I doing? Swallowing I kill the engine before getting out, making sure to double lock the car to be on the safe side. As I walk along the gravel pathway leading to the front door I feel my phone buzz with a text.

From Blair 👠
Okay. I understand that you feel the need to be nice to everyone but I don't get why the Adam's brothers... Rhys is a violent idiot and Nate is just crazy weird.... are you and Rhys dating or something?

To Blair 👠
Maybe because I know what it's like to be stereotyped?? They're not horrible people and no, we aren't dating.

I slip my phone into my pocket stepping onto the porch. As Nate opens the security door I notice the tears in the screen as well as streaks in the paint. It looks like something was dragged along it and I wonder if that's what had Nate spooked, if they were playing games with him.

"Rhys!" Nate calls out loudly, stepping inside with me reluctantly behind. I close the door and cross my arms when I see Nate head to the staircase. "Can you come down here? Someone wants to talk to you."

I divert my eyes from the staircase feeling my heart rate pick up. I shouldn't be here. It feels like I'm invading his privacy, let alone about to pry information from him. But that still doesn't stop me from taking in my surroundings.

The walls are simply a cream colour, bare of any art or photos although I can see a few frames resting on the mantle of the fireplace in the living room. Down the hallway of the staircase I can see a titled floor with what looks to be a steel door that I'm assuming leads to the backyard. 

It's not cluttered apart from the shoe rack which is prominently covered in heels and boots, the mirror hanging over the top is smudged and needs cleaning. But overall it's reasonably clean considering two teenage boys live here.

When I hear the sounds of footsteps I almost back out the door but keep myself grounded when Rhys reaches the platform while pulling a shirt over his head. Our eyes lock and for a second he looks surprised until they narrow in on his brother.

"Why did you bring her here?"

Nate goes to speak but I step in. "Actually I offered to take him home because you weren't at school today. I was mostly doing that so I could see for myself that you were actually okay."

"I said we both were okay," Rhys continues down the stairs, exhaling out of annoyance. "I don't need you to check up on me because my brother asked you to."

"Because I can't do it myself," I nod slowly, each word being spoken with sarcasm. "I forgot that I wasn't meant to give a shit. I'm sorry that I spent half the day looking for you and debating whether or not I should call you."

The words fall before I can stop them and I close my eyes.  I shouldn't have said that. There's a silence that's thick enough to pass as a suffocating fog. I open my eyes when the staircase squeaks under his weight and Rhys leans his hand on the staircase rail.

He raises an eyebrow in disbelief. "Well I'm perfectly fine. We both are if you couldn't-"

"What happened to your hand?" I deadpan, moving closer to him.

Nate slips down to the floor when I skip the bottom two stairs to try and grab his hand. Rhys however moves his hands to the pockets of his jeans, hiding them from my sight. My eyes narrow, trailing up to his before looking back down and trying to pull a hand out.

"You didn't do anything?" Nate questions and I look up at Rhys' face which holds zero emotion or giveaway. "We're just trying to help-"

"Go make yourself something to eat. I know you didn't take lunch or have any money," Rhys orders and Nate goes to protest but is quickly silenced. "Now."

Reluctantly Nate walks down the hall when I feel his arm loosen. This time Rhys allows me to pull his hand out and I know my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. There's small cuts littering his knuckles as well as faint bruising. Instantly I pull out the other which is thankfully free of marking.

"Who did you get into a fight with?" I question, although I know he won't tell me. Rhys sighs, stretching his hand out while scanning the damage. "Was it the person who tried to break in?"

He looks up from under his lashes. "Why should I answer you? It's not like it will make any difference."

"Because I heard how terrified Nate was from what happened yesterday," I whisper harshly so Nate wouldn't overhear. "I wouldn't judge you for getting even but I don't want you to get hurt or risk being arrested for assault. It's clear Nate needs you. . ."

Rhys clucks his tongue and pulls his hand away. "I made sure that the person who caused him to have a mental breakdown wouldn't think twice about messing with him again. He's lucky all I gave him was a few bruises and a bit of blood loss."

"Would he call you out for assault?" He shakes his head and sits down on the stairs.

"No because he has a criminal record for thievery," Rhys runs his hand through his hair, jaw clenching and unclenching. "He would end up going to jail if I told the police that it was self defense when he tried to break in here."

I frown. "How do you know he has a criminal record?"

Rhys doesn't answer me straight away, instead he sighs. "Alright. I think it's time for the first secret for this week. You go first."

"Fine. What do you want to know?" He thinks about it and I see him hesitate before speaking.

"The day your locker got vandalized you had this reaction," He pauses and I try not to show how freaked out I am. "It was a panic attack, I'm pretty sure. So I want to know what that was about or at least why?"

I exhale and peer around the hallway to make sure Nate isn't coming back. Taking a seat on the staircase I lean on the lower step with my back to the wall. I fiddle with the ring on my finger to try to think how to word this but releastically there's only one way.

"Because I had anxiety," I shake my head. "I don't like attention and when it feels like a million eyes are burning into me I wonder what they're thinking. I overthink it and it causes me to have panic attacks. What you saw wasn't an actual one, I stopped it before it got to the point I couldn't breathe or function."

"When was the last time you had a full attack?" I hesitantly glance the Rhys with a pounding heart. There's no judgement. I almost feel relieved until I remember his question.

"Almost seven months so I like to think that I'm in control of it now," I exhale and shrug slightly. "But then the Brian thing happened and it just caused so much unnecessary stuff."

Rhys nods slowly. "On the upside we wouldn't have become friends if the Brian thing didn't happen."

"One good thing came from it," I smile softly and continue to fiddle with my ring. "How did you know he had a criminal record?"

His eyes drop from mine for a moment and I can see him trying to think of what to say. "The people I used to work for didn't necessarily have the right employees. He was one of them and we didn't really get along to begin with, it made logical sense that he would try to intimidate me not to go back."

"By right employees you mean those without prison time or arrest warrants?" He nods and I purse my lips. "Why was he trying to intimidate you?"

"Because he doesn't want me to come back to work," Rhys snorts, shaking his head. "I wasn't going to in the first place because I'm trying to stay on the right track this year. Being in a workplace with people like him wouldn't be the smartest idea for that, it isn't a risk I would want to take. They're a bad influence and it's simple as that."

I smile softly. "Well now he knows you aren't coming back," I gesture to his hand. "Just don't go beating other people up, let the cops deal with it okay?"

"Can I come out now?" Nate yells from the kitchen.

"No!"

"Yes!"

I wack Rhys' knee when he laughs at his own answer. Nate grumbles something incoherent and I notice Rhys smile for the first time since I got here.  He nods and catches my hand when I go to pull it away from his knee.

"Thanks for bringing him home," There's footsteps but Rhys disregards Nate's closer prescene and continues. "Just don't tell him about this."

"Tell me about what?"

Nate glances between us and I shrug. "Sorry Nate. It's a secret."

"I loathe secrets," He whines, pouting like an annoyed kid. "Rhys keeps enough from me, don't turn into him."

"Hey! Don't try to guilt trip her because you don't get your way for once," Rhys smacks his arm through the railing making Nate jump back. "She doesn't have to tell you everything and neither do I if it doesn't matter."

Nate looks to me with a raised eyebrow. "It's nothing to be worried about, at least I don't think it is."

"But that depends on what you know to begin with."

"Didn't you need to have lunch?" Rhys tries to get his brother to stop quizzing what we were talking about. Nate rolls his eyes and shakes his head at his brother. "Go get something to eat and stay in there. I need to talk to Kira without your commentary."

Nate huffs, walking with more force to the kitchen. "Don't keep secrets from your brother - family's important."

"Exactly. Which is why you can tell your father I'll be your date," Rhys looks back with a smirk when my lips part from shock. "I don't want to find out about Brian getting his hands on you or anywhere too close actually."

I nod slowly. "You do know that these gala things are often fancy?"

"Are you implying I don't own anything fancy?" Raising an eyebrow he shakes his head. "Well I don't own a tux. But I'll find something that works. I'm guessing this means you'll be wearing a dress?"

"Yep. I'm going shopping with Blair tomorrow afternoon," I groan and shake my head. "She's happy that she can dress me up like a doll. I don't know what it is with her but she has this idea that if I wear more feminine clothing then I'll-"

I stop myself realising just how awkward that could have been. "Then you'll what?"

"That doesn't matter."

"I think it does," He raises an eyebrow and squeezes my hand. I forgot he was holding it. "Tell me."

"You can't laugh," I state and he nods. "Well she seems to think if I dressed more feminine then I'd probably attract a boyfriend."

I expect the laughter but it never comes. Rhys nods once before responding. "So you don't want a boyfriend or you just don't feel the need to dress like that?"

"Both I guess," I give a small smile. "I don't want to change myself for a guy. That reminds me of the 1950's where women were expected to be a stereotype house wife who wore certain things and excelled in house duties. I don't want to change my style and let a guy think that's just to impress him."

"What if you were trying to impress your boyfriend?" He asks and I chuckle. "I'm not saying it's expected but what if you actually wanted to. You wanted to make him see the effort you've gone to. . ."

"Like the guy would even notice," I scoff while shaking my head. "I guess that's another part. If I ever did, I wouldn't be able to handle the rejection of it."

When my hand starts to slide from his he tightens his hold. "Well if this guy did reject you then he's a tool. Hopefully you won't ever have to experience it."

"But do you see where I'm coming from?" I question, he runs his tongue over his teeth with a nod.

"You don't want to face rejection which is normal. But sometimes you've got to challenge that fear," He glances to me before clearing his throat. "Don't let fear hold you back because you'll never be able to be happy with yourself."

I chuckle. "You're quite good with your wisdom."

"Well I've had to come to these realizations on my own," He pulls his hand from mine and stands up. "The best one I think is about life in general. You can't control everything that happens but if you're smart enough you can manipulate it so you do have control for a moment."

He holds out his hand for me and I take it, getting hauled up to my feet. "In other words stop blaming the world for your problems."

"And do something about it."

His eyes flicker to mine and for a moment I feel the urge to move closer. When his hand slips from mine I miss the contact and I struggle to comprehend why that's the case. I don't know about Rhys but when we talk I get the feeling there's hidden meaning behind his words.

One thing for sure is he's smart, smart enough to know how to twist things in his favor. From the wisdom about not being able to control life I'm guessing he's learnt that the hard way. And I want to know why.