Everything is a chaos.

I watch in front of me as Jeremy tries to zip the luggage while Joan sits on top of the suitcase, multiple curses leaving my brother's foul mouth as he puts all his strength in the hook of the zipper. He yanks it so hard that it comes off, making him stumble back in horror as he looks at the broken piece in his hand with utter disbelief.

"No!" He gasps, and then his eyes switch to the clock before moving back to his bag, making him repeat with more emphasis this time, shaking his head. "No!"

"Jer..." Joan begins, about to slide off the suitcase but he just shakes his head.

"Don't move! It will open up again." He yells frantically, earning himself a pretty dead look.

I observe from the corner of the room as my brother starts pacing back and forth, his hand in his hair, more curses leaving him as he keeps his eyes closed and I sigh, shaking my head. Joan sends me a helpless glance and I take my weight off the wall, starting to walk towards my brother. He's so lost in himself that he bumps into me and then glares at me.

"What?"

His snappy tone is ignored because I can understand how frustrated he is at the moment. I keep my hands on his shoulder and make him look at me.

"Breathe, Jer." He shakes his head in protest but this time, I glare at him. "Breathe!"

He nods, closing his eyes as he takes in a deep breath and exhales it out before doing it for a couple of more times and opening his eyes. His eyes have always been more greyish than blue, taking from our mother's while mine are purely from my father's.

"Now, where did you get the suitcase from?" I ask, looking at the poor thing struggling to keep it together.

"A shop down the river street, what does it matter?" He throws his hands in the air. "I'm supposed to leave for airport in an hour and this shit wouldn't close."

I try not to laugh at how exasperated he sounds. He's my brother and I'm worried for him, of course, but this is exactly the reason I get nervous with the idea of him living away. Either he can't do shit, or he freaks out so much that people around him walk on eggshells, like poor Joan.

"Alright. I know what I'm going to say you wouldn't like, but I think it's time to give up the ego shit and borrow one of Dad's suitcases."

"Bu—" He starts but I shush him up.

"I know you want to be independent and start from scratch as you move to New York, but borrowing a suitcase would wound your ego, really?" I raise an eyebrow at him and he groans, shaking his head. "Now, it will only take a few minutes to shift this to another suitcase with more space that would close easily."

"Fuck, fine!" He curses and Joan snickers, earning a dead look which makes her shut up.

"Okay, then. I'll go get you a suitcase while you see if you missed anything in your hand luggage. The list is on the desk, cross check it." I point towards it and he nods as I turn to Joan, giving her an understanding look and she grins back at me.

After I leave my brother's room, I make my way downstairs, telling myself to hold off my tears till the moment we're at the airport. Once I reach the floor, I notice that my parents are in the living room.

"Hey, where's that big suitcase of Dad?" I ask, drawing their attention to myself.

"What happened to the one Jer bought?" Mom frowns in response.

"The zip broke off."

"And you guys want to switch right now, at the last moment? I've been telling that boy to just push down his ego and take my stuff but no, he wants to be independent. Tell him to be independent with a broken zipper." Dad rants off and I roll my eyes.

Classic Dad move. My dad's a pretty organised person so if anything happens at the last moment, he kind of gets pissed and then keeps grumbling until the time we have to literally ask him to shut up.

"Dad, not now." I tell him, my voice a little on the egde. "Mom?"

"It's in the storage room, Lil. Do you want me to come help?"

I shake my head, "No, I got it."

She nods while my father continues to grumble but I leave them alone as I make my way past the stairs to the back, finding my way to the storage room. I turn the knob before entering it and notice how clean even this room in the house is, courtesy to my mother who doesn't like things being out of the place.

I roll my eyes as I enter further and try to locate the suitcase before spotting it on the top of an old cupboard. I step between things to make my way to it as I stand on my tiptoes, my finger barely reaching it. Just as I'm about to grasp it, an arm wraps around my waist, making a loud shriek leave me which makes the person cover my mouth with their hand.

My eyes widen from panic before the familiar warmth hits me, a sense of relief washing over me and my breathing slows down.

"Shhh." James coos in my ear but I only jam my elbow in his stomach, making his grip loosen on me as I turn around to face him. "What the hell!"

"What is wrong with you?" I whisper-yell at him. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. "Way to be dramatic, Lil."

"How did you even find me here, or better, why were you being sneaky?" I push at his chest and he chuckles, wrapping his hands around my wrist as he pulls me closer.

"I just wanted to surprise you, and then I was being sneaky from your parents, not you." He explains, amusing me as I can't help the smile. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"The zip broke." I tell him and he rolls his eyes.

"Told ya kids, but then he wouldn't stop glaring at me so I left."

James was in Jeremy's room with the three of us but he kept commenting on how the suitcase is small for all his stuff to fit in, which made my brother glare at him, because he's still not over the fact that media thought he was cheating on me. He hasn't been very subtle about his anger at him but James hasn't been taking it at heart.

"I thought you'll be discussing work with my father, so where were you?" I scowl at him and he brushes my hair back, his touch calming me.

"Bladder calls." He shrugs as he starts to lean in but I come back to my senses as I pull away, making him frown at me.

"His flight's in an hour, we'll have plenty of time to do this later. Now, make some use of that height and get that bag."

I point towards the suitcase and he gives me a look but doesn't say a word as he does what he's told. After he's done, we make our way upstairs and Joan is still sitting on the top of the luggage with Jeremy crossing the list in his hand.

"Alright kids, now we've got fifteen minutes to keep everything in this," I announce and Joan jumps off, nodding.

"Ay ay, captain." She grins at me as I open the case on the floor while James stand by the door again and Jeremy and Joan sit on each side of the broken suitcase.

"Just pass on the stuff, alright?"

They both nod as we begin and it takes us barely ten minutes because everything was already folded or neatly placed that we just had to keep it in the other space. After we're done, I close up the zip and lock it up before looking at my brother.

He seems to be sulking a little and I give him a small smile before my eyes moving to James who seems to be staring at me, a look of understanding in his eyes.

"Hey, Joan, want to go get some soda?" He looks at the girl, surprising all three of us but Joan looks between Jeremy and I, nodding.

"Sure, c'mon. We'll be downstairs in case you need any help, alright?" She tells Jeremy who nods.

After they leave, I get up from the floor, removing the baggage aside before taking a seat by his side on the bed. I look at him and his eyes meet mine as he gives me a small smile.

"So?"

"I thought I was ready." He breathes, sounding exhausted and disappointed.

"I don't think you can ever be ready for such a big change, Jer. But it's a stepping stone, right? A lot more to come."

"Are you trying to scare me or reassure me?"

His question makes me laugh as I give him an apologetic look. "Sorry, I just meant that you're going to get a hang of it once you're actually there. Right now, it's all in your imagination and we all know no one likes to imagine the bad parts. But just know, we're here, always. Joan will be with you, so I hope that helps but both of you will be exploring who you are individually, so don't push too much on the relationship either, okay?"

He stares at me, processing my words before giving me a nod and scooting closer, extending his arm around my shoulder before pulling me into a hug.

"I know we don't say it, Lil. But I love you, okay?" He breathes and I hug him back.

"I love you too, Jer."

Tears sting my eyes and I let them because I know I might not see him for another few months. There's a knock on the door and I crane my neck to see my parents standing there. I smile at them before Jeremy motions for them to join us.

"Ah, how long has it been since we had a family hug?" Dad rejoices as both of them wrap their arms around us.

"I don't think we've ever had one, Dad." Jeremy grumbles, making me laugh.

"You're so grown up." Mom sniffs, her tears following as she tightens her grip, making my brother and I exchange an amused look. "Alright, I think we should start loading up your luggage now."

Jeremy nods, all of us scattering around to pick some stuff of his that needs to go in the car. When we come downstairs, I notice Joan and James engrossed in a conversation. When he notices my presence, he excuses himself before making his way to me.

"Good?" He asks and I shake my head, being honest, making him sigh as he wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer to his side as he kisses my forehead.

As we make our way through the main door, we exit the house with some of his luggage and store it in the trunk of Dad's SUV. Joan and Jeremy seem to be conversing amongst themselves before he gives her a tight hug and a kiss.

"Wait, are you not coming to the airport?"

She shakes her head, "I'll be joining him in a couple of weeks so we made a pact, if he can't see me off at the airport, I can't either."

"That's stupid?" I add and earn a look from my brother while Joan laughs.

"Yes, tell that to him."

"I don't know when I'll see you next, so just take care, alright? Both of you." I tell my brother and his girlfriend.

She moves to give me a hug before smiling at James who nods in return. After Jeremy's bags are all hauled up, Joan takes her leave.

"We're right behind you, Gabe." James gestures to my father to move and he nods, getting into the car.

After I slide in the passenger seat of James's car, he turns to me. His eyes are filled with concern as he brings his hand around mine, moving it to place a peck and I sigh.

"I'm going to be fine, it's also PMS that's messing with me, you know?"

He nods, brushing aside my hair before focusing his attention back on the wheel and pulling out of the driveway. He keeps glancing at me throughout the ride, his hand barely ever leaving mine, and I understand his concern, but he has been right all this while too, it's not like Jeremy's moving continents away. I can visit him when I wish to.

When the airport comes into view, I hold my breath for a second before taking a deep one and exhaling, my hand tightening around James's and he gives me a reassuring smile.

"He's going to be okay, okay?" He adds and I nod, leaning over the console to press a kiss on his cheeks. "What was that for?"

"Just felt like it." I smile at him as he parks the car behind Dad's and I get out.

We get Jeremy's luggage settled for him to carry before he hugs both our parents and then moves to me. I spill a few tears, which is surprising because I expected to bawl my eyes out but his hug seems way too comforting.

"I'll be back to annoy you before you even know it." He grins at me, kissing my forehead before his eyes move to James who seems to be looking at him with almost a blank face. My brother raises his eyebrows at him. "If you hurt her or I see your face on the newspaper with another woman again, trust me I'll personally come down to pack Lil's bags and take her with me to New York."

"Jer!" I swat his chest, trying to hold in my laugh at how serious he sounds. James must buy it too because he looks a little taken aback by my brother's words.

"What? I'm hella serious. He better keep his shit together."

James shakes his head, amusement taking over as he glances at me, a smile playing on his lips before nodding at my brother. "Wouldn't give you a chance to complain. Don't worry."

They both exchange a silent conversation through eyes before nodding at each other and with one last hug, Jeremy waves at us.

"I'll call you guys when I land, just take care of yourselves, alright?" He looks at us and we nod at him.

"Wash the whites separately, Jer." Mom reminds him, making both James and I laugh while Jeremy rolls his eyes.

"Yes, Mom. You need to work on your priorities while seeing someone off."

"Bye, kiddo." Dad pats him on the back before he disappears with the rest of the crowd to the entrance of the airport.

Once he's out of sight, I turn to my mother who has tears filled in her eyes so I move to give her a tight hug. She returns it, sniffing as she dabs on her eyes.

"I'll visit you more now, promise."

"You better, both of you!" She looks between my husband and I.

"I'll see you soon, alright? We're headed back." I inform my parents and they both nod.

When we get inside the car, my heart feels heavy, knowing that my brother's been the only best friend I've ever had and now we have distance between us. We wouldn't see each other every second weekend but I know it isn't going to change our bond. He'll come down to visit or I'll take up James's offer to go visit him.

"Here." James hands me his phone as we cross a tunnel on our way back to the apartment.

"What is it?" I frown, looking at the device in my hand.

"Unlock it, go on."

I do as he says and it opens up to a document with multiple details until the realisation sinks in. "Are you serious?"

He glances at me sideways, a look of caution on his face. "We can change the dates."

"James!" I exclaim, wanting to rush into his lap but aware that he's driving. My low mood suddenly picks up as I look back at the screen.

It's a reserved flight for New York in August, two months from now. God, what did I deserve to do this man? I continue to look at him in absolute awe and he glances at me, a questioning look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"I just— thank you. You have no idea what this means to me, what you mean to me."

He has been awfully patient with me all this while. There are times when I expect a reaction out of him, for him to be pissed, like last night when under the buzz of alcohol, I lay even the deepest thoughts of mine bare in front of him, but he didn't object once, he didn't discard my feelings, rather he coaxed them and asked me if there was something we could do to make things better.

James is a blessing in my life I never thought I deserved, but he's been handed over to me. The start might have been rough, but it was just an ugly wrapping paper, the gift inside is invaluable. I bring our intertwined hands up and continue to kiss the back of his hand, because that's the only thing I can do at the moment.

"Anything for you, love."

I grin at him before going back to stare at his phone, checking the dates, it's a weekend trip and my insides already fill up with excitement. As I continue to check the timings and other details, a notification pops up of some app and I frown.

"You have an Instagram?"

He gives me a sideway look, gauging the sudden change in my reaction. "Yes?"

"What are you, twelve?"

"Aren't grown ups allowed to have Instagrams?" He chuckles, shaking his head as he takes a turn to our complex's street.

"We've been married almost four months now, and I had no idea you had it." I gape at him, trying to wrap my head around the information before squinting my eyes and looking at him. "What do you do with it?"

"There's a term for it, socialising." He grins back, clearly amused and I roll my eyes as he parks the car.

He offers me his hand as he opens the car door for me and I hand him his phone as we reach the elevators. "Do you use it a lot?"

I don't have a problem that he has an Instagram, I just never pegged him for the one with social media accounts. So a huge part of me is just curious to understand how does it work with him, and my curiosity's just making me sound crazy now.

"How many times have you seen me use it?" He asks genuinely and I shrug.

"Never."

"See, I really don't use it much. It's more from the recommendation of my PR team, to keep up with the public. They regularly regulate it, all my social media accounts."

I pause for a second before my eyes widening. "Without your permission?"

He shakes his head as we step out and make our way to the door and I pull out the keys to unlock. "No, not without my permission. I have the most control over it and have a say in whatever the final decision is."

"Makes sense."

We get in the living room and I remove my flats before moving to keep them in the shoe counter by the entrance as James does the same. I try to imagine what could he possibly post on an Instagram account, because I'm aware how it's just limited to photographs.

"Come." He takes my hand and leads us to the couch before taking a seat and pulling me into his lap. He brushes my hair and kisses my forehead before bringing his other hand up in my lap with his phone in it and unlocking it.

"What are you doing?"

"Go on, check it." He smirks at me, "I know you're dying to see it, Lil."

A small smile leaves me as I bite on my inner cheek before taking his phone and opening the app. We aren't that couple with trust issues who go through each other's phone or absolutely need to know every detail of each other's life, we understand that we're two separate people in love with each other, so we do have our own space in the relationship as well. Which means, this has to be the first time I'm ever going through James's phone for any reason.

"You have a verified account?" I laugh until my eyes go to the number of followers, extending above half a million and I stare at him. "Seriously, how famous are you?"

He shrugs in return, an amused smirk on his lips as he stares at me look through his account. His bio is pretty damn simple, "CEO, Clark Enterprise." I start to scroll a little, there aren't a lot of posts, but I know which ones immediately get my attention. I touch on the photograph and it leaves me stunned as I stare at it.

It's a black and white photograph of me cuddled against his chest, my face hidden behind my hair as I have my arm draped around him. My lips part as I continue to stare at the photograph before looking at James and then reading the caption.

"Best way to start my morning."

"That doesn't sound like you, at all! When did you even take this?" I gape at him, scrolling further as I spot another photograph from our wedding, it's a photo of our hands, reflecting our rings. It doesn't have any caption and I look at the date, it's a week after our wedding so it gives off that his team must've asked him to make it official on social media.

There's a group photograph from our birthday and another of just the two of us where I'm pouting at him while Hale took our photo. "Happy Birthday, love." The caption reads.

"James, explain! I'm literally so confused." I shriek as I start to move away from his lap but he frowns, tightening his grip around my waist.

"What? There shouldn't be any confusion." He frowns as he looks at me. "Are you mad that I uploaded your photograph without permission?"

"Yes, I mean, I don't know how I feel about it. I hate taking photographs, you know that, right?"

I don't know what I was expecting but this was not it. Even as I talk, I continue to check his other photographs and there are some good portraits of him, with so many comments that I can't help but read them, which turns out to be a huge mistake because to see other women commenting drooling emoticons and calling him hot don't sit well with me.

"Okay then, shouldn't have checked the comments." I mumble but move to check them on our photographs, expecting to see some hate comments but the same girls are awing at it? Are they confused, or am I? I don't understand social media.

James chuckles beneath me, earning a glare which sobers him up as he grins at me. "Sorry, love. I just haven't seen you this flustered in a while now."

"I just— was it your team who asked you to upload those?" I scowl and he shakes his head.

"The wedding one, yes. The other two, no. I know you don't like getting clicked, which I genuinely don't understand why, because look at you. We have barely any photos together but it doesn't stop me from capturing memories if I can help it. But you don't have to worry, it never captures you completely, and if you want, I can delete these."

I process his words as I continue to scroll through the comments, and there are some hate ones too but they don't even stand out amongst the crazy people on the internet. I had no idea my husband was so popular over social media, but it warms my heart that he has made me a part of it, even without me knowing.

"That caption still doesn't sound like you." I point out and he frowns at me.

"What are you talking about? I tell you all the time that your face is the best sight to wake up to."

I laugh out aloud, "Not once."

"Okay, I might not say it, but my actions prove it." He winks at me amusedly, earning a look from me which makes him grin. "I mean it, Lil. You're the best way to start my mornings, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."

I sigh, clicking his phone shut as I lean back into his arms and kiss him, my arms going around his neck as I pull him closer. "The feeling is mutual, Mr. Clark."

"So, do you want me to take it down?" He asks, reading my face and I shake my head. "How do you feel?"

I know he's not just talking about the photographs. "Better than I expected, honestly. No, I don't want you to take down the photos, but just don't post such ugly one next time. Also, very surprised with the fact that my husband has lovers on social media."

"Oh, please. They are not lovers, you make an account and then we'll talk. And you do not look ugly, there's a proper term for it, it's being adorable and sexy at the same time."

"You know social media is not my scene." His words reassure me as they make smile at him as I give him another kiss before something sinks in and I part away. "Oh my god, do you get messages from strangers?"

He grins, picking up his phone to unlock it, "You're either growing to throw a fit or we're going to get the best laughs out of this."

"I can throw a fit first and laugh about it later?" I offer as he moves to his inbox and laughs.

"Sounds like a plan, baby."