"I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at."

-Maya Angelou

I sit in bed with my back against the wall, staring at my laptop like it's the plague. It's been almost two weeks since I've opened it and I'm not sure I want to. Discord automatically logs me in and while I'm quite certain I can kill the command before it's executed I'm also sure I'll be too weak to have that level of self-control.

I'm having a hard time deciphering whether or not I actually want to talk to Arkies. Do I want to talk to him because I owe him an apology or is my brain making me think I want to just because I have no one to talk to? I can't tell.

I have been isolated for the last couple of weeks and it's wearing on me. There's so much rattling around in my head I can't even begin to sort through everything on my own. Sure, I can ask Sean for advice or mend the bridge between Liam and I but I can't bring myself to do either.

"You okay squirt?"

The voice startles me, one because I forgot my door is open and two because that voice hasn't spoken to me in well over two weeks.

My head snaps up to meet Liam's blue orbs and I am transported right back to when we were kids. Back to when he was the model big brother, swooping in to mend my scrapped knees and talk me through any problem big or small.

Slowly my eyes swell with tears causing me to drop eye contact. "Not really..." I mumble, my voice barely above a whisper.

Liam crosses the threshold into my room and seats himself next to me on the bed, leaning back against the wall just like me.

We sit there awkwardly before I give in to my inner childish needs. I rest my temple on his shoulder and let the tears begin to roll down my cheeks in silence. We sit there in semi-comfortable silence for what seems like forever before Liam speaks.

"I heard you talked to Christopher." He states a bit of humor in his voice.

I let out a soft scoff through my tears. "I don't think I'd classify that as talking."

Liam chuckles. "Yeah, probably not. Have you tried actually talking to him?"

I squeeze my eyes shut because at this point I'm almost regretting ever having approached Christopher about everything and am now terrified of doing it again. It has been just under two weeks and he hasn't been home nor spoken to me either. As far as I'm concerned it looks like he's left for good.

"And say what? Thanks for proving my point and acting like a selfish prick once again?" The question is rhetorical in part but honestly, it's been the only thing I can think to say to him now. I feel like I hate him and it hurts to even think about where he is since he's not here. It's a deep dark pit, one that I'm well acquainted with and one I don't want to visit if it can be avoided.

Liam chuckles again, this time his laugh shaking my frame gently. "That's one approach I suppose."

I furrow my brow realizing my brother is actually trying to help me solve a problem that has been destroying me, even after I said horrible things about him and his girlfriend. Guilt washes over me at the thought and with it a new wave of silent tears.

"Liam, I'm sorry I accused you of chasing chastity belts..." I mumble through the tears, trying hard to not allow my voice to break. "And for making you tell me."

Liam takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I can't be mad at you for making an assumption based on the person you remember me as." He says resting his cheek on the top of my head.

He isn't wrong but it still doesn't make it right. I let out a heavy sigh. "Liam, I don't know what to do..." I confess, confusion resting heavy in my chest.

"About dad or about Arkies?" He asks from left field, causing me to go rigid.

Liam laughs at my response. "I do still play you know."

I grunt in response, not sure how else to react to his statement. I thought he had quit playing a long time ago when we had our falling out. To know that he still plays is one thing, that he keeps in contact with Arkies is something entirely different. He's known Arkies just as long as I have and he knows how this ended last time.

"You know," Liam drawls, "Maybe it's about time you gave the guy a chance."

"I don't know what you are talking about." I snip a little too fast for plausible deniability. Who was I kidding though, Liam had been there when I had met Arkies. He saw it all unfold and then blow up. We both know I was lying.

"He wants to know if you're okay." Liam presses, unfazed by my response.

"And what did you tell him?" I inquire biting my lower lip. I didn't want Arkies knowing I was a mess and not because it was unattractive. I knew him well enough to know he would worry even more than he already was if he knew I was so torn up.

"That you are hot mess incapable of coping." He responds on a sigh.

"Liam!" I exclaim sitting up and smacking his chest.

Liam grins at me and his laugh begins to fill my room. "Kidding!" He exclaims. "What I told him is that he'd have to ask you himself," Liam explains.

I glare over at my brother who is only trying to help but has only managed to make things potentially worse.

"Guess he will be waiting a while then," I mutter slumping against the wall once again.

Liam scoots off my bed and then shrugs as he buries his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. "Maybe, but seems like you could potentially use a friend." He points out before strolling out of my room to leave me with my thoughts.

Why did he always have to be right in the most annoying way possible? It was irritating. My glaring contest with my laptop picks up where it left off and I can't help but entertain the next thought that flutters through my head.

What if I just opened it?