~ Chapter 2: Meet my Brother Seth. ~

The next morning, I was woken up at nine by my phone’s ring tone. I yawned and picked up. Who dared to wake me up?

“Hello?”

“Hey sis’.”

I yawned again and smiled a little.

“Hi Seth. What’s up?”

“Not much, I was just wondering if I could um… crash here for a couple of nights?”

“What’s going on? Aren’t you at mom and dad’s?”

“It’s complicated. Can I come over or not?”

“Yeah sure.”

“Cool. Cause I’m outside right now. Can you come open?”

I sighed and hung up. Seth was unbelievable. He was my little brother and had just turned eighteen. He was trying to start out a band with a bunch of his friends but it wasn’t really great according to my parents. In fact, it was even “horrible” and “worst than nails on a chalkboard”, if I quote their words. Maybe they were a little hard on him but the only time I had heard him play had been enough for me. I don’t want to me mean, it was just… not that great.

But the problem was, Seth was the most stubborn human being I knew, if you don’t count me, and he didn’t want to think of a plan B. He had graduated from high school and hasn’t left the garage since then. I didn’t know what had happened this time but I was guessing mom and dad had gotten tired of the noise and the smell of him in his two days old underpants. Ok, maybe I was being a little harsh.

I put on a sweatshirt and opened the door. Seth hugged me. I had to say that it was nice to see him, even if he had woken me up. He hadn’t changed, except for the stubble. I invited him in and we sat at the table.

“Did I wake you up?” He asked while taking a cookie that he ate in three bites.

“Kind of.”

“Oh. Sorry. Thanks for letting me stay by the way.”

“Yeah, you’ll have to sleep on the couch though.”

“Ok. It’s not that different than what I’m used to anyways.”

I tried to find something to eat in the fridge but the only thing left was one of those horrible yogurts Jenny likes. And Seth had eaten the last two cookies in a minute. I took an apple and sat back in front of Seth.

“So, what did you do to get kicked off the house this time?” I asked before biting in the apple.

“Nothing in particular. Mom and dad still want me to go to college, I told them I didn’t want to and they got mad. Then they kicked me out.”

“Oh. What were you doing this first semester if you weren’t in college?”

“I just hung out and worked on my music.”

I thought about telling him not to call “music” what he was doing with his band but it was mean so I just shut up and let him speak.

“Does Jenny still live with you?” He asked then.

“Yup. Why?”

“Nothing. Is she here now?”

“No, she’s at her boyfriend’s.”

“Oh. Ok.”

“Don’t ever try to hit on my roommate Seth.”

“I wasn’t going to!” He claimed while raising both his hands in the air, like he was caught in fault.

“Good. How long will you stay?”

“I don’t know, I asked Jared if I could stay at his place but he hasn’t returned my calls.”

I thought I knew why. Seth… He was amazing and all but having him home was really a chore. You must think I hate my brother but it’s not that, I loved him but he was just… lazy. He expected his laundry to be done, didn’t clean his plate, didn’t cook and just showed up asking what was for dinner. He was kind of like a kid.

I think he didn’t get that he was eighteen now and that he had to stand on his own two feet. I think that was one of the reasons my parents had kicked him out. Maybe it was so that he could learn to handle himself. And, there was no way Jenny or I would do his laundry. He would have to figure this out on himself.

I guess my parents had thought Seth would try to find a place of his own or try to get into college once they had kicked him out but I think they forgot that I lived in an amazing house with a super-hot roommate that Seth had had a crush on since the day he had met her. So I think he wasn’t going to try to leave anytime soon.

Classes were starting in three days and I was going to have to let him stay here alone which was, from my experience, a pretty bad idea. Ok, he wasn’t a kid, he could stay alone in a house but, he had proved last year that actually, he couldn’t. Mom and dad had left to go on some weekend or something and they had left the house to Seth. Guess what he did? He had invited the whole neighborhood to a huge party. Somehow, a window got broken and the car got completely ruined. I think there was no point in talking about how mad my parents were after that.

Ok, I really have to talk about Seth qualities here or you’ll think that he’s some sort of irresponsible kid or something. Well, first of all, Seth has a big heart. Even if he tends to hide it, he is really caring and sensitive. For example, when the crash happened during summer, he really was there for me. Seth is also really funny and he has a lot of charisma. He’s also really nice and, I’ll admit that, sometimes, he can be smart. But he doesn’t have a really good opinion of himself. He tends to put up walls and smile all the time, even when he’s sad or heartbroken.

The day his girlfriend broke up with him, he managed to joke about it at school and make everyone feel like he didn’t give a shit. But at home, I can tell you that the second he was alone, he wasn’t acting the same. So anyway… My brother Seth is… pretty special. I love him, of course, but I wish he would learn how to use the washing-machine. Well, now I’m going to sound like a maniac. Which I’m not. Really, you should see my room. But I at least do my own laundry.

Anyway, enough with dirty clothes, nobody cares.

Seth went upstairs to take a shower so I went back to bed and listened to some music. He knocked a little while later and sat on my bed.

“I just wanted to say thanks again for letting me stay.”

“You’re welcome.”

He smiled.

“Do you remember Damon Hollins? Who used to be my best friend.” I asked.

“Yeah, you were into him before we left Norwood.”

“No I wasn’t. We were just friends.”

“Mh-mm. That’s what you wanted people to believe.”

“No it’s not!”

“Ok, whatever. What about him anyway?”

“He moved in the house next to ours.”

“No way!”

“Yeah, we saw each other again…”

“And you kissed and fell in love and you’re gonna get married and have lots of children!” Seth cut me.

“Shut up. We just talked.”

“Right. “Talked”.” He said, air-quoting.

“Don’t be a kid.”

Seth smiled and got up.

“Gotta go make some calls.”

“Ok. Close the door behind you.”

He went out and put my headphones back on before turning on my computer and writing a few more words in my “book”. I knew I had to study a little before going back to college but I really didn’t want to. For those of you who are wondering, I’m studying psychology. I didn’t know what I wanted to do and that was the most interesting thing I found so I decided to go with that option. I couldn’t just stay home and wait for a job idea to finally come.

I really wanted to talk to Damon. I needed to talk to him. With Seth here, I had almost forgotten that my former best friend was going to die. Just thinking about it gave me chills. It was just unbelievable. He couldn’t die. He couldn’t just go away, not when I had just gotten him back.

When I ran out of inspiration, I dressed up and put on a little makeup then went out and knocked at Damon’s house’s door. I couldn’t just stay alone in my bedroom with my computer; we didn’t have any time to waste. The one who opened the door wasn’t Damon.

“Hi.” Katie said. “Are you… looking for someone?” She asked, confused.

“Yeah, actually I’m a friend of Damon’s. I live in the house next to yours and I was wondering if he was home.”

“Oh. Yeah, but he’s sleeping right now.”

“Oh, well can you tell him I stopped by and if he wants to talk I’ll probably be home all day?”

“Sure. Um… I didn’t get your name…”

“Oh sorry! I’m Leah. And you’re Katie right?”

“Yeah…”

“Damon told me” I explained when she frowned, probably wondering how I knew her name.

“Oh. Ok.”

“Well, I’m gonna go, it was nice meeting you.”

“Yeah you too. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

She closed the door and I went back home. I really hopped she would tell Damon to come by. I wanted to talk to him so bad! I took one of my notebooks and tried to work but I couldn’t focus. I kept on thinking about death and what I would do if I were going to die in just a year. I decided to make a little list and so I wrote down all the things I wanted to do in my life. For those of you who are wondering, here’s a little part of the list:

Travel to : Paris, Italy, Spain, Tahiti, Hawaii, Brazil (also do a safari in Africa)

Swim with dolphins and/or sharks. (not dangerous ones obviously)

Parachute jump.

Fall in love.

Get married. Maybe have kids.

Try to audition for The Voice or any shows like that. (even though I can’t really sing, it had always been a dream of mine somehow)

See someone read one of my books in the subway.

Meet Ian Somerhalder and/or Bradley Cooper (any hot famous guy would do the trick actually)

See fireworks on the beach with someone I love

And it was just a few examples, I had almost three pages filled with things I wanted to do. Some were silly (like eat the specialties of every country I would travel to) and some were maybe never going to be fulfilled. I was wondering what Damon’s bucket list would be like. I would ask him maybe someday, when we would be closer.

Someone rang at the door. I got up and went down to open.

“Hey.”

“Damon!” I said with surprise. “Come in.”

We sat in the living room and I offered him something to drink. He looked so fine, I couldn’t believe he was sick!

“Katie told me you stopped by.” He explained.

“Yeah… I wanted to see if you had plans today or if we could do something together like yesterday.”

“Oh! Well, I told Katie I would eat with her but we can meet later. What did you have in mind?”

“Nothing in particular. I mean, I had this idea but I don’t know if you’ll be up to it.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Ok. At what time should I be here?”

“Um… I think 9 will be fine.”

“That late?”

“Yup, it needs to be dark.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“It shouldn’t be.”

He smiled, intrigued.

“So, you met Katie…” He said.

“Yeah, she seems nice.”

He nodded. Seth came down and stopped in front of us, looking shocked.

“Damon!”

“Oh my god! Seth???”

“In the flesh.”

“Oh my god! You’re like a completely different person!”

“Hey I was thirteen when we left! I’m glad I changed!”

They talked a little then Damon left but promised to be here at nine sharp. I couldn’t wait, it was going to be fun. Seth sat on the couch and turned on the TV so I went back in my room and got ready for tonight. Jenny came back home at around seven and I asked her if she was ok with Seth staying here for a couple of nights. She said she didn’t mind so Seth took advantage of this decision to hug her. Jenny and I went in her room and she told me all about her and Josh.

“So you’re happy with him?”

“For now, I am. But we won’t rush anything. And don’t go and imagine I found my prince charming, I know you. You’re gonna make a big deal out of it when it’s not.”

“No I won’t!”

“Come on! You did that for my last three boyfriends! Fairytales are lies Leah, you need to grow up.”

“I know that! I’m not fourteen!”

“Then why aren’t you going out, try to find a nice guy you could spend a cool night with?”

“Because I don’t see the point in it.”

“Have fun! You’re young, you have all the time in the world to get settled with a serious guy, go have fun with a hot guy!”

That was right. I had all the time in the world, unlike Damon. I don’t really know why but I really wanted to cry in this moment.

“Are you ok?” Jenny asked when I wiped the tears off my eyes.

“Yeah. Allergies.” I lied.

“Oh. So, what do you say tonight we go in a bar meet a nice guy that will make love to you all night long?”

“Jenny!!”

“Come on, Leah, don’t be such a prude!”

“I have plans tonight anyways.”

“Oh! Really?”

“Yup.”

“With whom, may I ask?”

“Damon, the guy next door.”

“The hot guy who used to be your best friend and who has a tall blond girlfriend???” She screamed, excited.

“Yeah…”

“And you’re going on a date with him?”

“It’s not a date! We’re just going out.”

“Right. “Going out”.”

She mimed the air quotes, just like Seth had ealier.

“I think I won’t stand Seth and you in the same house.”

“Well I won’t be home tonight if you guys want to … have desert…” She joked, smiling.

“I’m out of here.” I smiled while getting out of the room.

“Come on Leah! It’s a joke!”

I stuck my tongue out at her and went back in my room to get ready for tonight. I didn’t really know what to wear so I just put on a black shirt and a pair of jeans. After all, it wasn’t a date at all. We were just going out as friends to try to get to know each other again like we used to. So I didn’t have to wear anything particular anyways. Ugh, Jenny and Seth were really getting into my head!