Benny stared at the reflection in the mirror, her eyes trailing up and down as her gap and gown was splayed out on the ground behind her, Benny being too busy looking at the dress she was wearing to care about the other fabric.

"Benny! Hurry up or we'll be late to the airport." Her father called from downstairs, letting out a soft and shaky breath as she quickly changed back into normal clothes, rushing downstairs two at a time.

"Nathan will be waiting longer than expected if you can't find some socks." Oliver frowned at his daughters bare feet, the strawberry blonde looking down and then back up at her dad. She gave him an awkward smile before bolting to the laundry room, tearing it apart to find socks that were the same length.

"Hurry it up, Benny!"

"Give me a second! The damn washer keeps eating my socks." She grumbled, grabbing a pair and slipped them on.

Benny grabbed her shoes and followed her dad out to the car, sliding into the backseat as she put her shoes on.

"Now remember, Benny. Only reason Nate is coming home is because you're graduating, so I hope you make it up to him." Oliver backed out of the driveway as Benny nodded her head slowly.

"Right... Because Nathan has definitely shown progress." She mumbled to herself, her dad sighing loudly.

"Your brother has been trying, Benny. Give him the benefit of the doubt. He's gone through hard times." Oliver looked at Benny through the mirror, a painful look in her eye as she scoffed. "What?"

"Nothing." She answered bluntly, Oliver frowning.

"What is it?" He asked again, this time a little more persistent. Benny slumped in her seat, staring out the window for a moment before looking at her dad.

"What you want me to be honest?"

"You're supposed to be honest with me. I'm your dad." He replied, looking back out onto the road.

"Okay. Here's some honesty then: The three of us all went through the same shit, and Nathan is the only one in rehab." She didn't intentionally mean for it to come out the way it had, but it had been the truth. And that's what her dad wanted.

Oliver let out a hard sigh, shaking his head. "Your brother... Reacted differently, okay? Everyone copes in different ways."

"If Nathan wanted to kill himself then he should have done it then and there instead of doing it all—"

"Alright that's enough!"

"You've seen what he's become, dad!" Benny argued back as Oliver pulled over, turning around to face his daughter with a finger in her face.

"You are not going to sit in the back of this car and talk about your brother like this. Your brother is doing is god damned best to be better, Benny. Be thankful he's not next to a dumpster and rotting in the street." Her father snapped as Benny stared at him, emotionless.

After a few short seconds of silence, Benny sucked in a breath, nodding. "Okay. I'm sorry." She whispered, her dad slowly turning back around and pulling back onto the road.

The cat fell silent after the short argument, the only noise being the faint whispers of the song towards the front, and the sound of Benny's nails tapping on her screen as she texted her friend, Gwen.

can we hang later? my mom and dad just left for a meeting. shouldn't be back until tonight.

cant. picking up my brother today remember

didn't he literally try to stab you a year ago

yet I was in the wrong :) gtg heading into a dead zone

don't die

Benny  hummed in amusement as she shut her phone off, dropping it in her lap and stared out the window in silence.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈•ﾟ｡

"Benny... Benny." Whispered muses echoed into the girls ear, causing her to stir awake slowly. "Wake up lil' sis. Your brother is here." There was a grin in the voice, a familiar voice that still sent a cold shiver up Benny's spine.

The girl jolted awake as her brother laughed, leaning into the car with a bag slung over his shoulder. "Afternoon sleepy. Hope you weren't passed out for too long." He patted her shoulder roughly, Benny frowning in confusion.

"Nathan... Hey." She let out a groggy breath as Nathan got into the passenger seat, tossing his bag behind him and next to Benny.

"Hope you guys are ready for fun now that I'm out of that hell hole." Nathan chuckled again, Oliver grinning as he patted his sons shoulder.

"Always ready, Nathan. Now, let's get home so I can cook. Making your favorite as a welcome home meal." Oliver started the car and drove away from the airport, Nathan still holding a soft smile on his face as Benny looked at him suspiciously.

Nathan frowned for a moment before turning back to look at Benny. "Something wrong, Ben? You've been really quiet." He gave her another award-winning smile as she sucked in a breath, shaking her head.

"No. Nothing's wrong. How uh... How was it?" She gestured to her brother, who was wearing what appeared to be a very thing and worn down jacket and an even thinner pair of pants and a shirt.

"Ah, you know how it is.. like purgatory, but uh... less graphic, y'know?" Nathan's eyes didn't meet Benny's that entire time, nor did he look at their dad, even if his eyes were glued to the road.

"Right... Purgatory. What about the food? Heard it's as bad as New York's dumpsters." Nathan laughed as he nodded, causing Oliver to snicker and shake his head.

"Ahh it's uh... it was bad. Really bad. Lost a few pounds 'cuz of it. Because it was so bad. Wasn't very helpful for one of the friends I made there." Nathan's smile dropped slightly as Oliver turned to him.

"A friend? What's their name?"

"Jayda. She's uh... she's anorexic. That's why it's bad for her... Not like she ate it anyways." Nathan picked at his fingers as he talked about his friend, Benny's concern for her brother only continuing to grow as time went on.

"They didn't watch her to make sure she ate?" Oliver asked as Nathan sat up and shook his head.

"No... Well, they did... But they didn't pay attention to the way she was eating... She moves her food around to uh.. to make it look like she ate." His eyes flickered to Oliver, who looked at his son with a solemn expression.

"They should check on her more." Oliver inhaled sharply. "Wouldn't want to walk into her room and see her dead."

Well that was a bit harsh... Benny thought to herself as Nathan only nodded slowly, turning to face the window in an awkward silence.

It went on like that for the rest of the hour long trip. Nathan would bring up a short memory of his time at the rehab center, and Benny would stay quiet as her dad talked.

After another long silence, then Benny's phone rang once they hit town again. Gwen was calling.

"Benny! I just realized I don't have a dress to hide under my gown!" Gwen cried as Benny chuckled softly, shaking her head.

"Gwen, you have like... a thousand dresses in your closet. And half of them you haven't touched since you got them." Benny spoke quietly, still looking out the window.

"Oh yeah... I should really sell them. I could make some money for college." Gwen laughed at herself as she slid open her closet, rummaging through her dresses.

"Send me pictures. Gotta go, we're almost home." Gwen gave her a grumble in response as she took all of her dresses of the rack, Benny hanging up just as Oliver pulled back into their driveway.

"Welcome home, Nathan." Oliver grinned, turning to his son as Nathan smiled at the house full of old memories.

"I can get your bag for you." Benny went to grab Nathan's bag, watching him reach for it faster.

"No. It's fine I got it." He gave her an odd look before smiling softly, taking the bag. Benny felt her heart sink and her mouth run dry at the way he reacted, slowly getting out of the car with the two.

Benny went quiet again as they entered the house, taking her shoes off and walking to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

"So Benny... What are your plans after graduating?" Nathan sat down at the dining table as Benny chugged her water, eyes wide.

"Oh.. Um... Well I haven't really decided yet. A few colleges accepted me so I just have to look at my funds and find the best one for the lowest price... And think of how I'll get there.. It's a uh.. long process." She set the glass down in the sink, Nathan nodded slowly.

"I remember trying to find a college... Then mom died and well... here we are." Nathan laughed at the uncomfortable mention of their mother, Benny shifting awkwardly in her spot and crossed her arms.

"Yeah... I uh, have some last minute homework to finish. I'll be— I'll be down for dinner." Benny was quick to rush out of the kitchen, her dad having found his spot on the couch, Nathan watching his sister run up the stairs and to her room, a frown on his face.

"She's changed a bit." Nathan said as he walked into the living room, sitting in the recliner, looking at the TV as Oliver sighed.

"Well... You've been gone for a while." The two sets of eyes landed on a small family picture. A time where everything wasn't shitty, or broken down, or disastrous.

It was the calm before the storm.

And the storm had come brewing back.