[AVA]
The news about my brother, Max, came while I was with Sean, going through a list of potential threats that could be trying to tear us apart.
The words seemed surreal, jumbling together in my mind, leaving me stunned and breathless. I forgot to blink or even take in a proper breath.
Sean swiftly took the phone from my grasp, his voice soothing and calming as he spoke to my frantic mother on the other end. I had no clue how he managed to calm her down, but when he returned after ending the call, he shook my shoulders gently, urging me to gather myself.
I grabbed my bag, realizing that I couldn't afford to be overwhelmed at a time like this. I asked Sean if he could drive me to the hospital, my mind racing with thoughts and worries.
"Is that even a question, Ava?" Sean replied, already on his feet and holding the café door open as we hurried to his parked car. "But don't worry, your brother will be okay, alright?"
I
[AVA] Lost in my own thoughts, I was caught off guard by a knock on the door. I glanced over, expecting to see the nurse, but it wasn't her. It was Brian. Why was he still here? Startled, I jumped up from the chair and took a step back, feeling an inexplicable surge of energy coursing through me. "Hey!" Why did I have to be so awkward? There was no reason for my heart to feel like it was about to burst just because we were in the same room. Get a grip, Ava. What's wrong with you? Brian winced, brushing off my awkward greeting. Instead, his focus turned to Max. "How is he doing?" It was only then that I noticed the red stains on his shirt. Dad had mentioned that Brian was the one who found Max and brought him to the hospital. Could it be Max's blood on him? "Ava?" "Huh?" I snapped out of my daze, looking up at him before turning to face Max. "He should be awake by tomorrow." Brian
[BRIAN] The light in Kian's room is still on, so I'm assuming he's awake, and the fact that I can see the read sign in the voice message that I sent him using this app that he typically uses for texting—the one that he installed on my phone a month ago—means he heard my apology as well. Yet, an hour has lapsed, and I have spotted no movement inside or outside Georgina's house. I sigh. Maybe Ava doesn't know everything after all. But what else did I really expect? That every child was the same? Bullshit! Given that my twin brother Mason and I have nothing in common, I should be the first to know that is far from the truth. We honestly cannot be more different with my obsession for order and his attitude to not give a shit about anything. He never even married while on the other hand, I got my girlfriend pregnant during the second year of our college. Mason left home the second he got his degree while I stayed with dad a
[AVA] “You’re dating Sean Edwards?” Mom asked as she followed me into the kitchen while I poured myself a glass of water. “It’s not a big deal, mom. Relax.” I said, maybe for the fifth time since I woke up and found her standing at the foot of my bed, probably contemplating waking me up by bringing in a cup of coffee or a bucket of water. Thank God, she didn't choose any of them, and I woke up on my own. Even a five-year-old could make a better cup of coffee than mom. Not that I was complaining. I was glad she was finally taking the role of her new title of a housewife a tad seriously. Dad would be thrilled to see she was getting used to our non-luxurious lifestyle. For every one of us, the first couple of months of bankruptcy were a living nightmare. Especially for mum, who couldn't believe we were broke. One time she even laughed when dad used the word “broke”. When dad gave her a concerned look and Max and I shared a glance
[AVA]After relieving dad from watching over Max the entire previous night, I made sure to walk him to the elevator before turning around, heading back into Max’s care unit and punching my brother straight across his face.Max groaned, startled and infuriated by my attempt to bruise him, given his vulnerable situation. "What the fuck was that for?"He held an arm up before I could hit him again.“Don’t you fucking know?” I bristled, wanting to do give him more than just a black eye. I wanted to throttle him. Fucking asshole.Max stared at the door, probably wondering if he should wait for the nurse to show up to save him or just bolt out of the room if he could. Not that either of them was happening anytime soon. The nurse had already completed her morning rounds, and with all those stitches on his stomach, he wouldn’t make it three steps away from the bed without my help.He inhaled through his mouth, appearing more confined than he had ever looked in his life. “Look, I can explain.”
[BRIAN]“Dad, I’m so sorry!” Kian winced, and probably said for the fifteenth time, not that I had been keeping a count. My headspace had been a jumble of its own kind, not a single straight thought that I could recognize as my own.That is what happens when you trust your kid with your phone. They rob you of your peace of mind and leave you to fucking question everything in your life. God, how did I not see this coming?Today, I chose to drive the car myself, since Kian loved to see me behind the wheel, something he revealed while we went on a long drive that night, nearly to one of the cabins we owned beyond the city limits. We hadn’t traveled that far or anywhere else since Val died. But I could tell by the way his eyes sparkled at the familiar roads, the scent of pines and woods that he wished to come back here someday.If it wasn’t for Kian’s school the next day, and of course the fact that his mom still needed to find him tucked in bed and not driving too fast with his having-to
[MAX]When I walk into the Hollyday bar, it’s like moving back to the 70s when the music was groovier and girls wore halter tops and jumpsuits. Sure, the men here wore more leather jackets and knuckle rings than polyester leisure suits, but it was exactly what made this whole thing so dangerous.I can’t deny that coming back here without the money I owed these people was never the plan. But then again, I didn’t actually have a plan, or a fucking idea, of what I was getting myself into. I knew these guys were dangerous—the scars on their faces and the look of death in their eyes were pretty good points to take notice of—but three months ago, I was more worried about upholding my reputation among my friends rather than my future.It's funny how none of those friends came to even see me when I almost died in the hospital. Not even Landon, the one to introduce me to these people. I wonder if he knew what these people ha
[AVA]“You did what?” Is that what he said? Did my brother truly make things worse than they already were? “What on earth were you thinking?” I feel like I keep saying that, but people around me don’t seem to get tired of surprising the hell out of me, so maybe it’s not entirely my fault.“Obviously I didn’t,” he shrugs, as if it’s not a big deal, as if messing with a fucking gang leader is something he does every day, like brushing his teeth or going for a run first thing in the morning. He then frowns. “And why are you so upset with me? Isn’t this what you wanted me to do? To take care of it?” He has the audacity to act as if I am the bad guy here. A terrible, stupid man.“To clean up your mess, yes. Not make matters worse?” I can’t believe I’m practically spelling it out for him. What the heck is the matter with him? “What did you expec
[AVA]It’s five in the morning, and still quite dark outside.When I woke up after a long sleep, the first thing I did was grab my phone. There were missed calls from dad, Max, and Sean.Initially, I felt a sense of panic because dad didn’t know my whereabouts. However, I calmed down when I realized he was aware that I was going to be with Max at the hospital.I tried calling Max, but he didn’t answer. I assumed he was heavily sedated due to the painkillers given by the nurses. So, I sent him a text, instructing him on what to tell dad if he called. I also texted Sean, but unlike Max, he promptly called me to ensure I was alright.A hot cup of coffee sits on the table as I attempt to find a more comfortable position on the couch, desperately trying to avoid any reminders of the night I spent here with Brian. It was a night filled with countless passionate encounters, an experience that overwhelmed me like the ocea