•|Chapter Four|•

August 29, 2017

I woke up to someone poking me in the cheek. I slowly opened my eyes, the sun blinding me. When my vision focused, I leaped and tackled him into a hug.

He chuckled. "Miss me?"

"Of course. Who else am I supposed to embarrass."

He gave me a pointed look.

"I'm only joking little brother," I teasingly said.

"Yeah, whatever." We sat in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be here," the hurt in his voice made me break.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you. It must've been hard. Especially on you and his mom and Seria. I'm sorry I wasn't here for you to talk to." My breath hitched, as tears welled up in my eyes. He was talking about Brendan's death.

"Hey, don't cry." He engulfed me into a hug. If there is one thing about Keivin, he didn't like to see anybody crying. It made him uncomfortable.

I don't know how long we sat there in silence, but when the sun blinded me again, I knew it was time for us to move.

"Thought you weren't coming home for another two days?" I ask.

"We finished early, so coach let all the underclassmen go. Only the seniors had to stay, mostly because they fucked up and were cought drinking. Well not cought doing it, but they were cought with the trash in there cabin." He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "If you're going to be drinking, especially at a training camp then you need to be smart about it."

"I thought only you and a few other under class-men were invited to it? Wait, you drinked? You know how-"

"No I didn't," he shook his head. "I wouldn't, not after...."

"Yeah," I sighed, "I know."

"Speaking of drinking, how bad was it?"

"He wasn't so bad. Mostly because he had to work during the weeks, but on Saturdays he would drink, and the other day it was bad. It wasn't even ten o'clock and he was drinking heavily. Then I got home and...."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for that either. You know not to take-"

"Anything he says to heart when he's like that," I finished. "It's just hard sometimes, you know?"

Our dad wasn't a bad guy, he just had a problem with drinking. He's always drank, but ever since that accident he has just gotten worse. It just his way of coping with the loss though I think. Yeah it's not the best way, but I think it makes him feel closer to him.

"Enough seriouse talk, let's go do something." And with that he pulled me up out of my bed, shoving a pair of socks in my face.

~

"Where are we going?" I asked as we walked around down town.

"You'll see," was the only answer he's been giving me for the past hour as we walked around instead of taking the car we share.

After a few minutes he tugged me into the theatre.

"We are going to watch a movie, to take your mind off of things for a little bit. I heard What Happened to Monday is good. And before you protest, it's not romantic or scary." Sighing I let him drag me to the counter to get our tickets, drinks, and popcorn.

"I still don't get why you don't like romance movies," Kevin said as he dumped some popcorn into his mouth. "I mean...how do you...not like them?"

"I'm not like other girls," I rolled my eyes.

"Well.... that was noticeable-"

"Will you stop talking with your mouth full of food?

"Sorry. But why don't you like romance movies?"

"For the same reason I don't like romance books, they are unrealistic. They make you believe in things that wont happen, and they give peoples hearts up. Now shush, the movie is starting."

"It was okay," I said as we walked out into the blinding, hot, outside world.

"Does anything impress you? I swear every movie or song is just okay to you. I swear you aren't right in the head sometimes." He shook his head with a light smile on his face. I lightly laughed along with him, if only he knew.

"Now we are going to get some ice-cream cones," Kevin stated.

"You're a bottomless pit."

"And you suck di-"

"Don't even finish that sentence!" I screeched, earning glares from a group of old ladies walking past us.

He chuckled as we crossed the street to Frezno'z Cream Ice. Weird name, I know. But despite the weird name, the ice-cream was all home made and it tasted so good.

"What are you going to get Aut?" Kevin turned around to ask. You don't need anything, you're already fat enough.

"Um, I'll just get a plan Vanilla."

"You sure? You don't want a mint chip dish?" He raised his eyebrows.

" Yes Kev, I'm sure."

"Okay," he dragged out before turning back to the impatient looking lady and giving her my order.

There was nothing I wanted then a mint chip dish right now, but she was right. I was fat.

Kevin had just left to use the bathroom when someone slid into his seat.

"Awe, poor baby Auto is all alone. I mean, it's not surprising. Everyone leaves you."

"Please just go away Brooke. I'm not in the mood."

Brooke pouted. "Why, don't you want friends? Or are you satisfied with being an ugly dumb fat bitch? I honestly can't blame him for commiting suicide when you were his friend. Ha, I know id do the same thing if we were even aquantices."

I couldn't stop the tears that started to build up in my eyes.

" Your not so strong without someone protecting you, are you Auto?"

She's right, the voice nagged. You are the reason he's gone. You are the reason why everyone around you is suffering.

"Please just leave," I whispered.

"No, I won't. I won't stop you from seeing the truth about yourself. You're so toxic to everyone, and all you do is-"

" Brooke," a man called out walking over to us. I could've sworn she tensed, but i just must've seen it because she wore a bright smile when he got near us.

"Is this one of your friends?" He asked looking at me. I have never seen this guy around school, and he looked older. Like he was in his late twenties or early thirty's.

"Yes," she beamed. "This is Autumn, but I like to call her auto because she just loved cars when we were younger."

My face crunched up in confusion. We weren't friends, we never were. So why was she telling this man we were?

"Nice to meet you Autumn. I'll see you around sometime," he winked at me, "let's go Brooke." And with that they left, leaving me confused.