Chapter 4

"wake up" someone whispers in my ear, I am in such a peaceful sleep I don't open my eyes and I turn over and bury my head in the pillow.

"Lalaaaaa wake up" the voice starts to get louder.

I groan and reply in a sleepy voice.

"no"

Then I hear a big inhale of breathe. "WAKE UP!"

I jolt and fall out of bed and fall on my front but not before knocking my water off my bed side table and it falling on my head. I hear shrieks of laughter above me.

I love my dear brother I really do but sometimes I wouldn't hesitate to tackle him to the ground. He runs out my room to my mum downstairs and I hear the door slam meaning they have left, every morning my mum drives him to school and I pick him up.

I look at the time and I have about fifteen minutes before the bus comes, I get ready and just as I am about to leave I catch my eye on something I bought yesterday. Thank god I remembered it.

I grab the CDs and I leave the house and lock the door and I head to the bus stop. I wait there for a few minutes and when the bus comes it isn't that full as usual.

I head to the building once I get off the bus, I enter the hallway in hope to run into Caden again, but I don't see anyone with brown hair and a leather jacket though.

I just brush it off and just head to my first class of the day.

******

Just as the bell rings for lunch I get up and rush out the room and head straight to the hall to meet Clara. I see her and start to walk in. she is wearing a dress with colourful flowers on and she is wearing a light blue cardigan over the top.

I sit opposite her as usual and I look over to the tree and see someone walking up to it and sitting down, this is the perfect time to get to know him.

I grab the CDs and tell Clara I will be right back. she doesnt think much of it and just drinks her water bottle.

I start walking out onto the field towards him. He hears someone coming closer and he instantly looks up with his guard up. once he notices its me his eyes soften just the slightest, it sort of warms my heart that he is comfortable with me.

"Hey, can I sit?

He says nothing but nods. I proceed to sit down on his left and release a breathe I didn't know id been holding.

There is tension between us but its not awkward. We are both silent for a few minutes until I break it.

I hold the CDs out into his eyeline and he stares at them waiting for me to explain.

"I got you some music that I think you will like, they helped me through the bad, I was thinking it might make you feel better, or when you think you are about to have an attack just play these and focus on the lyrics" i smile at the end waiting to see his reaction.

He just stares at them and then his gaze flicks to mine.

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?"

"I mean why did you do this? I don't need you to pity me" he avoids my confused expression.

"who says i pity you? i want to get to know you and help you"

"why me?" he asks more confident.

I don't really know how to sugar coat it so i just say what i am thinking.

"You interest me"

He looks at me, looks at the CDs, then back at me, its like a video on loop.

"I know for a fact you never talk to people like me and it was an achievement that you even responded to me a few days ago. I never talk to people first"

He stalls a bit before talking again "You are the kind of girl to have people come up to you in the hallway but when they see me coming they move as far away from me as possible"

"you notice me with everyone?"

"no...I never pay attention to them" He gazes right into my eyes never wavering.

My heart melts when he says the next sentence.

"I only notice you"

******

After I give Caden the CDs we part ways and I go back into the building for the rest of the day. Its Wednesday and that means I have half a day, I have to collect Brody at three thirty, I have two hours before I have to be there so I decided to head to a coffee shop in the meantime.

I've been in this shop for about twenty minutes and I notice in the corner a jukebox. I leave my table and stalk over to it, I look at the song selections and I see lots of eighties songs and it puts a smile on my face.

I put on the song invisible touch by genesis and leave it on slightly higher volume than what it was on before. I go over to my table again and pull out my book from my bag. Its about enemies to lovers, my favourite trope.

I am so caught up in reading that I don't realise it is half past and I need to collect Brody.

I rush to my bag and put the book away and head out the store, I run to his school making sure not to be too late. If he doesn't see someone he starts to get scared. I rush past the other children and almost fall on my face when I see a football coming my way.

I see his fireman backpack and I call his name out and I see him turn round and I see a smile on his little face, I run to him and we meet in the middle with a big hug.

We get home without any problems.

"want to watch a movie?"

His face lights up and yells the word "cars!"

We are both sitting on the sofa cuddling up, mum is still at work but I don't mind, me and Brody haven't spent quality time watching a movie in a while.

Halfway through the movie my phone dings and I lift it to my face and put the brightness so Brody doesn't get annoyed. He is still focused on the movie.

I check what the notification was and I notice it is Instagram messages. I click on it and Caden's name comes up on my screen and I am surprised.

The message reads:

Hi, I listened to the songs you gave me and I appreciate what you did for me, they have helped me a lot, I hope you don't mind but I have attached some songs I think you would like.

I stare at the songs listed. Some of them I have heard of some I don't recognise, I save them to my playlist and I intend to listen to them later, maybe before I go to bed.

Hey, I am glad they helped you. I will let you know what I think of the songs later :)

I send the message and shut my phone off and I look down and see Brody asleep like an angel. I turn the tv off and I try to carry him up the stairs, I miss it when he was four, either that or I am not as strong as I thought.

I put him in his bed and tuck him in and kiss his forehead and leave his room, as I am walking to my room calling it a night I hear the door open from downstairs.

I decide to meet my mum and see how work was for her today.

As I hear the fridge open I figure she is making dinner and I walk up to the doorway and I look in the crack by the door showing me the room and I see mum sitting at the counter with her eyes slowly shutting and looking so exhausted and leaning on the counter to stay upright.

I feel so bad as she has to work long hours for me and Brody to have a good life. I think I need to get a job to help her out and maybe spend some time with Brody.

I decide to leave her be, I know if I walk in she will give me a smile and say everything is fine, I do that every day, I guess it runs in the family.

I start to ascend the stairs hoping not to make noise. I decide to put a note on her pillow before I go to bed, I write it and then walk back to my room and fall asleep ready for another day, but worrying most of the night about my mum. I think its best to leave her with her thoughts, I will talk to her tomorrow when she has more energy.

Mum ,

We really do appreciate what you do for us, Brody and me love you more than anything. X

I hope that puts a smile on her face.

******