Stuck between two bad boys

She looked at me for a second and gestured me in. she wasn’t wearing that blank expression that made me wonder what the heck she was thinking. She looked tired and just wanted to get some rest. I sat on the couch hoping I don’t get involved in interrogations like the last time.

I took a moment to look around the house. The wall was painted in a cream colour and it looked like it needed a retouch. Aside that everything else looked pretty okay. My eyes caught Emily’s baby picture hung on the wall. The picture looked like it was taken in a birthday party because she held balloons in her hands. Her blue ball gown looked fitted and she wore a matching hair band. She wore a big smile and held her mom. The resemblance was striking and I could point where Emily got most of her features from.

My observation was trailed off with Xavier walking in with Emily behind him. Emily had same look I saw on her mother’s face, like she was tired and couldn’t wait to get good rest. I felt the urge to throw my arms around her but I couldn’t since her mom was there and Xavier was standing right in front of her.

My eyes fell on her clothes and I frowned when I saw she was wearing Xavier’s hoodie. I know it’s his because I’ve seen him on it countless times. Xavier wore a black Jacket over his shirt and trousers. We all coincidentally dressed in black and all of a sudden I was wishing Emily never returned my hoodie and she kept it.

“Aww, you guys look like siblings,” She said out loud.

My lips twitched with her compliment. There was no way I wanted to be Emily’s brother. It would be so hard being siblings with the girl you’re in love with and that would mean never having something real.

Emily’s mother walked right to where we stood and took off her apron. I didn’t see the apron when I first came in, it must have hidden. She was always cooking, serving or just doing something in the kitchen.

“Ewww,” Xavier mumbled. He said it an undertone so his step-mom didn’t hear but I did.

“I really wanted triplets,” She added. “I used to find twins really cute and wanted one for myself.”

I had no idea what to do with that information but I gave a quick smile, hoping the story ends.

“When I found out I was pregnant I hoped it would be twins or even triplets.”

“Tada, you got me,” Emily added interrupting and rolling her eyes.

“Yes Sweetie, I got you and your big brother.” She moved closer to Xavier and touched his cheek. Their father walked in from the doorway. He was wearing a shirt over his shorts. He held a tool box in his hands and I could guess he was doing some home maintenance.

“Look who we have here,” He teased, gesturing to me. “Hey.”

I waved and wore a smile. He didn’t look like he was in a hurry to get back to his maintenance and that made me huff.

“No drinking guys.” He turned to Xavier and then to me. “I don’t want you three drinking. Is that understood?”

I nodded and gave a quick reply before Xavier could say anything. “I’ll make sure of that, sir. Emily and Xavier will have just water.”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“I hope so, these kids are a handful sometimes.”

“I need you guys to get back home before 11,” Their mom added.

“Okay. Can we go now?” Emily asked clearly tired of hearing the rules.

“Sure Sweetie. Take care of your sister, Xavier. Boys take care of yourselves.”

Xavier wore his fakest smile and we stormed out of the house.

It wasn’t sunset yet, we walked to the driveway and Emily stopped walking all of a sudden.

I turned back to see her standing and asked what happened.

“What’s this about?” She asked. “I can barely remember planning a movie date plus I’m sleep deprived.”

“I was going to say same thing,” Xavier added.

“But you didn’t.” She was folding her hands. “Listen Devin, I can’t have someone wake me and find out we’re seeing a horror movie at the cinema. Tell me what is going on.”

“We are not seeing a horror movie since you’re scared of horror movies.”

“So what are we doing out here?” Xavier asked me. Before I could reply, he was already asking a bunch of annoying questions. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”

“Xavier can you stop asking questions and let him tell us.”

“I already know. Devin works for notorious men and gets paid. He probably wants to share the money with us, I’m all in as long as I don’t get involved in shit.” My heart raced faster as soon as Xavier finished. Did he have an idea I was working for James?

Was he going to do the same thing he did with Amelia? Fucking hell. Before I could think of anything to say in my defence, Emily clapped her hands together.

“I don’t mind either. I don’t care who he fights, as long as he doesn’t hit me. I really need a bowl of ice cream.”

A smile crept on my lips knowing Emily didn’t care about the nature of my job. I felt a flush of relief and I smiled harder.

I looked at the two of them and cleared my throat. “I’m not up to anything, I just wanted us to hangout. It was kind of a surprise till I had to explain to your parents.”

“Right. Can I get an ice cream?” she tilted her head to me. “And popcorn.”

“Of course you can.”

I stopped a cab and we got in. I saw how a furrow appeared on Xavier’s forehead when he saw I was entering the backseat with Emily.

He jealously pulled open the passenger door and sat in. He was obviously not thinking straight because he didn’t fasten his seatbelt.

“Xavier,” Emily called from beside me.

“What?”

“Your seatbelt. Fasten your seatbelt already.”

He huffed and looked at the side mirror where our eyes met. He looked at me and I held his eyes. He broke the stare and fastened his seatbelt. The ride was silent till Emily started watching a reel on her phone and showed it to me. I smiled in response to the video, I knew how pissed Xavier already was because I was sitting next to her.

“I actually love pets,” she randomly added after watching four videos of dogs.

“Me too.”

I wasn’t lying but I wasn’t saying the truth either. I had never thought of pets before but now that Emily mentioned it, I was going to give it a thought.