TRAPPED

33

Celine

I wake up before my dad. I climb out of the bed, then walk over to the door.

     I make my way downstairs and into the living room, but I pause when I see Léo sitting on one of the couches, drinking tea and watching Netflix.

     "Léo."

     He snaps his head toward me, then let's out a relieved breath. "I thought you were a burglar."

     "Not today." I whisper. I furrow my eyebrows. "What are you doing?"

     "Watching a movie. I can't sleep."

     "Oh."

     "Wanna watch it with me?" He asks.

"Sure." I reply, walking over. I sit beside him, curling my arms around myself. He grabs a blanket from the back of the couch and lays it over me.

     "Dad told me about.. about how you're getting a surgery tomorrow." He whispers. "Well, today, I guess."

     I frown.

     "Why didn't you tell me?" He asks sadly.

     "I didn't want to tell anyone." I say quietly.

     He nods. A few seconds of silence pass before he fills it, "is that why you've been wearing that headache thing all the time? Does it make your head hurt?"

     I nod. "Yeah."

     Sympathy fills his expression. He looks in the doorway, and I follow his gaze to where Julien is standing. He's half asleep as he looks at Léo and I.

     "Why are you both awake so early?" He asks, rubbing at his eyes.

     "I couldn't sleep." Léo mutters.

Julien tilts his head as he walks over and sits on the other side of me. He nudges me. "What about you?"

I shrug. "Didn't wanna sleep anymore."

     "Fair enough." He says, sighing as he leans back. "This movie is dog shit." He tells Léo, "pass me the remote."

     "No."

     "I like it." I mumble.

     He yawns. "Then you have bad taste. Pass it, Léo."

     "We were here first, and we like it. You have a TV in your room. Go watch something on that." Léo replies.

     "No, shut up." He says. "Give me it, Léo."

     Léo sets it on the other side of him. "We. Were. Here. First."

     "I'm older."

     "Did I ask?" He replies.

     Julien rolls his eyes. "Got me good there, baby. Pass me the remote."

     Léo glares at our older brother. Julien smiles back. I roll my eyes. "Well, I have cancer and I say I want to keep watching this."

     They both snap their heads to look at me. Awkwardness blooms in the air, and Léo wordlessly turns the volume up. Julien groans.

     "Go upstairs if you're that bothered." I say.

     "No."

     "Then shut up. Stop huffing and puffing like the Big Bad Wolf."

     He smirks, but stays quiet through the rest of the movie. When it's finished, he takes the remote when Léo goes to pick the new movie.

     Léo glares at him again. "You're so annoying. I hope you know that."