Older Brothers

Twenty-three- Bright Ideas

Khloe

I sat on Taylor's front porch with a cup of tea in my hand. She was leaning against the banister, looking down at me.

"That didn't seem like Charlie." Taylor muttered.

I sighed. I didn't know what seemed like Charlie anymore. I love him. He's my other half. Yet, now he looks at me like I'm the worst thing that ever happened to him.

The problem is, part of me knows that I am the one who did this. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together that I did this. Charlie is an angel. But, he bottle's up his emotions all the time.

"It makes sense." I replied. " I should have seen it coming."

Taylor turned towards me and furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean. Are you stupid? He hit you. That shouldn't make sense. You should be pointing a pitch fork at him - not trying to understand and sympathise with what he did. That's fucking messed up."

I shook my head. "We're a messed up family. Have you not realised that yet?" I laughed.

"This isn't a laughing matter, Khlo. That cut on your face should not be there.  I don't care how much your family normalise something like this, but I'm not standing for it."

"It's done now." I shrugged.

"It's not over with yet, honey. What we gonna do?" Taylor asked.

"What is there to do?" I sighed.

"Well, we could sit here and mope around all day or we could do something that would make us happy." Taylor grinned.

"What are you on about?"

"Come on, Khloe. Show me just how true the rumours are about you. Let's do something that you would have done at your old school."

I sighed. "Are you sure that you want to let that girl back out into the world? She's a handful."

Taylor laughed. "Or maybe she's just more you? Why should you conceal a part of yourself just to please other people?"

"I'm not concealing part of myself! I just don't want my family to hate me."

"With Charlie's actions are his way of showing you how much he loves you then maybe it's better for him to hate you?"

I sighed. I had tried. I wanted to change, but my effort has gotten me no where. I can't say that I've been the best person I could be in the past few weeks. But, I had been a better version of myself. But, what's the point anymore? Whenever I try, it's not good enough.

"You know what, you're right. Let's have some fun." I smirked. "Can I have your phone - my brother took mine."

"Sure, but what for?" Taylor asked.

"I'm going to call an old friend of mine."

Taylor handed me the phone, but had a confused look on her face as I typed in a phone number. When it started ringing, I held my breath. This could either be the best or worse decision I've ever made.

"Hello?" I said as the ringing stopped.

"Hello - who is this?" The voice on the other end said. I smiled when I recognised Addison's voice.

"Khloe. It's Khloe Lakewood." I replied.

"What do you want? I thought you were done with me." Addison huffed.

"Oh, Maddie. You know we could never be done with each other, right? Besides, there's a place reserved in hell for the two of us. We can't get away for each other."