Not so innocent

twelve

I was sitting at the kitchen counter, mentally preparing for Harper's arrival. I was a nervous wreck. I had tried reading more of the novels, but I was to jumpy and at last Mason had told me to either 'sit still or run it of'. He had left though, so I was still fiddling around with papers and clicking my pen obnoxiously loud on the counter. But I was home alone, so no one could be bothered with it. Aiden and Sergio was at soccer-practice, and Mason and Joe was out fixing some 'stuff'. Sketchy, I know.

When the doorbell rang, I almost jumped through the roof. I started panicking looking around the living room realizing it looked like trash, with food-wrappers all over the coffee table, and games and cans spread on the couch and around it. But I couldn't leave her hanging, so I went to open the door despite the mess.

"Hey, Harper." I was almost out of breath despite just walking a couple feet. 

"Hi, Alec," she said while smiling nervously. 

There was a bit of silence where we simply just looked around a bit awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah, come in," I said, inviting her in.

"Thanks." She was still smiling. Not with her teeth though. She almost looked slightly shy. But perfect as always.

We went up to my room, since I had gotten most of my stuff back. It had been two weeks, and even though Mason and Joe, still didn't trust me one bit, it had gotten a lot better. Harper didn't need to know about my prior situation, though. I had my bed back now, and all of my clothes. Not my electronics but that would be very optimistic of me.

"It's nice," she said.

"No," I laughed, "it's not. But thanks."

She started laughing too and I started laughing even more. Then we both kinda stopped and just looked at each other. I was starring into her beautiful, mysterious eyes, wondering if she felt just as mesmerized by me as I was by her. I could only hope. Her dark hair, laid perfectly over her bare shoulders. She looked like a goddess. She was the first to break the tension.

"So... where should we sit?" She asked, looking around the room awkwardly.

"We could go the kitchen?" I suggested, slightly dazed from the moment before.

"Perfect!" She stated, clearly happy with going to a more neutral ground.

We sat at the kitchen counters that were luckily clean, and put our books out. Her's were perfectly wrapped in purple paper, whilst my book was missing the front page. Joe had given me hell for it, reminding me of the prize for those books.

"Well, just so you know," I started. "I haven't quite read all the novels..."

"But you read... some of them?" Harper asked, sounding all surprised.

"Yeah?" Now I was the confused one. "You haven't?"

"Of course I have! You just often seem a bit... dazed in class."

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, now concerned if she already knew how shit I was at schoolwork.

"Yeah... kinda." She started chuckling slightly, and I just shaked my head, acting overly hurt.

We started working on the assignment together. And when I say together, I mean mainly her. And when I say mainly her, I mean only her. That being said it wasn't like I didn't try. She just did a way better job than me. It was quite nice. We were really hitting it of, chatting and laughing. And then I heard the front door open.

Oh fuck.

"Hey, I'm home!" It was Joe. I didn't even answer. I was to scared at how he would react to see Harper. No rational person would explode at something like this. But that's the thing: Joe is not rational. You never know with him.

I heard him kick of his shoes and walk through the living room, into the kitchen. I was just sitting there, waiting to hear my doom. And then he saw us.

He just starred a bit, and then caught eye contact with me. He didn't look mad or angry. More a bit confused.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Alexander?" Okay, so I wasn't completely out of trouble. Not when he called me Alexander.

"Alexander?" Harper asked all surprised, not knowing my full name.

"Um... yeah," I stumbled a bit over the words. "This is Harper, and that" I pointed to Joe, "is my brother Joe."

"Nice to meet you," Harper said, as she jumped down from the chair, and confidently shook his hand.

"You too." Joe thought a bit before he looked at me with a challenging look on his face. "Alexander, did you forget you were grounded?" He asked, clearly trying to embarrass me. Which worked.

"Joe..." I begged, my face now completely red. "It's for a school project..."

He didn't say anything, but he clearly enjoyed watching me squirm.

"We can go to my room instead if we're bothering you," I said as I began to pack my stuff.

"No, it's fine, stay down here." Then he smirked at me. "We wouldn't wan't anybody getting pregnant, now would we?" And then he just walked away. 

And right then, I just wished that the earth would open up, and swallow me. Harper was just as red in the face as me, and we both just sat there very awkwardly.

"I am so sor-" I began, but she cut me off.

"Don't be. Brothers just suck." She smiled at me. "I get that."

I exhaled, not realizing I hadn't fully breathed since Joe came home. We continued working on the project for half an hour or so, both completely trying to forget Joe's comment. Harper left just before Sergio and Aiden cam home. Thank god. Then I wen't to find Joe. He was sitting on the couch, watching basketball, stuffing his stupid, annoying, ugly, dum face with cheese pops.

"Joe, what the fuck?" I exclaimed angrily.

"Relax, kid." He didn't sound the slightest bit mad, even despite my comment. "I could've thrown her out right? Besides you sounded like you were having fun. And she seems nice. I like her. Go for it."

I tried to process what he just said. I couldn't.

"What?" I asked, confused by his sudden change in tone. 

He sat up, in the couch and turned off the TV, getting serious all of a sudden. "You're a good kid, Alec. Sometimes..." he added, and winked at me. "You deserve that messed up kind of young love. I hope you get to experience it. But it is my job, as your brother..." he stopped and thought for a bit, before he continued, "...and your parental figure, to try and stop you."

****** Another chapter!!! I don't really know how to feel about Joe. What about you? But once again, I hope you like it, and please comment and vote! I also really appreciate criticism (nice and constructive criticism) and ideas. Thank you so much for reading <3*****