My Best Friends Brother

Chapter 67

“Are you sure you’re alright Milo? Maybe I should take you to the hospital instead, just in case.”

I shake my head as Luke helps me get into the passenger side of his car. The nurse said that nothing’s broken, it’s probably just a bad sprain, so I just need to ice it for a couple of days and try not to do anything that will make it worse.

Coach wanted to take me off the match on Friday but I made him promise to wait and see how I am then before making any decisions. There aren’t going to be any scouts there or anything, so it’s not the end of the world if I have to miss it, but it is going to be one of my last chances to beat the record before all the games end for winter break. Knowing that my name sits where Jayce’s used too is the only Christmas present I want to give myself.

“I’m good, honestly. It doesn’t even hurt that bad anymore.” I lie as Luke pulls his car out of the car park.

I thought having to work on this bio project with him and Zoe was going to be the worst part of my day, fuck was I wrong.

Every bump in the road only causes the pain to ricochet around my body all over again and I have to bite my lip just to stop the whimpers of pain from escaping me. I feel fucking gross as well, we were running so late after the injury that Zoe text to say she was at my place and we haven’t even left the school yet. No shower after all those drills plus this throbbing in my shoulder, is pretty much making me the most miserable person on the planet right now.

“I know he’s your brother and everything, but the guy is kind of a dick.”

I burst out laughing and Luke chuckles along with me as he zips in and out of traffic. He’s not wrong, if I achieved nothing else today, I know that at least some people have started to see that Jayce isn’t the amazing guy that other people make him out to be.

“Yeah he is. You’ve got brothers as well right? Are they as much of a twat as he is?”

Luke shrugs, almost taking out a cyclist as he rips his way through our happy little town. You’d swear that this guy learned to drive on the track with Eli, not that the way I used to drive was much better.

“I don’t really see a lot of them. Two of them are in college on the other side of the country and the oldest one moved away a few years ago, but he makes sure to stay in touch on the phone and things. It’s hard being the youngest brother sometimes, they all seem to be able to move on with their lives so much quicker than I can.”

Preaching to the choir mate.

“You want to go to college with your brothers?”

The setting sun blazes so brightly that it's almost blinding as we turn onto my block. Luke shoves the sun visor down before I get a chance, allowing me some semblance of my sight back. How bad does he think this injury is? He seriously doesn’t think I could do that shit for myself?

“God no. The middle two are twins, they are the closest of all of us and I’d just end up their tag along... I was actually thinking of... LSU...”

He wants to go to LSU as well? Is that why he’s always been a jealous little prick with me? I don’t think any of the scouts from that place have ever paid him any attention.

“To play ball?”

Shaking his head, he takes the final turn until I can see the roof of my house ahead of us and Zoe's pink car on the opposite side of the road.

“I’m not stupid Milo, I know that I’m not good enough to make it onto a team like that. They’ve got a really amazing history department there though, I was thinking of maybe doing something with one of their courses.”

History? I literally had no idea that Luke liked anything outside of a basketball court. I’m pretty sure we’re both in the same history class but I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to him in there. I can’t imagine his dad is going to take it very well when he tells him that he won’t be playing ball but will be playing Indiana Jones... Is Indiana Jones was actually a historian? I don’t know, but it’s the closest reference I’ve got guys.

I don’t get time to question Luke on it further as we pull into my driveway and I see Zoe is sitting on the steps outside the front door.

Clutching my arm as I step out, the cold wind of winter smashes against my muscles, the sweat dried on my skin causing goosebumps to rise on every part of my body.

Zoe smiles sheepishly as we both approach her, playing with the scrunchies on her wrist as her cheerleaders uniform catches the breeze around her.

“Why didn’t you wait inside? It’s freezing.” Zoe rises to her feet, a mixture of comedy and fear on her face as she glances up towards the bedroom windows.

“It appears you've got one of those three headed dogs like Hades guarding the entrance way.”

I have no fucking idea what she’s on about until I step back and look up into what used to be Jayce’s bedroom to see May standing there with her arms crossed over her chest glaring at Zoe. For fucks sake, she wouldn’t even let her in the house?! That fucking girl...

There’s no hassle or bustling in the living room when I get inside, so I know that Mum isn’t here anymore. She told me this morning that she would be going to Elizabeth’s place this evening, it pissed me off even more knowing I wouldn’t have had to lie to her if I did get to see Josh tonight because she wouldn’t have even been here to watch me leave.

May is waiting at the bottom of the stairs when I get there, her fishnet tights exposed around her waist, being easily revealed by her crop top and the army style cargo pants hanging so low on her hips I bet I would see her fucking ass crack if she turned around right now.

“Why is skanky cheater number one here and skanky cheater number two following you into our house?”

I guess she forgot all about the ‘be nice’ talk that we had this morning then.

“May...”

If looks could kill right now then I would be watching Zoe take her very last breath. She never particularly liked the girl but right now she down right fucking loathes her.

“I’m surprised you had the balls to show your face around this place again? What’s wrong? Need another Prada handbag so decided to come sucking back up to my brother?”

“May!” Of course my cries fall on dead ears as she flips her venom spitting from Zoe to Luke.

“Did you get yourself tested afterwards lettuce licker? Because I wouldn’t be remotely surprised if that girl’s sushi was way past its fucking sell by date if you know what I mean.”

Oh I’m going to fucking kill her later.

However, in typical May style, she likes to come in and drop her bombs before immediately vacating the premises, leaving the destruction she has caused in her wake.

“I’m going to Hope’s. Tara said she won’t be back until late and Cole is doing something over at Leah’s place so don't wait up for me.”

“May, you know you have to be back by eight on school nights.” I preach as she gently glides past me before making sure to walk full force into Zoe's shoulder, then turning in the opposite direction to get Luke too before turning back towards the door.

“And that’s exactly the time we will tell your mother that I got back when she asks in the morning... Unless you’d rather I get back soon enough that I can ring Brie and rearrange the room placements down at the lake house?”

Low. Using my weekend away in the same room as Josh as leverage. Low, but effective.
“Nine May! Be back by nine! And you’re way too overdressed to be going to Hope’s!” But the only response I get from her is her middle finger waving behind her as she slams the front door.

I spin to apologise to both Luke and Zoe for my darling sister, when a sudden jolt of pain shoots up through my shoulder straight into my neck. “Shit!”

A strong pair of hands grip my waist just as I feel myself ready to topple over. I open my eyes ready to be greeted with Zoe’s chocolate ones but find myself instead staring into the pale grey sensation of Luke's.

I think calling his eyes grey is definitely a disservice, now I’m this close they are actually closer to a shimmering silver. I find myself staring at the flecks of crystal blue that swim within them as I try to focus on anything but the pain that is beginning to radiate all over my body.

“Oh my God my love, what happened?” Zoe's concerned tone brings me back to the situation but I still don’t feel stable enough to step out of Luke’s grasp. I turn my head just enough to see what has frightened her, only to see her hands shaking as she peels back the sleeve of my jersey to reveal the slowly growing black bruising underneath.

“His fucking brother happened.” Luke speaks but never removes his eyes from me, I realise as my view falls to his lips that he’s trying to breathe in rhythm to encourage me to do the same. “He was too busy playing fucking alpha male to realise that he was risking Milo having an injury. They said it’s just a sprain.”

The pain subsides but there’s still an ache throughout my body as I try to step backwards, forcing Luke to let me go despite the fact I think he’s so scared I’m going to collapse that his hands linger on my body for longer than was probably necessary.

“Why the fuck didn’t you say anything? You need to be resting not doing a fucking bio project my love. Let us help you get up to bed.”

Zoe’s mum is a nurse, and although she won’t admit it, she has inherited all of those naturally caring attributes as well. With every step I take up the stairs I can feel her growing more cross with me for not saying anything sooner, if we were still dating this would be the point that I’d be Googling the nearest place to get her those red bottom shoes she loves so much.

She shoves open my bedroom door, the ache in my body lowering itself enough that I’m able to walk without them trying to assist me to the edge of the bed.

“Look, you guys are here now. Zo you can’t do any other time this week so we can’t just flake on this. I’m fine, unless typing on a laptop is somehow strenuous exercise then I’m okay to do it. We just need to get it done.”

Neither of them want to agree but they both know I’m right. Me and Luke can work in a pair this week without Zoe but we kind of need to agree as a threesome what the fuck we’re doing here.

I wrestle with my pillows until I’m actually comfortable, Zoe walking over to my desk and grabbing my laptop. It’s so weird to see her in this room again, I can see the nostalgia all over her face as she looks around it too. I can’t tell you how many nights I sneaked her up here, it seems like only yesterday we were trying not to laugh, hiding in the downstairs closet when dad decided that one in the morning was a good time to go downstairs for a drink, just as she was trying to make her escape.

I finally managed to make myself comfortable, bending my knees so Zoe can sit at the bottom of the bed but to my surprise she just slots in next to me, placing my laptop on my chest before pulling out her own notes and spreading them across the sheets.

Luke looks so fucking uncomfortable, like he doesn’t know where to put his body or his eyes as he roams around the entire room. Now that I think about it he was a bit like that downstairs too, this house can be overwhelming for people that haven't seen it before.

“Luke, sit down. You’re making the place look untidy.” I say giving him a sideways glance with a smirk, that he returns quickly before taking the chair from my desk and rolling it over to the edge of the bed.

Okay, let’s do this.

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