best

37

Monday
Aubrey.

It had been a really long school day to say the least, and then I saw the for sale house add.

My parents old house.

I felt my eyes watering.

We sold it to the state once they had both passed for my uncle to buy us a new house, and they hadn't done anything with it for over a year, and today they decide to do the open house.

I'm going.

Hey, is it cool if I go to the library after school?

I texted Calum, knowing he wouldn't tell me no or read into it much.

Of course! Have fun and keep me updated.

After school, I immediately left and started walking in the direction that I knew the house was in, it was only a few blocks away.

I stood outside, staring.

They had painted the outside and replaced the front door.

You couldn't replace the emotions that this house made me feel.

I walked in, seeing a realtor holding cookies and a few other people walking around.

"Hi!" The realtor spoke as soon as she saw me.

"Are you meeting someone or-" make up a lie.

"Yeah, I just came to take pictures for my aunt, she wants to look into the house but sadly couldn't make it."

The lie worked.

It was all almost exactly the same.

I went to nick's bedroom, still seeing the baby blue walls that I remembered my mom painting when she found out she was pregnant with a boy.

What I'd do for her to be able to see him now.

I went to my old bedroom, seeing the walls that used to be light purple were now a dark grey.

I went to my mom and dads room, seeing the charcoal grey walls my mom loved so much.

And then- the bathroom.

It almost took my breath away to see that it was all the same .

The exact bathtub my dad used to end his life.

I covered my mouth with my hand, immediately knowing- I wasn't ready to see this.

When I blinked I could see his body, which made me audibly gasp- hitting the wall behind me as I backed up

"Everything okay?" The realtors voice snapped me out of the terrifying trance.

I swallowed, glancing back to the bathtub- he wasn't there.

It's all in your head.

"Yes- yeah" I cleared my throat.

"I got all of the pictures- I'll text them to her- thanks."

I left quickly.

I walked slower than ever back to the hospital, telling Calum I was on the way.

I'm sure he wouldn't be okay with me walking as far as I did, but what he doesn't know, won't hurt him.

I walked into Calum's office, seeing Nick watching a movie on one of their phones, but none of them were in the room.

"Hey Nick" I spoke, he ignored,

"Nick" I spoke again, immediately getting the loudest whine

"What?" His voice sounded angry, immediately catching me off guard.

"No sir- we do not answer adults like that" I quickly spoke and was utterly shocked when I saw him roll his eyes.

So I did what I would've done at the house.

I took the phone from him

"When you learn respect and basic manners again, you can have it back." I spoke simply and was completely blown away when he let out a high pitch scream- immediately breaking into sobs.

I couldn't help but laugh.

He would've never done this before we knew the guys.

I didn't acknowledge it, he wasn't getting it back.

He continued to cry as I sat in a random chair, feeling a headache making its way behind my eyes, I had never felt that before.

I rubbed my temples just as Ashton came in

"What's wrong buddy?" Ashton spoke.

"Aubrey took Calum's phone from me!" He almost screamed.

And just like nothing I've ever said mattered- Ashton handed his phone right over to him, immediately making him stop his tantrum.

And that's why my little brother hates me.

Because I'm the only one who doesn't give him what he wants twenty four seven.

"I took it from him for a reason." I spoke, feeling more than annoyed that Ashton didn't even question why I took Calum's phone from him.

"What happened?" Ashton asked.

"He completely ignored me and then gave me an attitude when I continued to talk to him-" "I just hate seeing him cry." Ashton dismissed what I was saying with a laugh.

"I understand, I hate it too, he's just going to be even more spoiled and not listen to anyone if we just always give him his way." I tried to explain where I was coming from, but it's as if I was speaking into one ear and it was going right out of the other.

I continued to fight this headache as all the guys joined us- each of them quickly realizing what I meant about Nick ignoring everyone once he had a phone in his hand.

"Okay- you can have this back once you stop ignoring us." Ashton spoke sternly, taking it from him and he didn't give Ashton half the show he gave me, but yet he whined out and started his little crying shit.

"Maybe your sister was right-" I zoned in and out of the conversation, not particularly a fan of the way they disciplined him, so I didn't even listen- I didn't need a reason to be mad at everyone for the rest of the day.

Calum.

I watched as Ashton spoke to Nick on his level, trying to make him understand that he couldn't ignore an adult when they were talking to him, regardless of being on a phone or not.

I looked to Aubrey, who was holding he head in her hands, massaging what looked like her eyes.

"Okay- that's it then, no more phones from anyone for the rest of the week." I'm not sure what made him say it, but Ashton declared it, immediately walking away from Nick, who immediately ran to Aubrey.

"Tell Ashton I said I'm sorry!" Nick cried loudly beside her.

"Nick I need a minute-" "sissy please, I'm sorry I ignored you." He was crying.

"Nick- leave her alone" I said, moving to my desk, where she was sitting, wanting to see her face, because I had yet to see it and I had been here a while.

"No- please just give me a phone!" Nick suddenly screamed loudly and I could tell that it was purely instinct, but Aubrey shoved his away from her, immediately standing with a loud gasp coming from her mouth, her hands never leaving her face

Nick was breaking into sobs from her shoving him as Ashton and I watched all of this unfold.

"Aubrey- what just happened?"