My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 14

"Hey, mom." I sighed, stumbling into my childhood home. "Oh, sweetheart!" She rushed towards me giving me a tight hug. Groaning as I reluctantly gave her a hug, not really in the affectionate mood.

"How are you? You look amazing, honey. Although you do look like you could use a cup of coffee. Were you out late last night? How was the reunion?" My mother rambled walking into the kitchen as I held my head.

"It was... eventful." I mumbled sitting down as she made a coffee. "Everyone has been stopping me on the street asking about you. You're the talk of the town! I can't believe it. I never would've thought my own daughter would become so famous." My mother gushed over me as I held my face in my palms.

"Honey?" My mother asked softly as she inched closer to me. "What is it?" She asked me as I finallylooked at her. "I did something." I began with tears in my eyes desperately wanting to confide with her.

"And now... I-I don't know what to do." I confessed to my loving mother came to sit down beside me on the barstool in front of the kitchen island. "I really messed things up." I cried softly as my mother tried to console me.

"I-It will be okay, honey. There's nothing you could've done that can't be fixed or forgiven." My mother assured me optimistically as I shook my head gently. "I made a huge mistake, mom, I said things and... I did things that I don't think I can ever come back from." I confessed as she looked at me with a puzzled expression clearly interested in what I could've done.

"Honey, you won't learn anything unless you make mistakes. That's what life is all about. Mistakes is the proof that you are trying. Mistakes are blessings. They make us perfect or as perfect as we can be. They bring us close to ourselves and close to those people who really care about us." My mother explained as I struggled to agree with her.

Everything that my mind was telling me was saying how flawed and stupid I was for letting my emotions get the best of me. My whole life I've mastered to hide my emotions from him and what I say and how I come across to Aaron. And last night with just a few drinks that all flew out the window. All those years of pining for him in secret was all for nothing. My worst fears had come to life and now our friendship may be over.

"I don't think that's what's happening this time mom. My mistakes pushed us away." I pulled away, wiping my tears away trying to pull myself together. "May I ask what happened?" My mom asked hesitantly as I sipped the hot coffee she made me.

"I... I told Aaron I was in love with him." I blurted out to my mother with hooded eyes. Her green eyes went wide as she struggled to speak.

"Hey, sis." Eddie strolled into the kitchen still wearing his sleep attire not yet noticing my own disheveled state. "Surprised to see you here alive. You had a big night last night. Glad to see you finally learned how to have fun." Eddie teased as I ignored him, too tired and heartbroken to give a witty retort.

He noticed this and turned to me. "Woah. What's wrong?" Eddie asked as I wiped my tears away. "Nothing." I muttered, unable to look any of them in the eye.

"She told Aaron she's in love with him." My mother answered making me whip my head to her. "Mom!" I scolded. "What?" She murmured as I sighed. Turning my attention back to my brother who stared at me like a deer caught in the headlights. "You... What?"

"You think I wanted this to happen? You think I, of all people, wanted to fall in love with him? Trust me, I'm also trying to understand how this happened." I scoffed, gripping my warm coffee cup. "But I love him. I've loved him with my whole heart for years and I told him. And now I don't know where we stand." I breathed as Eddie struggled to absorb everything.

"Aaron, Aaron?" He asked in disbelief. "The same guy you've described as the most popular dimwitted moron in town. Whose only talent is being appallingly sociable to everyone. Who quote 'looked like he was drawn with your left hand'. Who-" Eddie listed making me interrupt him.