Hate You - LN

19

Charles and Arthur returned to the hotel room late with the sky dark and full of stars. The ocean gave off the smell of salt that mixed with the taste of my tears on my lips as a small breeze blew up the side of the hotel building, rustling my hair from my ponytail. I'd cried waiting for my brothers to get back over everything but mainly my father and I felt equally as much better as I felt shitty. It didn't make sense, but nothing in my life made any sense right now.

Especially not the part that concerned Lando.

Maybe an hour ago, not wanting to give up the fresh air outside I'd dragged one of the foot blankets off one of the beds and wrapped it around me. So while the air grew colder I still sat outside.

I just wanted to enjoy the feel of fresh air on my face for as long as I could.

Charles and Arthur didn't knock, they didn't have to I suppose since this was their room but I was warned of their approach by the sound of the door opening and the sound of footsteps. My face was dry now, I'd run out of tears, but I could feel the puffyness of my eyes, the hotness of my flushed cheeks. There would be no denying my emotions tonight to my brothers and here I was, going to lie about what this all was really about.

The sliding door to the patio slides open and Charles steps through. I look over at him, he'd changed, probably at the track, into a black hoodie and matching sweatpants. I glance inside just as Arthur walks out of the hotel room, I guess wanting to give us some space to talk.

There's a moment of awkwardness before I break the silence. "You don't need to apologize Char. I should've calmed myself down before texting you and showing up at your door. I should've known Lando would follow me."

Charles shook his head and sat down in the other patio chair beside me. "No, I do. I already apologized to Lando, but I owe you an even bigger apology. I almost said things about Harry and I don't know if I would've shut my mouth if Arthur hadn't stopped me."

If I had any energy left I might've looked more shocked. "You apologized to Lando?"

He nods. "I shouldn't have punched him. I acted before I even knew all of the information so yeah, I apologized." Charles sounded as tired as I felt. "Are you okay?"

I let out a deep breath and rested my head back on the chair. "No, but I will be. Once my brother stops punching the people I'm trying to heal."

Charles looked sheepish. "Did he- I mean what happened Dev? What happened to make you run out of there?"

Charles wasn't going to stop asking me what was wrong it was something I equally loved and hated about him. But I couldn't tell him about my dad. I could, however, tell him what was happening with Lando and maybe that would make him not want to ask any more questions. Because at this point, Charles wasn't going to take nothing for an answer.

I rubbed my puffy eyes and looked up at Charles. "He saw the scar above my hip." Well, we'd kissed and he'd touched it. But I could leave that part out. Lando knowing about one of my scars was enough of a punchline that might shut Charles' questions down. "I panicked, he doesn't know anything about Dad."

"You never told him about Harry when you were dating?"

"We never dated."

"You know what I mean."

I took a deep breath. "No, I told him about Mom, and I told him obviously about growing up with you guys. But no I didn't tell him about Dad."

Charles pauses and the next question he asks is much gentler. "I'd always assumed he figured it out or you told him at least a little." I shook my head. "Is that why you left him Dev?"