The Next Chapter: Twisted Series Next Generation

Chapter 37: Maverick Harper

Silence fills out the penthouse in a manner that seems unfamiliar.

Despite the pleas and weak convincing, my parents relented the fact that they should eventually head home which includes them not spending their golden years coddling their grown children.

Their flight leaves tomorrow morning however I frankly had enough with being coddled and fawned over as if I were a baby giraffe learning how to walk. Love my parents for their care and how brilliant they have been my entire life.

I personally just felt like I was going to explode and needed to get out of there.

So, I've returned to my new home. Surprisingly, I have yet to spend a night at the penthouse. All my stuff is moved in courtesy of my family and friends. However, due to the giant fiasco that indulges more drama. My presence is yet to be attended to in this atmosphere.

The moment I shut the door, my gaze catches a glimpse of a still mannered Jeremy just sitting there at the island. His leg perched up on another stool while he sits in thought.

My body almost flinched at the sight of his unknown presence, then again the man moved like a literal cat despite his size.

He does not acknowledge my arrival as he keeps his gaze ahead, however surprise renders me as he speaks. "You're back."

Offering him a weak shrug as I carefully shrug my jacket off, making sure not a crinkle bewitches it. "Is that disappointment or excitement? Nobody can really tell with you." I weakly joke.

Of everyone, Jeremy is someone whose presence does not drive me up a wall. He is quiet, he does not ask unnecessary questions. If my face is grim, there is not an effort on his part to push.

Before, I used to believe it was because he merely did not care enough which truthfully did not bother me. Yet, there was one occurrence where I got triggered in front of him and the manner which he used to calm me down was unfamiliar.

He immediately called my father and let him do the talking. Once I was calm, he arrived and sat with me. Not a word for spoken. Despite how unwelcoming he is to touch, the man placed a hand on my shoulder and allowed me to suck up the peace and tranquillity.

Although it is not foreign to him to be rained in silence, his expression speaks of grimness and dissatisfaction. It was late, he normally was always the first one to call it a night so this was strange.

My steps were carefully as I stepped out of my shoes and placed them neatly on the rack. Large strides eat up the distance as I approach the kitchen.

His gaze does not even tease the appearance of falling down upon me.

Jeremy is like the night, he has a silence that does not make you uncomfortable. His acts of showing his attention carry on through his indirect actions which make him genuinely my type of person.

Normally, he doesn't poach me so I do not make an effort to poach him. Including now.

Simply carrying my steps down into the spacious ends of the kitchen and prying open the fridge.

"Do you think your brother is going to relapse again?"
Just like that, the ease of the night cracks. The darkness spilling through to introduce the thoughts that linger on its mind.

Surprise alleviates my shoulders, my head turns to meet his gaze which is burning a hole through me. "Truthfully." I breathe out, turning around as I lean against the counters. "I don't know."

His expression carries on no distinctive change, reading him is like reading a wall. "You don't have any faith in him?"

"I never said that." I spoke calmly, spinning on my heel as I pulled out an apple and carefully shut the fridge doors. "Callums an enigma, even after spending eighteen years with him it's impossible to bring him down into a label that suits him. And to this day." I begin before I trail off for suspense. "Nobody is able to do that, and he takes pride in it."

Jeremy sits up straighter, his leg falling off of the other stool. "What do you mean?"

"Callums biggest insecurities have always stemmed from what the media spews about him, he hated whatever they spoke about him. Eventually, he just stopped fighting it. He played their hand and did whatever he wanted to and never cared. Unfortunately for the rest of us, he's a sadistic genius who finds pride in teetering everyone in their thoughts. When they zig, he zoinks."

"Don't you mean zag?"

"Exactly." I smirk as I point the apple in his direction. "Callum hates being stuffed in the box, he refuses to allow people to pinpoint him. Mostly because he can't pinpoint himself. He doesn't let himself feel, he just lets the drugs do the talking."
"How can he still be acting like this with all the help he has." Jeremy sais, frustration makes the tip of his nose wrinkles.

"That's what he hates though. People thinking they can fix him, the dude thinks he's damaged beyond repair."

Watching as the others expression begins to introduce a hint of what he is feeling as he begins to slump back in his seat. "He has to know it's not true."

"Try explaining it to him and attempting to change his point of view, that'll only end up creating bitter resentment towards you." I lift the apple to my mouth and take a neat bite. "It's why dad and him never get along."

"So what? We let him drown?"

"Jeremy." I say sternly. "Believe me, if I knew how to help my brother I would. Hell, I'd give my own soul to save him. But how is anyone supposed to save him from himself?"

Vexation forces its way into Jeremys expression as I watch his hands ball into fierceful fists. "He doesn't need saving from himself." He counters.

"As hurtful as it sounds, it's true. The guy unconsciously antagonises himself because everyone and by everyone I mean the media, has spent years tormenting him. You know the one label he accepts with a smile. Disappointment."

Watching as Jeremys adam's apple bobs up and down in discomfort, a crease fills his brow while his scowl deepens. "There has to be something we can do."

"That's the thing." I begin. "The more we push him, the more he sinks. As much as everyone wants to force their way through and save him, he refuses to grab hold of their hands. He doesn't want to save himself."