Catching the Elusive bass

Chapter 23

    I stare in confused silence at my brother. I’ve never seen him act like this. It is hardly noticeable but there is tension in his jaw as he watches Avi and though he smiles politely it doesn’t reach his eyes. Actually, I’m beyond confused and try to think of something that could have upset him. I didn’t even see him until Spencer came over to me after I got out of the cab with Avi.

    Seth starts talking to Spencer and Wayne to hear about how we met Pentatonix, the night of the concert, and the story of them coming to meet Wayne the next day. We all end up gathered around them, listening even though we were all there. When Spencer gets to the part where we run into Scott, he doesn’t skip the detail about Scott brushing my behind after he’d run into me. Hearing that, Seth’s eyes snap to Scott.

    He raises his hands and starts defending himself, saying he didn’t know I was gonna bend over. A smile breaks on Seth’s face and he laughs with the group at Scott’s defense. Avi is standing beside me listening as the story progresses, and I realize him and the other four only know this story from their own point of view. I wonder if it sounds completely different to them than it was when they lived it. Spencer includes the concert in his story but only gives the bare minimum and soon we are at the moment in the story when we cross paths with Pentatonix after the show.

    Seth listens intently, and when Spencer mentions Avi and I exchanging numbers, he looks over at us, standing side by side. His eyes narrow slightly as he looks between Avi and myself. I glance at Avi myself and his eyes are squinted, his head tilted to the left slightly in confusion. He’s aware of Seth’s reaction to him too. I turn back to my brother and he shakes his head before turning his attention to Spencer and the story.

    Through the rest of the story, every time Spencer mentions mine and Avi’s name together, Seth glares. Avi texts me to tell me they’re leaving or at the apartment? Glare. Avi and I are left alone in Lynn and Bennett’s room? Intense glare. Avi helps me take the garbage to the dumpster and we get locked outside? The glares just keep getting darker. When Spencer finally mentions Avi and I saying goodbye, and the beanie gift (a part I had started to pray silently he’d leave out), the look Seth gives to Avi is pure death.

    I don’t get what’s happening. Seth must have seen Avi and me holding hands, but it’s no surprise. I hadn’t seen him so I hadn’t tried to hide it. And even if I had known, I had no reason to. And, Avi didn’t pull away when Kevin saw our hands entwined, why would he do it when someone he doesn’t know is seated across the walk? I need to talk to Seth and figure out what exactly his problem is. Then, Seth asks why they’re all here now, and the glaring gets worse when he hears Avi surprised me by being here when I got home from Arizona. As he hears that Avi’s been staying here for 5 days his glare turns on me.

    After story time is over, everyone starts talking about watching a movie. I start to walk with Avi into the living room where everyone is piling on the couch and spilling onto the floor, but Seth steps in front of us.

    “Reagan, can I talk to you?” he glances between Avi and I, “In your room or out in the hall?” I nod and he walks toward the front door, choosing for us to go outside. I follow him, taking a moment to look over my shoulder at Avi who shrugs. When we get into the hall Seth pulls the door shut behind us then gives me a disapproving stare. I clasp my hands together; nerves making me act like I’m in deep trouble.

    “What’s up?” I ask him and wish my voice wasn’t so tight in my throat. It gives away my fear.

    “How long have you known these people?” he asks.

    “What do you mean? You just heard the story.” I raise my arm, pointing behind me at the apartment door.

    “So basically, you met them, invited them to your house the next day, they left and then that guy came back, has been staying here almost a week, and you barely know him? This is probably the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.” Seth throws his arms up in frustration. This is new territory for us. Seth has never been the protective big brother. Even when I had my first boyfriend he didn’t care. I try to tell him that he’s over reacting but he cuts me off, picking up his lecture again. “I mean that guy, Avi? You’d only spent a day with him. What if he was a creep and tried to hurt you or took advantage of you?”