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Chapter 8 - retrouvailles

"Nice to see you again Taylor." 

Black hoodie, brunette swept hair, lean yet built. Towering over me.

"Brad?." I whispered, more like a question to myself.

He removed his hood revealing his perfectly structured face and a lip piercing that stood out on his face. It wasn't him. He looked exactly like Brad, the resemblance was uncanny. Besides the hair, they look almost alike. 

"Blake?!" I cried. 

He chuckled lightly as his arms pulled me into a brotherly hug which I returned. 

The cold air was blowing through my brunette hair. Drops of water dripping into small puddles was the only sound. Overhead, the sky was dark and dreary. 

He ruffled my damp hair, a small smirk creeping on my face. A smirk similar to Brad's.

"I've missed you kid." 

--

flashback

"Brad! I swear, come back here!" 

Our hands were filled with slimy paint in all colours. 

A blue hand shaped paint mark was slapped on the back of my white tee shirt. 

My little footprints echoed through the hallways chasing after Brad. 

"Whoa there." Blake emerged from one of the rooms cooly. 

He ruffled my hair as it tousled and fell in front of my eyes. 

"Eep! Blake! Stop!" I cried trying to put my hair back to place. My head felt cold as I realised my hair was now filled with paint. 

Blake's deep laughter filled the hallways. 

Six year old me chasing six year old Brad. 

Nine year old Blake ruffling my hair.

Brad came running back to see why I had stopped chasing him.

He slowed down and his face fell when he saw Blake. He stood still, arms at his side and he frowned in seriousness before giving his brother an affirmative nod which Blake replied with a pat on his back before going downstairs. 

Brad looked longingly at him..in respect. His eyes were locked on Blake's back until he turned the corner. 

To lighten the mood, I stuck out my tongue at Brad followed by his footsteps thundering after mine. 

end 

--

"I've missed you too where have you been?" was all I could ask. 

He pursed his lips and looked down. 

My eyes wandered up to the the crook of his neck, to his tattoo? An emblem of two daggers crossing each other in a multiplication symbol etched the side of his neck. An outline of a butterfly surrounded the daggers. 

As if by impulse, his hand cooly covered it. Cool. One word to describe this guy. 

"I was- um I don't know, wandering." he shrugged.

I gave him a questioning look, part wonder, part confusion, part worry.

"Don't ask please, you wouldn't want to know." he said shifting his weight on each foot. 

"I came back to visit, come with?" he asked a little more quietly shoving away the matter.

Instantly I knew what he meant. My lips quivered remembering the memory. I nodded in response.