Breathing In

9

"Hello?" I call once I get downstairs. I hear noises coming from the living room, where the TV is on. I go inside to find out what made the nose, and I see Char on the couch, with James. I smile, and take one from my dad.

"Ahem. Char, James, we're going to be late."

"Oh." Char turns as red as a beet, and she looks at James. He smiles, but then looks at me.

"Yeah..." He says, and he looks at me as if to ask, Are you okay with this?

"Yeah." I answer him. His smile is so big as he stands up to head over to the kitchen, where our lunch is set out.

"You sure work fast." I say to Charlotte. She giggles, and tells me about it.

"Me and James were down here alone and started to talk." She says.

"Oh, talk." I tease.

"I swear that's all!" Char says defensively.

We both turn to head over to the kitchen, where I can see Josh and James talking. Worried, I look over to Char, and sensing my worry, she says;

"Oh, it's probably okay..." But then stops as we spy Josh holding James up by his shirt collar and whispering something in his ear.

"We should probably let Josh do his thing, and I think it's not about me this time." I say as I peer over the counter to where Char has moved. She stops, and nods.

Finally, Josh lets go of James, and I see James sheepishly touch his throat. I walk in.

"Boys." I nod to Josh and look at James questioningly. He tilts his head to the couch where he was talking to Char.

"He saw us." He say, matter of factly. Ah, another case of famous Josh protection. I know he was just protecting his friend. He and Char grew up together, through elementary and onto Curtis'.

"Hey, Josh. It's okay." I say. I know my voice sounds strong, but I am scared at how the frightened Becca almost surfaces.

"Oh." Josh says, and backs away from James, but looks at him warily. I look at the clock as it rings, signifying a new hour.

"We should probably..." I trail off, and Char nods.

"Lets." She says, and we all head towards the refrigerator, where some sandwiches are waiting. I grab a salad as well, but can't finish it because I just feel sick. I force down one more bite of my sandwich, and wipe my face off. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. I look around, and see James, Josh, Char, and can hear my dad upstairs. Who could it be?

I get up to go get the door, because I can't eat anymore, I'm too nervous about the funeral. I finally reach the door, and pull it open.

"James, I came to-"

"Ash." I say, and cut him off. He looks at me, then inside at my three friends, with James near Char, and Josh glaring at him. I wave my hand towards the door to James, and he walks outside and closes the door.

"What was that about?" Josh asks me.

"I'm not sure." I say, and peek outside to where it looks like James is yelling at Ashton. I guess it's going around, yelling at him.

Char raises her eyebrows. "I was not sure at the gas station, but now I am." She says.

"What do you mean?" I ask, and she just shrugs. No one tells me anything! After we are all done eating, and I am still sick with nervousness, we all head outside to Josh's car. I can hear the still unfinished battle of brothers on the side of the house.

"...Oh, so you're just going to barge in and assume I'll let you stay here? Fat chance big brother." I can hear James saying.

"Well, you let Ecco and her friends." Ashton says as I strain my ears to hear their voices now that they aren't screaming.

"Well..." James says, and I just can't take it any more. Why wont James let Ash stay here? He let me, and it seems like he's more mad at me than his brother, even though he tries hard to hide it.

"Jezz, you two sound like bickering old women. We can hear you from the driveway. Just let him stay here, but keep him away from any of my friends. " I say, with a pointed glare at Ash.

"Okay, hon." He says with the all so familiar smirk. I just roll my eyes and walk over to where Josh and Char are having a heated conversation about proper funeral wear.

"Can we leave?"' I say, "I can't deal with a brother battle."

"How early will we be, you ask? Only half an hour." Josh says in a terrible british accent. I laugh and smile at him, and he just smiles right back.

The cold winter air seeps through my jacket, and the wind blows some hair into my face.

"I'm cold, guys. Let's go." I say as I shiver.

"Okay, okay. Get in." The car door is pulled open, and I slide in the passenger seat, careful to not mess up my dress. I straighten my neckline in the mirror and adjust my necklace. Josh gets into the car beside me, and Char right behind me. She frowns in the mirror, catching my eye, but then she pulls away. Char pulls out a tube of lipstick and re-applies her lips with a bright and bold cherry red color.