The Darling Boys (Rose Award Winner) (#Wattys2017)

Never Say Goodbye

I woke up in the lawn chair on the Darling's back porch.

Before I could move an inch, I my familiar cold and knowing blue eyes.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty." Samson crouched down in front of me, flicking my forehead until I finally pried my eyes open entirely.

"What are you doing here?" I grumbled, turning my face away and burying it in my arms to shield my eyes from the sun.

"I could ask you the same thing, Si. Why the hell are you out here in a man's shirt?" Sammy questioned, "Did someone get lucky last night?" I groaned, feeling warmth spread through my cheeks as I tried to kick my brother away.

"Go away."

"Sis, we're supposed to have a sibling day." He sounded so sarcastic that I couldn't fight the smile that stretched across my face.

"I want to sleep." I mumbled, yawning.

"How late were you up last night?" He asked, amused.

"Don't know." I was about to add that I didn't care when I felt a hand, that didn't belong to Sam, rest on my shoulder.

"Thought you might want this." I lifted my head up and stared at Eliott in confusion. He was holding my folded clothes in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

I blushed even more as I looked back and forth between my brother and Eliott, knowing very well they knew what my clothes being in Robbie's bedroom meant.

"Thanks." I smiled at Eliott, laying my clothes on my lap before taking the coffee cup with both hands and sipping from it slowly.

"Robbie's freaking out in his room, if you'd care to go comfort him." Eliott smirked, "He wouldn't talk to me, maybe he'll talk to you." I frowned, pushing myself up from the chair and throwing my clothes into my brother's arms as I stretched.

"Can you take these home for me?" He rolled his eyes but nodded after a second, starting to back away.

"I'll see you in a few." He turned his back to us and crossed over into our lawn, shaking his head to himself.

I set the cup on to the table beside me before following Eliott back into the house through the sliding glass door. He went in the opposite direction once I reached Robbie's room.

Robbie was standing in the middle of the room, his hands behind his head as he shook it repeatedly at Alex, who was standing back against the closet.

"Robbie?" I whispered, stopping in the doorway. He whirled around with a shocked look.

"What are you still doing here?" He said, letting his eyes dart back toward Alex, who was breathing heavily as he wrapped his arms tightly around himself, almost as if he were shielding himself from the world.

"Eliott said you were freaking out." I said, grabbing at his hand. He kissed the top of mine before nodding toward the open door.

"It would be best if you went home for now, love." I nodded, stepping back out into the hall.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked him once we were out of Alex's hearing range.

"We're perfectly fine, Sienna. I promise." He kissed me softly before shutting the door in my face. I stared at it with a dumbfounded expression, then turned and headed toward the front door.

**

"Have you gotten any acceptance letters back?" Sammy's eyebrows were raised as he stabbed at his vanilla ice cream with a pink spoon.