Family Secret

Chapter Two - Awkward conversations

"Hey mom, dad!" we said while walking through the front door.
"We're making pot pie!" exclaimed Dad. He smiled his rosy cheeked smile and mom was beside him putting away some dishes. I would've guessed it was pot pie, the garlicy chicken and steamed vegetables smelled like warm paradise.
Thomas threw his jacket on the back of the couch and walked into the kitchen to grab a coke. I took off my shoes and scurried to my room to have a moment of "me" time. I plopped on my bed and unlocked my phone to see that I received a message from Bella. My dearest friend, whom I met 8 years ago in high school. We are now currently enrolled in the same college as well as Thomas, me for nursing, him for his medical degree. See how similar we are, yet different? Thomas has always been so bright, his brain might as well be considered a dictionary and his heart might as well be gold. Me on the other hand... well I am just trying to get by. And my friend Bella is the same as me, we both don't know what we will do in life so we just swing it. I open the message to my horror that there is a party tonight.
"Gurrrrl.." Bella sarcastically texted. "There is a small get together tonight at James house! You've got to come this time." I roll my eyes as I read the message. James is one of our classmates in college. I had a small crush on him last year (but is now completely over it) and Bella is convinced she will hook us up and get us married.
I sigh and text back "oh Bella... I don't know. Had a long day today probably going to call it a early night. And when you say "small get together" I know you mean big party that everyone in town knows about."
She immediately responds "if you don't come I won't have anyone to talk to, and I have to go, I am BORED as ever!"
I put down my phone and lay my head back on my pillow. Honestly just wanting to sleep. I think about going and already assume a social anxiety attack coming on as soon as I arrive there. I am not your average college student; I am not a book nerd, or a party goer. I don't fit in much, hardly with my own family, except Thomas of course. Bella and me are the same, but our only difference is, is that unlike me, she wants to try to be more vibrant. She wants to make more friends, she wants to be popular. But as the good friend I want to be, I frown and text her back.
"Okay, I'll come. What time?"
"YES! Thank you! Ahhh I LOVE YOU! And it starts at 8:00! I'll pick you up!"
"Okay :)"
I lock my phone and stand up. It was already 7:13 and I hadn't eaten or figured out what to wear. I walk out of my room, ready for dinner; mom and dad is getting their plates and Thomas walks past me nearly knocking me to the ground because his eyes were glued to his phone.
"Hey watch it, you weirdo"
Thomas grins and doesn't look up as he goes into the kitchen.
We all grab our plates and load them up with the delicious dinner, the pot pie literally melts in my mouth and the crisp pie crust adds perfect texture with the sliced chicken and soft steamed vegetables. I love food so much.
We are all sitting on the couch and dad turns on the news. Typical dad.
"Runa..."
I look up at the sound of my name. My mother took a sip of her water and said, "Make sure you wake up early tomorrow, I told your grandmother we are going to help her pack up."
My beautiful grandmother, she is moving up north and she can hardly pack up a box of clothes. "Okay!" I smiled.
"Yeah Runa, so don't stay out late tonight." Thomas says and winks at me.
Confusion spreads across my face. Did he know about the party tonight too?
Dad looks over at me suspiciously, and I eye him back.
"Gosh guys you think I have a social life when really all I have is you." I joke. Mom laughs and looks at dad, "Brandon, remember when we were their age, gosh I had to snuck out of the house just to meet you."
My head shoots up, and I look at my mother like a new person.
"What did you just say?" I ask.
"Well it may not seem like it dear, but me and your father weren't approved of by your grandmother. She wanted me to marry some man I didn't even know." She laughs and dad smiles.
"Well I am glad I caught you and convinced you she was wrong." Dad says.
My heart feels heavy with warmth as I look at my parents. They suddenly look like teenagers now. I sometimes forget that yes they were my age at one point and felt the same way I did at times. And then suddenly realization came in; why would she bring that up?
"What is it?!" I ask looking between my mother and father.
"Oh it's nothing.." says mom. "Well.. actually..."
"Oh gosh."
"Oh c'mon Runa, it's not a big deal" jokes dad.
Thomas says with a mouth full of food, "we have new neighbors across the street, and.." he starts to laugh.
"UGH what is it!?"
Mom looks at me, "There is a charming young man who lives there with his parents. They invited us over for dinner tomorrow." She takes a bite of food and looks at me, she is pale in the face and she looks almost scared.
I roll my eyes,"ugh why do you guys always assume I want a boyfriend? I am in a place in my life where I just want to focus on myself."
"Oh come on honey, you can just be his friend at least" says Dad. Annoyance pours over me, because dads are not supposed to want their daughters to date this badly.
My parents have always wanted me to date; I guess they secretly thought I would end up dying alone in a cabin far into the woods with twelve cats. Was I just so unattractive, or so odd, or so different that they felt they needed to act upon my loveless love life?!
I say nothing; I take my fork and poke at my food. My brother senses my un-comfort and walks pass me to the kitchen and gently pats me on the head and to my relief, changes the subject.
He starts talking about exams and future internships we was interested in. I watch as mom and dad smile at their son, their perfect son Thomas. He is good-looking, (for my brother that is) he is smart, caring, and funny as ever, and of course he is my best friend. He was perfect for sure. My parents are the same, perfect as can be, my mom works at the bank, my dad is a lawyer. Yes sure, I am trying at life, I am going to school, trying to get a career, but between all these cover ups, I feel so alone. So detached from my family's ideals, they seem to have different DNA than me, they are so ambitious, social, and yes, perfect.
My brother Thomas is different than me of course, but he is my everything. I love him so much; I don't know what I would do without him. He is the only person in the family who makes me feel like a "somebody." Unlike my family, he doesn't expect anything from me, he just expects me to be me.
I stand up to put my plate away, as I pass our family portrait, I stop, and stare.
I examine the photo of my mother and father; they have their arms around each other. My father with his sandy brown hair, and smiley eyes and straight teeth, my beautiful mother with her chestnut red hair and vibrant blue eyes.

Thomas is behind my father on the left; he is bent over, his mouth pulled into his Thomas grin. His sandy brown hair matching our dads, his blue eyes, and his warm heart glowing from within him. I am on the right, my hand on my mother's shoulders, I am awkwardly smiling, and my dark brown hair pulled into a side braid. And there between all of us in the back, his dark black hair stuck perfectly to his forehead, his piercing brown eyes, and blank, pale expression. Bash. He never really contacts us; he distanced himself from our family ever since we were little. My parents had him when they were young, so I guess its natural me and Thomas didn't really get to know Bash. He has always been that sibling we only see once a year, at Christmas. I wonder how he is doing, dad says that Bash works for the FBI and that's why we don't see him a lot, and he works with the government and apparently has a high up position. This is all I know of him, he doesn't even have a social media account, but I do text him sometimes, but as usual, he never replies.