Can I Have Your Attention Please

Chapter 48: Reason

QOC: Favorite gaming console?

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Kassidy's POV
O • o • O

He's selfish.

I understand why, but he's selfish.

It's like everything is on repeat with him, from a year ago, before he met Sam. Only this time, everything is ten times worse. Kason is
neck-deep in grief and anger and selfishness. He doesn't ask how I feel. He doesn't ask or Kyra or Cameron or even Mom is.

It's been a month since her death, and he hardly eats or speaks. At least not in front of us.

Dad's in prison. All of us had to testify, and he's furious with Sam. The scene he caused when the police showed up with his arrest warrant was insane. And Mom's hysterics didn't help matters.

That was two weeks ago. She screamed and ran outside, trying to cling onto one of the officer's and beg them not to take him. Kason watched silently, staring my father dead in the eyes without any remorse. I didn't feel much pain, but it hurt a little to see him being taken from us. But it's about time he was paid his dues.

Fara Conaway, Sam's birth mother, and her family are all fine. They were able to go back home, but Fara was pretty shaken up. Her daughter - who she abandoned as a baby - saved her life. And for what? Why would she do that? Why help her?

Honestly, I don't understand it much myself. All I know is that Sam was my best friend. At least one of them. And nothing is the same now that she's gone.

Especially my brother.

"Hey. You good babe?" Cameron asks from underneath me tiredly. We'd been watching a movie in my room, but I can't even remember the title. I'm too busy drowning in my thoughts.

I nod. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"No you're not," He says, sitting up and pressing pause. I sigh and follow suit, running a hand through my hair.

"Wanna talk about it?" He asks gently.

"About which part?" I counter, leaning my head on his shoulder. "Because there's a lot I wanna talk about."

"Sam?" He questions.

Sadness fills my heart hearing her name out loud. "Yeah," I whisper.

My boyfriend's hand covers mine as he caresses it softly. It hurts me to think about Sam and Kason's interactions like this — not that I knew about their interactions. It's just that, well, couples - especially young ones - are naturally intimate. And my brother was head over heels in love with Sam. He'll never get to hold her like Cam holds me again. He won't get any of her. His other half is just...gone. It's got to be agony for him.

"I miss her," I say quietly, voice cracking. "And I miss how she made Kason better." I lick my lips and tilt my head up to see him. Pain slathers his eyes. "He was getting so much better, Cam."

He swallows. "I know. I'm sorry, Kass." His arms tighten around me. "I don't know what I would do if we were separated, especially by...you know..."

"Death," I finish for him.

Silence follows. I don't think either of us could handle that drastic of a split. Just breaking up is a scary thought. I couldn't imagine one of us dying and the other being left alone to grieve. Kason must be in so, so much pain. That's the only reason I allow him to be so crude to me. He's nothing like my father; he still loves me. He's my twin. He has to. He'd do anything to protect me and Mom. He's just closed off and mean as of now.