Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE DOOR LATCH SEEMED TO ECHO THROUGHOUT THE APARTMENT and Kaelyn cringed at the noise. Although it didn't really matter since her heart was beating just as loudly. She reminded herself that Will and Beth were waiting downstairs just in case she needed a quick getaway, but for now, even if for a brief second, she was home. The apartment was cold and the lights were out, but in seconds she heard the soft pitter patter of socked feet on wood floors and internally she braced herself.
Tired eyes met hers and guilt plagued her as she observed the deep eye bags her brother's face contained. Without a doubt, she knew she was the cause of them. Expecting yelling, she flinched and waited, but nothing came.
His voice barely above that of a whisper, Caden sighed in relief, "Kaelyn... thank God you're home."
Without another word he walked over to her and pulled her into a warm hug. Instantly she melted and wrapped her arms around her brother. This was home for her. Sometimes it left her mind that she was all her brother had. Their parents were gone and Caden was too busy working two jobs to find a girlfriend; Kaelyn was it. Maybe she had been a little selfish, but apart of her was still bitter about what had made her leave home in the first place.
"I'm sorry." Kaelyn didn't realize she was crying until she saw the wet spot on her brother's shoulder. However, she was pretty sure he was crying, too. "I won't leave again, I'm so sorry, Caden. I shouldn't have worried you like that."
"Two days," he spoke, holding her tight as if he was scared the girl was going to run off again, "Two days without knowing where you were, if you were okay, if you hated me or not."
She wanted to pretend everything was okay. To pretend that she had forgiven her brother for what he did, for tearing down all her progress (or lack thereof, but still), but there was still that dark, festering feeling of pain inside of her. She felt safe, yes, but she was nowhere near happy about it. Kaelyn could never hate her brother, but she wasn't sure she was ready to be on good terms with him. She didn't know if good terms were even in the near future, not after the way he looked at her during their argument. He looked as though he had never known his sister at all, that she was a stranger to him. She absolutely despised that look.
"I'm not sure I hate you," she muttered, finally pulling away from the hug and cutting off physical contact entirely as she backed up, leaning her back against the front door of the apartment. "But don't expect me to be all smiles and giggles with you now. You hurt me, Caden, I need you to understand that. I know your heart, at least in your mind, came from a good place, but trust me when I say it did not resonate that way. You caused a lot of pain, Caden and I'll come home, but I'm not going to forgive you. At least, not right away."
Kaelyn watched as her brother's face fell, but it was a little hard to feel pity for him. He sighed, "I understand that. I'm just, I'm happy you're home."
"I want my stuff back, the stuff you took from me."
"Yeah, sure, whatever's going to keep you here, Kae," Caden nodded, crossing his arms and shrugging. He was avoiding her eyes, but she wasn't going to take it personally. She knew things were going to be rough for a while.
