It All Started With a Kiss

He smiled at me, his blue eyes contradicted his brown hair, tingeing with red unlike Ben’s extreme. “Nah, man you don’t want to get us started...”

I laughed softly, that wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear. “Okay...” I felt tense, poised to run away from any tense situation.

Ben walked back, a coke in hand, and a cigarette in between his index and middle fingers. “Ben!” I cried out, jumping to my feet and causing more attention to come my way, “You idiot, put that out right this minute!”

He looked sheepishly at me, seated next to Nathan, and dropped the flaring embers to the linoleum, crushing the ashy remains under his tennis shoes. I sighed, sinking back down to the cold, hard seat.

“Aqua,” Ben murmured, “I’m sorry...” He looked truly remorseful, which stung more than anything else to me. I nodded, Nathan’s arm snaked around my back. I flinched away, recoiling away from the table and turning to run; I was poised.

I glimpsed back, Nathan and Ben had their hands in fists at their sides, eyes firmly fixed on each others, grimaces glued their lips in a certain shape; both standing. Being the woman that I am, I had to go back to them. The pity of family rivalry calmed the fact that Ben’s brother had attempted a move on me, me of all people. Of all the people he could have pulled a move on, he pulled it on me.

“Boys.” I knew I couldn’t scream, it made me feel weak. “Look, sit down, eat your lunch then wait for the bell to ring and then you can sort this out somewhere I don’t have to see any violence.”

Nathan nodded, a smirk creeping across his smug mouth, he flicked his hair away from his eyes and mouthed something incoherent at Ben. Ben refused my proposal of peace. So things had to be done, my style.

I latched my nails into his arm and tugged. “Ow, Aqua! Let go!” He clawed my hand, I felt his rough nails tug at my soft skin.

“No Ben, you need to seriously chill. He is your blood too! You are b-r-o-t-h-e-r-s. Brothers.” I locked my nails deeper into his freckled arm, he yelped.

“What do you care?” He said, regaining his shaky voice.

“I care, because at the moment, you are my only friend at this school and you two are brothers.” I said defiantly.

“Right...” he smirked, “Sure.”