Lack of Color.

John.

“Hey man.”

I looked up seeing Tim and Pat standing at my doorway. I gave them a smile, before they took a seat next to me. Both looking as serious as can be.

“What’s going on with my sister?”

“I honestly don’t know man.”

“Are you guys, you know?”

I looked over at them, guilty eyes staring at them. They knew exactly what was going on, they just shook their head.

“I don’t like this; you two aren’t ready for this.”

“I know, but no need to worry. She doesn’t feel the same way about me.”

“Why do you say that?” Pat asked looking over at me.

“She just doesn’t.”

“What happened last night?”

I looked at them, both of them staring at me with intense eyes. Eye’s I’ve seen from them before when anyone would mess with their sister. Once junior year, Matt Kenton told people that he fucked Erin. I saw the same look on Tim’s face the day he kicked his ass, the same look right now staring down at me.

“Why?”

“Erin came home, broke plates and she got cut really bad. My parents found her in the kitchen with blood on her hands and feet. What happened?”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah she’s fine. The cuts weren’t deep, but you’re avoiding the question.”

“I told her I was in love with her.”

“What the fuck?” Pat asked looking over at me furring his eyebrows together.

“Yeah.”

“Do you love her man?”

I nodded my head, not daring to look up at them. When I didn’t feel the fist in my face, I looked up at them scrunching my eyes scared.

“I’m not going to hit you man.”

“Good, my face is way too beautiful to get messed up.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea, you and my sister. I’m not just saying that because of the whole fact her being my little sister. It’s just not the right time. This whole situation you guys put yourself into.”

“Like I said before we didn’t put ourselves in this position. Erin and I were never meant to be, we just happened.”

They just sat there, as we talked about shit. We we’re leaving tomorrow to California and they warned me not to see Erin. But I never listened to anyone. I walked into her room, seeing her laying there with a book in her hand. I shut the door behind me, seeing her laying there. She looked up and her smile faded once she saw me.

“Can we talk?”

“Yeah.”

I took a seat on the foot of her bed just looking down at my hands. I felt her shift in her bed, sitting up to look at me.

“How are you feeling?”

“Hung over”, she said with a laugh.

“I figured, how’s the arm and feet?”

“My brothers have big mouths.”

“Never trust a Kirch with a secret”, I said looking over at her with a laugh.

“It usually ends up good”, she said with a shrug. She was talking about the day she told Emily that I liked her. I told her in confidence and she told her. That’s how Emily and I started.

“Yeah, I guess the Kirch’s are amazing people.”

“That we are.”

“Erin, I’m in love with you and I know you are too.”

“That confident?”

“I am actually.”

“John-“

“Why won’t you admit it?”

“You’re Emily’s John, don’t you get it.”

“I want to be yours.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you.”

“Do you love Emily?”

I looked down with a sigh before looking back at her. Grabbing her hand in mine, bring them to my lips giving her soft skin a kiss. Kissing the bandages on her hands.

“I will always love Emily, but I realized with you that I need to let go. You helped me through this; through the chaos you find beauty. You’re what I found through this chaos. I found love; I’m in love with you.”

“John.”

I looked up expecting to get turned down once again. She crawled over to me, I stared at her feeling my heart beat out of my chest. She pressed her lips against mine, giving me a soft kiss.

“I’m in love with you too, John.”

I grabbed her into a kiss, holding on to her. The smile on my face that was pushing through the kiss was enough for me.