Enchant Me, Please

I quickly walked away from Chris and Derik. When I was out of my friends’ sight, I sat on a bench to sort out my thoughts. Someone sat next to me. Looking up, I was half surprised to find that it was Annalise. We sat there for a few minutes not saying anything but the silence didn’t last for long.

“Hey.”

She said softly. I coughed as a few seconds passed. What was I suppose to say at a time like this? Looking down at my lap, as I played with my fingers, I sighed.

“Hey.”

A few more seconds passed.

“Are you all right?”

I thought about my answer to that question as the words hung in the air. I didn’t know how to reply. I thought about how angry I felt when Chris hugged Derik through the whole freaking rollercoaster ride. I thought about how sad I felt when I saw Derik kiss the top of Chris’ head. Physically, I was all right. Was I mentally and emotionally okay? My answer to that was unknown.

“I don’t know…”

I felt so pathetic that it made me want to bash myself against a damn wall. Ugh, what the hell was wrong with me? Annalise looked at me, and I meant really looked at me. I felt like she was studying me. Like I was a bug under a microscope.

“It isn’t that hard to tell, you know?”

Her half statement confused me. What wasn’t hard to tell?

“What are you talking about?”

“That you like your brother. That your protective of him.”

For some reason, her words seemed to have another meaning.

“Huh. He’s my brother; I have to like him. And if I don’t protect him, who would?”

“Yeah…”

Annalise said but the tone of her voice showed that she was uncertain, that she wanted to add on.

“Finish your thought.”

I said with an amused but forced smile.

“That’s not the only way you like him. You like him more then any regular sibling relationship.”

She stated it as if it was a fact.

“Maybe I do, but it’s considered wrong.”

I felt a few tears swelling up in my eyes. Leise pulled me into a hug as tears finally escaped.

“It’s okay.”

She said, trying to sooth me.

But it’s not okay.

About a minute passed before I broke the hug and wiped my tears away.

“Are you okay now?”

“No, but hopefully I will be.”

Five minutes later~

“I need another ice-cream.”

I told Annalise as we walked back to where the group was. She rolled her eyes.

“You are not getting another one. We spent like 15 minutes with you getting your first one.”

“But ice-cream’s goood.”

“Oh suck it up.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing that baby?”

“Very mature Oliver Starr.”

“Ouch, the full name, I’m hurt.”

“Shut up.”

Things were basically back to normal.

“Where were you two?”

Vicky asked as she saw us.

“I had to go to the restroom.”

I said that as casually as I could.

“Annalise here, went with me so I apparently wouldn’t get lost.”

Annalise scoffed.

“Knowing you, you would’ve gotten lost the first step you took.”

“I would not have!”

“Guys, we aren’t five anymore.”

Derik said.

“Pfft I’m sure Ollie here still has the mind of a five year old.”

Her eyes begged me not to start anything with Derik. Unhappily, I nodded in her direction and complied.

“I thought that was you, Anna.”

“Meh, as if.”

“Meh, as if my ass.”

And our conversation ended at that.

The people around us looked at us with amused expressions. The only person who didn’t was Derik.

“Okayyy then.”

Michael said, looking at the both of us strangely.

“Derik and I have to go now.”

“Aww…”

“Why…?’

Vicky and Chris said together in sadness.

A shot of jealously washed over me but I stopped to urge to start beating Derik up until he ended up being a bloody pulp.

“It’s seven-thirty. Mom will freak if we miss dinner.”

Chris and Derik hugged as Vicky and Michael kissed each other goodbye. Then, Derik kissed Chris on the cheek and he blushed but shyly kissed Derik on his cheek too. At that moment, Annalise took a hold of my hand as if to say ‘Don’t do anything stupid’.

I groaned in displeasure but didn’t say a vulgar word.

Oh, fuck my life.