Hey Dreamer

Rhys wasn’t outside to pick me up, so I decided to walk home. I don’t know how wise of a decision that was on my part, since halfway home, it started to pour. I growled, flipped my hood up over my hair and head. I should’ve known. We did live in Seattle after all. It tended to rain all the time.

There was a honk from behind me and I turned, raising my hand in front of my face to shield my eyes from the rain. A car rolled to a stop beside me. I turned and found my brother’s face pressed up against the window, his features contorted into a funny face. I laughed and jogged to the passenger side, sliding in. I was soaked, and so was my bag but I was laughing as I got in.

“Hey, sorry I was running late. The principle finally heard what happened last year and wanted to make sure that I wasn’t going to cause trouble. I have a paper to bring home for Mom to sign and then she and I have to have a conference with the school psychologist about my anger issues. I can’t wait ‘til I graduate and get away from these damn rumors,” he shrugged and put the car in drive. We rode home, almost completely silent. It was easier not to talk, despite how close we are. He missed Kiernan, I got that. He was miserable without her. I missed her too. She was a great friend to have around. But it was more than that.

“Rhys, have you talked to Kiernan lately?” I asked cautiously.

“No. But we have a skype date tonight!” his voice perked up as soon as he mentioned it. He really did love her, even if he hadn’t told her yet. He knew it, and I knew it, and I’m guessing Kiernan knew it. He was pretty sure that she hung the moon, which was cute. “Why do you ask?” he finally put in.

“Oh, I just want to talk to her about, uhm, some girl things.”

“Is it a boy?”

“More or less.”

“It’s not that Zeke kid you’ve been hanging around with, right? Because I don’t know if I like that guy.”

“A) it’s not Zeke and B) you don’t have to worry about Zeke hurting me. He can’t hurt a fly, let alone me. I promise, if he seems like a douche, I’ll drop him so fast, he won’t know what happened. How’s that sound?” I asked with a smirk. We pulled into our driveway, besides Mom’s car.

“She must be working the night shift tonight,” Rhys commented before getting out and turning to me, “I guess I can live with that. But remember, first sign, he’s gone.”

“Yes, father.”

He smirked and we ran through the rain to our porch. I kicked off my shoes by the door to dry and headed inside.

“She should be out of school, right?” I asked, going to his laptop and signing him on with the only password he ever uses, because no one would ever guess it. Except me, obviously. It was just something random, which I’d actually conned out of him.

happinessinmisery

The computer chimed as it logged on.

“Are you trying to steal my girlfriend from me?” he asked, setting his bag down beside the couch and shucking off his wet jacket, hanging it on the rack by the entryway.

“No, well, sort of. Just for a few minutes. I have some advice to gather from her.”

“Well, don’t expect too much from her. She’s shy and hasn’t really been much for people things,” he warned me.

“Alright, alright, get out!” I said, opening Skype and signing on to his account. He hugged me and left, heading upstairs. I saw Kiernan was online and hit call. She answered almost immediately. My webcam turned on and I found myself facing a tired looking Kiernan.

“Hi!” I grinned. She giggled.

“Hey Lydia. I thought you might be your brother,” Kiernan said with a smile.

“Yeah, I don’t know how you’d make that mistake… you’re very welcome to call me Lil’ Abbott, everyone at school does. It’s ridiculous.”

“They call you Lil’ Abbott? Are you serious? As if you and Rhys are hard to tell apart, honestly!”

I laughed, “That’s what I said! But no, I got stuck with Lil’ Abbott!”

“Where is that brother of yours, by the way? Not that I don’t love you, honeybunch, but he is my boyfriend.”

“I know. He’s upstairs. I’m only borrowing you for right now. I want to talk to you about some stuff, if that’s alright?”

She nodded, “go on then.”

“Well, there’s this boy. Sorta. I haven’t seen him yet. But he stood up for me today, despite the fact that he doesn’t know me.”

She made a cooing noise as I described that afternoon, complete with slight panic attack. She nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Well, you should definitely meet this boy. He sounds delightful.”

I smiled.

“I have Zeke finding out who he is.”

“Are you done yet? I want my girlfriend!” Rhys peeped around the corner.

“Yes, you can have your girlfriend back now.”

I stood up, grabbed my bag and headed for the kitchen.

“Oh, Lydia! Let me know what happens, okay? I’m curious now. I’m not much help but I’m definitely one for stories.”

I nodded and left Rhys to his privacy. I smiled, hearing him start to converse with his girl.

“I missed you, Kay.”

“Oh, trust me, I missed you more.”

They were cute. I just wanted someone to miss, and be cute with.