She Will Be Loved

I suddenly heard my door open and close, trying to be sneaky. I raised myself up to look at who had entered my room. It turned out to be Brian. I rose an eyebrow as I looked at the smiling man. "What are you doing?"

"Let's sneak out. When Matt's in one of his moods, he'll make us stay up here for hours. I don't know about you, but I'm already bored to death. I don't think I could last for two or three hours."

"Really?" He nodded and gave me an expected stare. I sighed, pushing myself off the bed. "Fine. But if we get Matt even more riled up I get to smack you."

"I agree." I walked over to my door where Brian was still stationed. He peeked his head out before jutting his head towards out the door. We tip toed out, shutting the door softly behind me. I looked at him with a curious stare as everyone was heard talking downstairs.

"How are we going to get out?" I mused. He smirked at me in a sly kind of way.

"Follow me," he whispered. I rolled my eyes, but silently followed him. He led me into the room I have come to know as his. It was pretty messy, like how I expected a guy to have his room. Guess everything I figured about guys was pretty right so far. We walked over to his window which was on the side of the house instead on the back. My eyes grew wide as he pulled open the clear glass.

"Whoa, whoa. You can't possibly be thinking what I think you are," I whisper-yelled, not wanting everyone else downstairs to hear. I could only hope my alarm that was still playing music would not raise their suspicions about anything.

"What? There's a drainpipe, we just climb down," Brian said as if it were the simplest thing ever. I had an uneasiness about this. Sure, I had done my fair share of drainpipe climbs, but there was something off about it all today. Maybe it was just nerves.

"Did you ever stop to think you're a grown man and can just go downstairs and out to your car anytime you want?" I asked.

"Yes, but you are not an adult yet so you can't. Therefore I am sneaking out the teenage way so we can go together," Brian replied smartly, a small smirk on his face.

"Well Matt's not my father. I don't have to listen to him."

"But you will." I glared at him, knowing he had gotten me. Matt was an adult and is allowing me to stay in his house (since I noticed he kind of runs this show), of course I'm going to listen to the hazel eyed man. "So are you coming or not?"

"I don't know..." I trailed off, casting a glance at the door. I could just sneak back to my room and sit there for however long Matt planned. I could make it without electronics, I've done it before.

"You chicken." My eyes turned back to him with a glare. Two things I could never stand: being call 'kid' and a chicken.

"I'm not a chicken," I said forcefully. Brian's eyes grew wide for a moment before that cocky smirk reappeared on his face as he realized he had hit a nerve.

"Then prove it! Come with me and climb down that drainpipe." I stormed pass him to the open window. I lenaed my head out and saw the pipe he was talking about to my left. I reached out and grabbed it, shimming myself out. Once I was sure I had a strong grip I began my descent. When I reached the bottom, I let out an 'eep' and fell to the ground on my stomach. Brian had failed to mention the drainpipe ended right next to the living room window where almost everyone was.

"What the hell are you doing on the ground?" Brian asked as he knelt next to me.

"You forgot to warn me about the window," I growled. "I fucking freaked, alright?"

"Well come on or they'll notice we're gone," Brian whispered, nudging my foot with his hand. I grumbled a few insults under my breath as I half stood and ran under the window, Brian right behind me. We kept to the edge of the property to hopefully avoiding anyone who would happen to look outside the window facing the front of the house.

The two of us did not slow down from our almost run until we were three houses down. We slowed to a stop, leaning over with our hands on our knees. We made eye contact and began to laugh uncontrollably. "I cannot believe I just snuck out of a house like that with a twenty-two year old!"

"I can't believe I actually did that. I haven't done that since I was seventeen," Brian laughed too. Finally we stood and continued on our journey down the street. "I have to confess something Koty."

"What's that?"

"You remind me so much of a sister it's crazy." I raised an eyebrow with a small smile. A sister?

"So I'm, like, part of your family?" He nodded.

"It's kind of strange to admit, but it's like we've known each other for years instead of days. I know I was kind of an ass to you before, but you understand where I'm coming from, yeah? It's like if you had a brother and thought some girl was just coming in his life to use him, you'd be kind of cold too, right?"

"Yeah Brian. I know your heart was in the right place whenever you didn't like me. I'm just kind of glad we're over it. You can be really intimidating when you want to be," I confessed with a small smile.

"Oh really now?" Brian mused, his eyebrows wiggling. My eyes grew wide and I let out a light scream as I ran away from the man chasing me. I ran down the beach of the pier, trying to escape him. He finally caught up to me, tackled me, and began to tickle my sides as he straddled my waist from the back.

"S - stop!" I laughed out between breaths.

"Nope. You have to say 'Brian is the coolest guy on Earth and pwns everyone else'," Brian taunted, continuing his assault on my sides.

"S - stop and I w - will," I choked out. By now tears were streaming down my face from all the laughter he had been causing.

"Nope, gotta say it now. I would hurry or your sides might split and we have to take you to the hospital for stitches."

"F - fine. Brian is th - the coolest guy o - on Ear - Earth and pwns ev - everyone else!" Brian finally stopped which made me take deep breaths as I rested my cheek on the ground. He climbed off of my back, sitting crossed legged next to me as I calmed down. A comfortable silence passed between us for the next few minutes. "You are such an ass, ya know?"

"Hey, I'm an older brother to you missy. I'm allowed to be sometimes," Brian laughed, flicking my nose. I scowled at him before his words hit me. I'm an older brother to you.

"Wait." I snapped up on my knees and leaned forward into his face. "So I'm a little sister to you now? Like, a fake little sister?"

"Isn't that what I just said?" Brian asked, leaning back a bit from my too close face. I leaned back, falling into sitting cross legged, and stared out to the ocean with a smile.

"I've never had an older sibling before."

"Well then Miss Dakota - " Brian draped an arm across my shoulders and pulled me into his side. "Today is your lucky day. in my book you are now Dakota Haner, the middle child of the Haner family."

"Middle child?" I turned to Brian with a raised eyebrow. "You have younger siblings for real?"

"A few actually. Johnny H., Brent, and McKenna. In order from youngest to oldest it would be Kenna, Bent, you, Johnny, and me. So you're the middle child."

"Oh." It fell silent again, but yet again it was comfortable.

"I have a kind of serious question to ask you Kota. " I turned to look at Brian. He was looking off into the ocean, a frown on his lips.

"Shoot. "

"Bang. " I rolled my eyes with a small smile. "Sorry, not helping the ‘serious’ aspect. Why did you want to leave Boston so badly? "

It was my turn to frown. Should I really tell him the truth or just play it off? Maybe I should just give a lie. It was better than the truth. Just as I opened my mouth to reply with the lamest excuse ever, the sound of some heavy rock song filled the air. My eyes narrowed as Brian looked at me. "What the hell is that? "

"Unholy Confessions. " I raised an eyebrow at his words. It was like Greek to me. "It’s one of our songs. And it also happens to be your ringtone for calls. "

"Oh. " I pulled the phone from my pocket and saw the name ‘Matt’ flashing at me. I sighed, showing Brian. He groaned and rubbed his temples.

"Might as well answer it or he might explode far worse. " I did as he instructed and was met with Matt’s booming voice.

"Where the hell are you two?! "

"Pier. "

"Stay there. I’m coming to get you. " I was hung up on and groaned. I closed the phone and placed it in my pocket.

"Our warrant’s coming. "

"Oh fun. "