Break and Enter

Two days after John had informed Bryce and I of our true family background, Bryce and I sat in the back seat of Laura’s light blue swagger wagon as she took us to the Miami Ritz-Carlton. Bryce sat in the front seat with Laura staring at the window. He hasn’t said anything to anyone since the day we found out. We’ve tried everything to get him to talk, but nothing has worked. Everything that’s happened in the past week is truly eating him from the inside out. He refuses to talk, he rarely eats, from what I noticed, he barely sleeps, and the only emotion that passes on his face is one of complete and total depression. I honestly don’t think he’s in any way ready to go meet his biological father, but he wasn’t about to leave me alone to go meet him, even though he was given the choice. We were both given the choice, but Jared is our only family left, and while I would be completely content with living with John and his family forever, I don’t want to impose on them. I already feel awful about the week and a half that we have been living with them.
However, I am also not as upset about this whole situation as Bryce. As far as I’m concerned, Peter is still my father, whether it was biological or not. He was there when I was born, and he’s been there for me all my life. Until the day he died, he has always played the part of my father. In comparison, Jared hasn’t been there for any part of my life, and for all I care, he can stay out of it. If anything, I’m more angry than depressed over this newfound information, but I’m less obvious about my emotions than my brother. I mean, honestly, how did Jared not know about us. Obviously, he had seen my mother after Bryce was born. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here right now. So how did he not know he had a child, no, better yet, CHILDREN, with my mother? It’s all very farfetched and unlikely if you ask me.
“Alright, kiddies. We’re here,” Laura told us as she pulled up to the front of the hotel. I nodded my head while Bryce did nothing to acknowledge Laura’s words; she sighed and pulled to a halt in front of the doors. “You two don’t have to go if you don’t want to.” Knowing she wouldn’t get a response from Bryce, Laura turned around in her seat to look at me sympathetically.
I slapped on my most sincere fake grin and nodded my head at her. “No really! We want to go!” I answered with as much enthusiasm as I could suffice.
Laura gave me a skeptical look but knew that I wasn’t going to break so she just nodded her head and turned back to face the front. Pulling out her purse, she handed Bryce and I twenty dollars each. “Here’s some money just in case you need it.” We both muttered a thanks as we go out of the car. “I’ll be back to pick you up around 8:00,” Laura called to us through the open window before driving away.
Bryce and I both stood looking up at the tall building for a moment before I grabbed onto his arm and pulled him with me to the doors. Entering the building, we got strange looks. We probably didn’t look like we belonged. Our clothing was not fancy and elegant like everyone else. I was simply wearing shorts and a pullover that hung off my left shoulder and Bryce was wearing a band tee with skinny jeans. We probably screamed, “I do not belong!” just with our appearance. Still holding onto Bryce’s arm, I pulled him along with me to the counter, where a young woman, probably in her early thirties, looked to us. Her brown hair was up in a neat, slicked back bun and her uniform looked to be steamed and pressed to perfection. Giving us a once over with a disapproving look, the woman put on a fake smile and asked in a sickly sweet voice, “May I help you?”
I shifted my weight from foot to foot nervously as I answered, “Yes. We’re looking for Jared Leto?”
The woman’s smile fell immediately. “Aren’t you all?” she rolled her eyes. “You kids should know that’s information that we can’t give out. You should really learn to the leave the man alone. Even he needs his privacy.” Confused, I stared at her. That wasn’t the response I was expecting. I didn’t even know what to say. I looked to Bryce hoping he would know, but he didn’t even look like he’d been paying attention to the conversation at all. Facing the woman once again, I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it after nothing came out. I repeated this a few more times before she rolled her eyes again. “Look, kid, I’m not gonna let you in his room. If you want, you can wait outside down the street a bit and maybe you’ll see him, but you can’t stay in here.”
“But he’s our dad!” I exclaimed.
The woman stared at me looking as though she believed me, but then shook her head disappointingly. “The things you kids will say these days.”
“What do you mean ‘you kids’? I’m telling you. Jared Leto is our father and we need to get to his hotel room. He’s expecting us,” I told her trying to stay calm.
“So if he’s expecting you I guess you won’t mind me calling the room and asking?” she asked smugly.
“Yes! Call him! He’ll tell you,” I began to get frustrated. The woman picked up the phone and dialed the number.
Bryce still wasn’t paying attention. He could care less if we were here or not. I huffed angrily. I needed his help, but he was too busy wallowing in his sorrows.
“There was no answer. They must’ve gone out.” My eyes snapped back to the woman. “Looks like you’re going to have to leave.”
“What!? But he’s supposed to be here!” I argued with her.
She gave me an icy glare. “Well he’s not so-,” she suddenly cut off and seemed to be looking behind me. “Mr. Leto! How are you today?” I spun around quickly and nearly bumped into a tall, muscular man. I looked up to his face noticing his tan skin and deep brown eyes that almost matched his hair. My mouth hung slightly open in surprise. I closed it, feeling like an idiot, as his eyes met mine.
“I’m doing great. Thank you, Kylie. And how are you?” he turned his attention to the woman.
“Not bad. Just doing my job,” I could feel her glaring at the back of my head.
The man chuckled and looked back to my still obviously shocked face. “Rain?” he asked me. I just stared for a second before responding to my name by nodding. “And Bryce?” he looked over to my lethargic brother. Bryce continued to stare at him with a blank look before nodding just as I had. “Alright then. Guess I found what I was looking for. This way, children,” he did a weird spin thing and pointed towards the elevator. I giggled at his idiocy and followed him, pulling Bryce behind me.
“I’m Shannon, by the way,” the man told us. Confused, I looked at him. I thought he was Jared; and if he wasn’t, who was he? Taking notice of the look I was giving him, Shannon said, “I’m Jared’s brother. A.K.A your uncle,” he finished with a smile. I made an ‘O’ shape with my mouth. “Jared should be back in about ten minutes. He had to go to a meeting of sorts.” I nodded as the elevator pulled to a stop. Shannon furrowed his eyebrows and looked between Bryce and me. “You know, for teenagers, you two are really quiet,” and with that he stepped off the elevator and motioned for us to step to the left. Yes, we were being quiet, but I honestly just couldn’t find it in me to want to talk.
Opening the door to the hotel room, Shannon guided us in. “Make yourselves at home. There’s soda in the fridge and food on the counter. Or if you don’t want anything, you can just chill on the couch and watch TV.” He plopped down on a chair himself and turned on the flat screen in front of him. Bryce and I sat on the couch next to him and watched the random show that was on.
About ten minutes later, there was a click of a door shutting. Our attentions all shifted to the area that led to the living area in which we sat. The man I’m assuming to be Jared stopped once he reached us. He was also tall and muscular, but not as much as his brother. His black hair swooped to the side in the same fashion as Bryce’s. I took notice of his bright blue eyes that matched mine and Bryce’s to the dot. Looking between Bryce and Jared, I noticed the similarities in their face structure and build. Yes, this man is definitely our father. After a moment of him silently staring at us, as we were doing to him, he said, “Hi,” quite awkwardly. I giggled a bit and waved. Bryce did nothing but glared. I roughly elbowed him in the side, for I was getting annoyed with his attitude.
“Ow! Ce que l’enfer n’était que pour?” Bryce exclaimed. ‘What the hell was that for?’
“Tu sais exactement ce que c’était pour! Cesser d’être un tel connard!” I practically growled at him. ‘You know exactly what that was for! Stop being such an asshole!’
“Je ne suis pas un connard.” ‘I am not being an asshole.”
“Oui, tu l’es. Arrete. S’il te plait.” ‘Yes, you are. So stop. Please.’
Bryce crossed his arms and sighed, looking away from me. “Je vais essayer.” ‘I’ll try.’
“Oh. My. Goodness. Seriously!? I’ve been trying to get you guys to talk for like, ever and now that you do, you’re speaking French!? Oh god, do you guys even speak English? Maybe that’s why you weren’t answering,” Shannon put his head in his hands. That got a laugh out of Bryce and I. Bryce more surprising than me. He was practically dying of laughter. It honestly wasn’t even that funny. I guess all the nonstop depression just made this moment ten times more hilarious. “Oh my goodness. Robot boy does have emotion,” Shannon smiled at him.
Once Bryce’s laughter went down a little, he informed Shannon, “Nous parlons l’anglais.”
Shannon of course had no clue what was said, but Jared filled him in. “He said they speak English,” he told him, sitting on the couch next to me. Shannon nodded in understanding.
“You speak French?” I asked Jared.
“Just a little bit. Your, uh,” he hesitated before finishing. “Your mother taught me.” I nodded my head leaving the room in an uncomfortable silence. “So,” Jared attempted to start a conversation. “Tell me about yourselves.”
“Like what?” I asked him.
“Everything,” he replied. “I have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Ummm, well, I’m Rain. And that’s Bryce,” I said pointing to the glaring young man sitting beside me. He obviously didn’t like Jared, which is completely understandable. I’m not too sure about him myself. “I’m fifteen. I was born in Montreal and we moved here when I was four. I speak English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Um…” I trailed off there, not knowing how to continue.
“What grade are you in?” Shannon asked trying to help me.
“I think I’d be a sophomore if I were in public school, but I’ve been homeschooled my whole life, so I’m not entirely sure,” I answered. Shannon then turned his attention to Bryce who was spacing. After counting to three and realizing he wasn’t going to answer, I answered for him. “He graduated two years ago.”
“But… that would make him fourteen!” Shannon exclaimed.
“I’m smarter than I look,” Bryce mumbled, still appearing only half interested.
“You learn faster when you’re homeschooled,” I shrugged.
We sat there in an awkward silence for a few moments before Jared stood from his seat, clapping his hands together. “So,” his voice sliced through the silence. “Who wants to hit the beach?”
“I do!” Shannon hopped up and practically skipped to his ‘bedroom’.
Bryce and I both looked to Jared. “We don’t have swimsuits,” we said at the same time.
“Well, then we’ll just have to go buy some won’t we?” he chuckled as he lead us out the door.