Chapter 1
Draya
Past
"She's gone." the doctor says
"Gone? what do you mean gone,my best friend is dead? " I ask as tears stream down my face and i don't bother wiping them.
"Fuck!"
My brother Drae punches the wall,he throws his head back,eyes staring at the sealing.
"Drae.." I place my palm on his back, "i'm so sorry. " I choke on my words.
"Damnit!" He shouts so loud my ears ring.
"It's not your fault."
"No." He says in a whisper "I did this,I fucking did this to her,to us.
"Ehem." the clearing of a throat has us both turning,we literally forgot the doctor was there.
"She's not gone as in gone.."
"What?" Both Drae and I say at the same time.
"What do you mean not gone as in gone?" I ask.
Present
Losing my best friend was the worst thing that ever happened to me. That night,in that room,she took a part of me too.
The year after her disappearance were the hardest,
I cried into my pillow every night while my brother instead became stone cold. He's now picky with people to keep around.
He never cried after the hospital but deep down I know he was hurt as much as I was.
He shut down,drowned himself in work and volunteered at animal shelters,he even sold the puppy he bought for her,it was a tough decision but he said and I quote.
"I'm letting go of everything just like she did."
New home,new lifestyle and new start.
My new friend really did help soak up the pain, it was parties,outings,dinners and more after more.
They say you don't know how much power someone holds over you until they're no longer with you.
My friend's disappearance did and does not add up until now,i don't understand how she could just get up and leave,that's not her at all. She was happy, we were happy and Drae had finally noticed her as something more than his little sister's best friend.
She tried everything to grab his attention,cried when he touched someone else,so why did she leave when finally,he took an interest in her?
Past
"Why did you do it?" i whisper to myself, breaking out in small sobs as i stare at the dark night with no moon,a reflection of my own heart. I get up and throw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie.
Tired of staring at either the sealing or fading wall paint. I decide to take a walk in the rain, a silent invisible embrace. she and I used to dance and play around in the rain when we were kids,we'd catch a cold and end up being scolded by my Mom.
We still did it at sixteen too. Gramps took on that role of being a mother to both of us after mother's death. One couldn't tell that she wasn't blood related to us because we were treated equally.
I'm deeply lost in thought when light flashes directly at me followed by the screeching of tires, I cover my eyes and scream so loud.
"Ahhh!!"
the car comes to a halt in front of me.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!"
A female voice shouts. I can't see clearly but I hear the sound of a car door closing
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? you're literally walking in the middle of the road."
My wet clothes feel heavy, threatening to drag me down
"I- I'm sorry I didn't realise i was..." I stutter.
She gives me a hard stare,her palm placed on her forehead, i don't know what she sees but her features soften.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-yes, uhm I think so."
I didn't realise i was crying probably because of the rain, she reaches out a hand to me.
"It's okay. Do you live somewhere around here?" she asks
It's then when i decide to look around, i bow my head kicking at invisible rocks,pressure builds behind my eyes again and i sob, a hand reaches out to me and I let her pull me close,hugging me tight she whispers.
"Whatever it is you're going through,it's going to be okay."
I let the sobs out,i don't know how many minutes pass when she rounds me to the passenger side of the car.
"Get in,I can take you home." I climb into the jeep.
"What's your address?" She asks.
I rest my forehead on the window.
"Can't you just take me with you?" I ask without moving from my position or making eye contact.
"I don't think that-"
"Please.." I cut her off
"Uhhh okay..yeah sure but call someone from home okay? let them know you're okay."
"Why am i doing this again?"
she whispers and i hear it but pretend i didn't.
I've always been the responsible one especially at safety,i didn't want to take any chances,the fact that I'm trusting a complete stranger is beyond me, i just...i just feel safe with her,maybe it's the effect of how lonely i feel.
"Hey" a careful hand shakes me, "We're here."
"Hmmm?" I lift my head from the cold glass.
Stepping out of the car,we walk up to the front porch,
"Do you live alone?"
"Well....yeah,single crap and all that, my sister lives in LA."
she waves her hand in the air and rolls her eyes, I smile,the first real smile in one whole week.
The small apartment is neat,with pretty purple wallpaper,a neat kitchen and two bedrooms.
"You can take this room,i have extra clothes you can use." she smiles warm and genuine.
"By the way I'm Zoe."
"Thanks Zoe,I'm Draya." I smile back.
"Feel free,there's a coffee machine downstairs.
I nod,
"Thank you".
The Next Morning
i stretch and yawn,i look at the foreign environment and remember,i slip out of the duvet and head down the stairs.
"Hey you're awake,I made coffee,pick one."
She nods towards the mugs and I pick one from the table.
"Thanks. And hey,thank you for last night."
She stares at me with soft eyes.
"It's okay,wanna watch a movie? I've got classics."
"Sure,i'd love to."
Around 4pm, i get ready and find Zoe in the sitting room.
"Uhh hey Zoe?"
"Yeah?"
"I think i should get going,my brother must be worried sick,plus my phone is dead."
"ohh.. right! Sorry i didn't ask,there's a spare charger but since...you know,home and all that."
We both stay quiet and just stare at each other.
"I can drive you." She offers.
"Thanks but i'll just get a cab,you've done so much for me already."
She walks me to the door,i hail a cab and then turn to face her
"Thanks again."
"It's okay really,can I have your number? maybe we can hit a party somewhere downtown,cheer up,talk and get to know each other better? Pity party stuff since i was dumped last week."
we both laugh at that.
"Yeah sure,pity party sounds great."
"Okay bye."
"Bye Draya."
present
I smile at the memory as i stare at my now bff. My brother walks in.
Chris his best friend gives him a half hug and they both pat each other on the back.
"Yoh man I thought you wouldn't show."
He pushes back his blond hair from his forehead,
I sigh,he is so hot but before he and i can hit things off,Drae would no doubt kill us both. Well..him,as for me I would be no different from Rapunzel.
Why does he get to date my friend but not vice versa?
I get up and jump on him.
"Brother! i can't believe you came."
"Well here i am." He opens his arms wide. "And please quit jumping on me Draya you're twenty now."
He smiles and that ridiculous one dimple pops out. Girls die to make a bed in that dimple. My brother has always been extremely hot,girls would line up at the shelter he volunteered at but then he eventually stopped and picked up his life again.
Drae has dark gray eyes which have some specs of violet that can be caught when the lighting is just right.
"Now get out of my way! he's mine."
Zoe pushes me out of the way and jumps on Drae,he catches her and she wraps her legs around his waist.
My brother is tall, six foot one, with brown hair and tattoos on his neck,chest,hands and fingers,another thing girls deem worth dropping their panties for.
"Hey babe." he kisses her on the lips.
"Ewwww" I sit back.
I've always found their kisses disgusting,they go at it every chance they get together it's so weird and...weird.
I turn my head and instead of relief i find blue eyes staring at me, shamelessly staring. What does he think he's doing?
His eyes are like a pit of smoke threatening to pull you deeper and deeper,trapping and leaving no way out,it's as if he's trying to peek inside my soul which,by the way will get us both kicked.
His very intense stare gets me clumsy, he stares at my throat and i consciously rub at it,he moves his intense eyes to my lips, making a small gasp fall out of them,
I lick them out of nervousness and he swallows thickly,his adams apple bobbing.
"Chris." a pitch annoying voice breaks our spell.
Cherry. Fucking Cheery drags her stupid red nails up his thigh to his chest.
"Wanna get out of here?"
She says in a seductive way,my blood boils and i want to choke her. Chris does not spare her a glance, it's like she never uttered a single word at all and I try so hard not to smirk because well..i'm angry.
"Hey,is Jonathan coming?" Jeremy asks.
"Uhm." i stare at the door.
"No,he's doing something for his dad but he'll drop by home later."
Jona is a good guy, he's been trying to court me for a while.
And just like that,Chris's face locks and he stares at Cherry.
pure undiluted jealousy flows through me, tears sting my eyes and I take a large gulp of my beer.
These are the times i miss her, i wish she was here.I look at Zoe and guilt instantly trips me,it's unfair to want her here when that might mean Zoe not being with Drae and trust me,she wouldn't because it might not take them a month to not touch each other. Which is why i sometimes argue with myself whether it would be good for us if she came back or not, the former always wins,that's where the guild comes in.
Zoe has been there for me,a bestfriend,a shield and rock,it's like I'm not giving her enough credit. For the past two years, she's been falling deeper and helplessly in love with Drae despite my warnings,there's
alway a little hope in me that my brother can be whole again,i want him to marry for love and not duty, and that can only happen if it's my childhood best friend and only her, so am i being selfish for wishing she would just come back to us?
