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“Got it, not my biggest fan.” I went to the fridge to fill my water bottle.
“Not your fan at all,” she added.
I heard the front door open. It was Aubrey. She looked like she had just finished her run. I looked at my watch. It wasn’t even six.
“Hey, good morning.” She directed it toward me, but then she walked over and grabbed Brie’s shoulder to acknowledge her. She went over to grab some coffee, and they carried on as if I wasn’t standing right fucking there.
“Bean, why are you up so early? I was letting you sleep in.” Brielle just shrugged, so she continued. “The bookstore I wanted to show you opens at nine if you want to go. I called Dan yesterday to let him know we would be stopping by and he is going to make sure he’s there.”
Brie raised her cup in acknowledgment without looking up. “Sounds good.”
“Do you want to shower first, and I’ll make breakfast? That run was exhilarating, but now I’m starving.”
She smiled really big like the old Aubrey was back.
Brielle finally looked up at her. “You good if I go up now?”
She nudged her head towards me. She is not very subtle, but I also don’t think she was trying to be. I can tell she is a good sister. Although I understood why she was asking her sister if it was okay to leave her alone with me, it honestly irked me a bit.
“Of course, I’ll start breakfast.”
Brie went on her way, and I didn’t miss the dirty look she gave me.
Aubrey seemed to be kind of happy for the first time in a few days. It was so good to see her running and smiling again.
“Good run? Why didn’t you wake me up? I would have gone with.”
“Oh, not necessary. I’m just getting back into it, so I’m still on schedule when I go home. I’ve been slacking, but I’m all good now. Enjoy your run.”
She was speaking to me without looking at me. I walked up to her and put my hand on her hip, and she jumped away and slapped my hand like I burned her or something.
“What are you doing?” She looked at me with disgust.
I looked her straight in the eyes. “Giving my girl a kiss before I leave.”
She laughed like I’d never heard before. It almost sounded evil.
“Lincoln, I’m so sorry if you misunderstood what last night was, but I told you that was it, no more after that. It was a fun goodbye, right?” She turned back around and finished what she was doing.
I was shocked. “Who are you, and what have you done with Aubrey? My Aubrey doesn’t talk like this. I—”
She turned back toward me and pointed the egg-covered spatula at me. “No. No, Lincoln, we’re not doing this. I’m not “your Aubrey” anymore; actually, according to you, I never was. I’m just here temporarily, right? You lost that Aubrey a few days ago. We will go on as if nothing happened, except the fact that we share parents, but that’s it.”
She looked away like she had to prepare for what she was about to say. I saw the flash of hurt again for a second when she turned, but it faded back into anger rather quickly.
“We are nothing. Like I said, it was fun. It’s over, but you’re used to that, though, right? One and done, was it?”
She sounded so bitter I couldn't take it anymore. I turned and left without saying a word. My heart was genuinely breaking. I hadn’t felt this type of hurt ever unless you count my biological mom tearing my heart out. Tears were burning my eyes, and I now know exactly how she felt when she left my house the other day… and it fucking blows.
AUBREY
I turned back to the food, only to realize how harsh I sounded. I turned around to apologize to him, but he was gone. I just proved that hurt people hurt people. I feel like crap. No matter what he did, he didn’t deserve to be treated like that, just as I didn’t deserve it either.
I finished making breakfast and headed upstairs. I realized that I hadn’t introduced Liza and Pops to Brie yet, so once she was out of the shower, I took mine, and then we went downstairs and waited for them to wake up.
They fell in love with her instantly. She has that effect on people. They wanted to hear some stories about me. She chose to make them all embarrassing, of course. Seeing her with them made my heart happy. It gave me hope for when my parents visit. I know that conversation will be much more emotionally-filled, but it still gives me hope. I saw Lincoln returning to his cottage through the back window.
I excused myself and went to apologize. I knocked. Lincoln opened the door quickly, and I word-vomited my apology.
