“I know didn’t make any fucking sense to me then either, but…” he trails off as if he doesn’t want to finish.
“But what?”
“Like it was you, but you looked more like Caroline.”
“What?” I’m laughing.
“Fuck, not like it was your mom. I knew it was you, but it was like… ugh…” he groans out before he’s moving out of the tub, frustrated with himself.
Not being able to stop myself from giggling, I get out of the water, wrapping a towel around myself, and following him.
The door to the bedroom is wide open, and he’s nowhere inside it. Walking down the hall, I see him in the kitchen as he stands with the whiskey bottle in his hands.
“I get it.” I call out to him, causing him to stop, turn, and look at me. “You meant it’s because I’ve always looked so much like her, you could imagine what I would look like when I’m older.”
I watch as his tension releases.
“And maybe you still felt a little conflicted because there’s a little age difference?”
A slow nod responds.
“And even though I was in college and was technically an adult, you still thought of me as your friend’s little sister.”
Another nod.
“You felt ambivalent thinking about your friend’s little sister even at 19, 20 as an adult, so you saw me as an older version?”
“Yeah,” comes out in a whisper.
“And?”
“And what?” he asks as I move around the counter, moving closer to him.
“…and how do I compare to your perceived potential?”
“I was close.” He whispers as I continue to move closer.
“Close?”
“Yeah, Sketch, you consistently surprise me.”
It brings a smirk to my face as the distance narrows.
“You’ve exceeded any dream I could’ve ever had.” He smirks. “Maybe that’s why growing up, I was adamant about how I hated you. Because somewhere deep down I knew if I let you near me, you’d consume me. I knew where it would end.”
“Where’s that?”
“Where I’m doing way worse things than dealing with a bit of blood.”
“I thought you said you wouldn’t say it.”
“I’ve never said it,” he grins.
I laugh as I shake my head. “You know, I feel like I need to repay you.” Biting my lip.
“Repay me.”
Slowly, I just nod my head.
