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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
BARLOW
“Hey.” I look up frommy laptop at the sound of my brother’s voice, watching him slide a jacket over his shoulders as he makes his way into the living room.
“Hey.” I force a smile, feeling about as far from a smiling mood as you can get.
“What are you working on?”
“Just a paper for English.” I blow out a breath. “Where are you off to?” I ask as he gathers his cell phone and wallet off the table, shoving them into the pocket of his jacket.
“I’m meeting Rita for dinner.”
“Oh, okay.”
“You going to be okay?”
“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” I blow it off like his question has no merit.
Who cares if I’m in love with a man who has quite literally fallen off the face of the earth? Six days. That’s how long it’s been since Atlas took off like a bat out of hell from the parking lot of the club. No one has seen him since. He sent Brennon a text the next day saying he had some things to take care of and that’s it. No one has heard from him since. Or at least, not that they’ve told me.
And while, of course, I’m heartbroken that things between us ended, I’m even more torn up over him being M.I.A. I’ve worried myself sick over him. Wondering where he is, if he’s okay, what he’s doing, and worse...who he’s with. The last part has caused me more than a couple sleepless nights.
Brennon rounds the coffee table and takes a seat on the edge, directly in front of me.
“You know if you need to talk to me, you can. About anything.”
Brennon and I have yet to discuss the details of my relationship with Atlas. I think he’d rather not know the specifics and I’d rather not divulge such information. He knows I have feelings for him. We’ve kind of left it at that.
But it would take an idiot not to see that I’m in pain. And Brennon is no idiot. Even if we weren’t twins, I’m sure he would know something is up. I just don’t have the energy to fake it anymore, at least not in front of him.
Work and school are a different story. I’ve done my best to go on like nothing is amiss. Though I will say, it’s easier said than done when I’m forced to stare at the empty chair next to me that Atlas used to inhabit, in not one but two of my classes.
It’s strange how someone I could barely tolerate a few months ago has completely upended my life in a way I never saw coming.
“I know. But really, I’m fine.”
Lie. Lie. Lie. I’m not fine. Not even a little bit. But I don’t want to burden my brother with that. It’s bad enough that I hooked up with his best friend behind his back. I think the poor guy deserves a break from his sister’s drama.
“He’s coming back, Barlow,” he reassures me even though I’ve made zero mention of Atlas over the past couple of days.
“I don’t care.” I huff, turning my gaze back to my computer screen.
Sadness has morphed into anger.
It’s easier to be angry.
“Sure you don’t.” My brother chuckles.
Glad he finds this amusing.
“I don’t. Four more weeks and the nightmare that is living here, no offense, will be over. As far as I’m concerned, he can stay gone until I peace the hell up out of here.”
“Well, I hate to tell you, but that’s not going to happen.” He gives me a look that doesn’t quite sit right with me.
“What do you know?” My stomach bottoms out and a nervous knot finds its way into the base of my throat.
His phone buzzes. He reaches into his pocket, pulling it out before swiping his finger across the screen.
