You Want Brothers? Take. That. Back.

He's Home

"Ella?" He mocks, grinning at my gaping expression. What. The fuck. Is happening.

I just stare up at him unable to speak, this was the last thing on my mind but somehow his timing was perfect. Standing up from his kneeling position beside me he bends down, kissing the top of my head, before gently grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the car. 

"What did you expect? For me to never come back home? You'd miss me too much baby." He smirks pulling my limp body into a standing position straight into his chest. I rest my head slightly above Brandon's stomach while he wraps my body with one arm and soothingly runs his fingers through my hair with the other. 

"Are you just going to be silent, or do you want to talk?" He questions gently, aware of my fragile state.

"I missed you so much you don't even know." I whimper, returning his hug by wrapping both my arms around his torso. My voice was hoarse from crying so hard not even five minutes ago.

"Aw Ellie I missed you more, but I'm not leaving any time soon before you go all emotional on me again." He says quickly.

"You're not? What happened?" I question, not forgetting how excited he was before he left.

"I'll tell you everything along with the conversation we need to have about tonight once you're ready to go inside." He says and I can feel his eyes now on the top of my head looking down at me as he says this. 

Choosing to ignore this I quietly interject, "Justin was such a jerk, you should be on my side for this."

"Funny, that's what Evan said. I thought this was going to be a pleasant surprise but you guys are exactly how I left you huh?" He teases, taking his hand out of my hair and lifting my chin up to make eye contact. 

"This is a pleasant surprise, they're just so dramatic for no reason." I protest, scrunching my eyebrows together.

"Okay miss 'I don't want to get out of the car'." he teases, referring to earlier.

My head snaps back up and I glare at him playfully. I knew he was joking but I wasn't ready for the teasing.

"Too soon?" He asked, smirking down at me.

I nodded before sighing contemptibly. Finally someone to back me up. He better back me up at least.  

He hugs me tighter, allowing me to close my eyes and appreciate the silence followed by his soft heart beat. We stay there for a few seconds before my head pops back up again, "hey, would if we ran away?" The look he gives me is enough to justify my bold idea, "No okay not run away, but like would if we drive to a 24-hour restaurant and then just don't come back home?"

"That's the most ridiculous idea you've come up with. If you're so scared to go inside why did you run away in the first place?" He asks, genuinely concerned for my thinking at the time.

"I don't know, I'm not scared, I just know they're going to be so obnoxious about everything and I'm sick of being told what is right for me. Especially from a bunch of males. It's honestly pathetic that they don't have anything better to do.."

"I get that, but I'm here to hear both sides and come up with a rational fix, so let's go inside before they send the devil to get us."

 I laugh at his reference to Evan because at this point we can agree he's everyone's least favorite.

"I made you laugh! That's progress." He smirks ruffling my hair as we approach the door.

Digging into his side, his left arm wrapped protectively around me, I watch as he twists the handle.