Intertwined

Ten

Houston

I have never been good at being in a relationship - or talking to girls. I always ended up saying the wrong thing, and every time Cassidy and I were on the same page, I would mess it all up by saying the wrong things at the wrong moment.

I woke up in my own bed, with the only thing I remembered was sitting at a booth in a bar and Cassidy was by my side. Yesterday, we talked for ages about everything, sharing secrets that I never imagined I would be sharing with anyone else. But she was gone - and I was alone, always alone.

Finally, I sat up in bed the grogginess from sleeping nearly overtaking me, and I had a phone number opened on my phone. The one person I always looked to for relationship advice, I could not call at this point. He betrayed me, except I kept looking to him for advice.

The phone rang a couple of times, and finally, someone picked up the phone on the third ring. My brother exclaimed excitement in his voice, "What a surprise, I thought you weren't talking to me."

"I'm considering hanging up," I replied, keeping my voice as stagnant and unemotional as I can. "I don't need your help, anyway."

"What help?" Dallas immediately asked, and I sensed his eagerness to know everything. "Is it legal help? Who should I fight?"

I said blankly, "I didn't fight anyone this time."

"Is it a girl?" Dallas finally asked, and immediately I tensed up at the possibility that somehow he knew about her. Maybe I did love Cassidy, I wasn't entirely sure.

All I did know was that I would do anything for Cassidy, even if meant keeping my feelings a secret from my crazy family.

"It is a girl," Dallas stated with finality, as I rolled my eyes. "That's why you're calling me? You need my help."

"I don't need your help."

"Okay, I'll hang up now."

In that instance, I was finally being honest with myself, admitting my feelings for her. I exclaimed, "I do need your help."

I imagined the evil grin that crossed my brother's face, once I did admit my defeat. I continued explaining my situation, "There's this girl that I met, but she's younger than me and her brother is my friend."

"Sounds like a lot of excuses," Dallas said casually, interrupting me midway. "What's her name?"

"Cas- Anita Beckett," I lied, almost confessing the one thing I never wanted Dallas to know. "Besides, I truly love her. She makes me feel like the only person in the world, and that everything will be alright. Any time I end up with C- Anita Beckett, she makes time feel neverending and that somehow, I'll be okay."

"You really like her?" Dallas questioned, waiting a few moments. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"No, I obviously haven't," I replied sarcastically, my voice was more unemotional than ever. "I've been waiting for just the right moment to talk to her."

There were a few moments of silence, as I instantly regretted every last word I said. I should've kept everything to myself because every word I uttered was a mistake from the get-go. Feelings were never meant to be talked about.

"Is this Houston talking about feelings?" Dallas questioned, as my finger hovered over the button to end the call. "Who is this, and what did you do with my brother?"

I replied plainly, tired of his jokes, "How surprising, I have feelings. I totally haven't felt feelings since I was fourteen."

"It's an honest question," Dallas replied defensively, as I rolled my eyes at his questions. "Just talk to her. Or if you want to get rid of those feelings, bang one out of your system. Can't be that hard?"