Living In The Past

What's your story ?

Anxiety was still torturing me about that ring when I heard a knock at the door. I quickly got up and opened it.

"Hey, I hope I didn't wake you up, but your phone has been ringing for at least fifteen minutes non stop" Ash explained.

'If he knew !' I told myself. But of course, I wasn't going to bring up the subject.
I took my phone and immediatly panicked when I saw William on the screen.

"Shit ! I have to go !" I said out loud before answering the call.

"God Adam where the hell are you ?! And don't lie to me ! I know you're not in your apartment" My brother screamed.

"Hum I slept with a friend last night. Wait, are you in my apartment ?!"

"Yes ! Since I always have to wait for you, I decided to make a spare key. You better come back real quick, I was worried sick !"

I was so annoyed that I hung up on him.

"I'm sorry, I really need to get going. I'll call you later. Thanks for everything" I quickly told Ash while dressing up.

I ran out of his apartment, and ran in the busy streets of NYC.
Twenty minutes later, I was in front of my building, completely out of breath.
I barged in my apartment, only to meet a furious brother.

"Seriously Adam ?! Mrs. Knight called me to tell me you didn't see her yesterday ! What's happening ?" He screamed as soon as he saw me.

"Oh please stop ! You couldn't be more intrusive ! I was with a friend and you're not my father !" I yelled back, furious.

"You don't have friends ! I've been worried about you for a year now ! You think it's easy for me to handle a depressed brother ?!"

"Who asked you to 'handle me' ?!" I said, insisting on 'handle me'.

"Come on, it's natural for a big brother to care about his sibling !"

"We never been brothers ! And all of a sudden, you're omnipresent ! You even made a spare key of MY apartment" I yelled.

"Excuse me ?! you would have been alone, all by yourself, for an entire year if I hadn't been there !"

"Great ! You want a medal ? I never asked you anything, now get out and never come back !"

I saw pain on his face after what I said, and guilt sprang into my mind.
He didn't reply, and exited silently, not even sparing me a glance.
I felt so bad. I knew I was unfair, but it was getting out of control.

.....

Three weeks went by since the argument with my brother, and none of us tried to contact the other. Ash was surprising me almost everyday, being a romantic gentleman and inviting me for dinner, movies, band concert. I felt so good with him, but knew something was missing.

"Hey ? Earth to Adam !" Jess exclaimed.

My thoughts evaporated when I realised I was at work on that Saturday.

"Ash is weird" I blurted out without thinking.

I immediatly regretted telling it to her, but couldn't keep it for myself either. And she was my only friend.

"Why do you say that ? Aren't you enjoying your dates with him ?"

"I do, I really do. He's perfect, nice, protective"