5 2.2: Time Perception (2/2)

Jacob violently jerks Aiden's hand off and screws up his face at him. ”I'm not going to school even if the stupid universe stops expanding.”

Aiden looks very displeased with Jacob's stubbornness. ”You don't get it, do you?” He whispers loudly, and I realize that he doesn't want to wake up Mom, and Dad. ”Do you really wanna be another burden on Mom, and Dad? Don't you think they've had enough?”

”Bullshit!” He yells, and Aiden gives him a stern look. ”Why the hell do you fucking care if they wake the fuck up?” He hollers furiously.

”Jake seriously, I've had enough of this. You have to go to school, and-”

”And what, huh?” He scoffs. ”Act normal? Act like my sister didn't just kill herself?” He waves his arm around dramatically as his eyes fill up with tears at a rate I didn't think was possible. ”Are you for real?” His voice breaks.

Aiden clenches his jaws and rests his hands on his younger brother's shoulders with a heavy frown. ”I'm sorry it had to be this way-”

With clenched teeth, and bloodshot, teary eyes, Jacob glares at him. ”You know it could've been different. There could've been other ways. You know.”

Aiden sighs. ”No, Jake. She killed herself. She didn't give herself the chance to explore those ways-”

”Did you just fucking swallow a sewer?” He asks him incredulously. ”Are you aware of how shitty you sound? She's your sister. Our only baby sister. She killed herself. And you know why. We both know-”

I frown at his words and shuffle closer to them.

Aiden runs a hand through his hair. ”It couldn't be only that-”

”Yeah, fucking justify their pathetic actions!”Jacob is on fire that doesn't plan on dying out anytime soon.

'Their', though? 'Their', who?

Aiden's face falls. Of course. He hates it when things get out of control, when things change beyond his comprehension, when he's forced out of his comfort zone. ”You know they couldn't help it-”

”Who they?” Tobias says next to my ears, and I jump away, glaring at him. He shuts up with a sheepish smile and raises surrendering hands. I glance back at my brothers who are still glaring at each other.

”Well, she died!” Jacob enunciated. ”Of course I should've- I should've thought of it this way. That it was only 'natural'. Not their 'fault'.”

Aiden sighs heavily and just shakes his head. ”Are you gonna tell her friends or will I have to be the one to do so?”

I shift, knowing that Tobias is close by (I can literally hear him 'breathe').

Jacob looks down and furrows his brows. ”This is just too difficult.” He sniffs. ”Too fucking difficult.”

”I'll do it then-” Aiden breathes gently, placing his hands on his younger brother's shoulders. ”I'll tell her friends. You needn't worry about it. Her funeral's tomorrow-”

”Tomorrow-?” His voice breaks and tears roll down his cheeks uncontrollably.

”I know-” Aiden sighs heavily. ”It's just so mean. So harsh. But, hey-” He lifts Jacob's chin up. ”We're in this together. Your pain is shared, Jake. Don't be so hard on yourself-”

He moves his head away and straightens up. ”My pain is shared when you admit that they are the reason she's dead. At least one of them-”

”Fine,” Aiden gives in with a sigh. ”They're evil monsters who deserve to die. Happy?”

Jacob narrows his eyes at him, and Aiden chuckles, trying to lighten up the mood. It saddens me.

”I'm serious-” He says, and Jacob tilts his head. ”You just go to school-”

”I'm not going. There's no way I'm going to handle seeing the hallways without her-” He says. ”Her friends are my friends. I can't fucking do it-”

”Okay-” Aiden sighs. ”Don't go. I guess I'll have to hit Joshua up-”

”Oh, no,” I mutter under my breath.

”He broke up with her, dude-” Jacob says, making a face.

”Judas ditched you?” Tobias says, and I ignore him.

”Well, he can spread the message-” Aiden says.

”He's an asshole. Just text Sierra or Mason-” Jacob dictates, and I almost cheer for him.

”Sierra, I'll -uh- call her,” Aiden mutters, shaking his head.

”Don't get too worked up about it,” Jacob says bitterly. ”Half of them won't even care enough.”

Aiden sighs, and I wonder why my death saddens him so much. We were never that close.

Aiden is about to pull Jacob for a hug when Jacob shakes his head and backs off.

”Jake-”

”I just need some time-” He tells Aiden, his ocean eyes overflow with a fresh batch of tears. ”I don't want to talk to anyone-”

I frown and bite down on my lip.

”But, Mom, and Dad-” Aiden starts.

”Especially them-” Jacob snaps sharply, his eyes falling on Aiden's muddy ones. ”They should avoid me.”

Aiden and I look helplessly at him as Tobias whistles lowly beside me. Jacob sounded so hostile, it worries me. Why is he being so his bitter with my parents? He is literally their sweetheart because he is the youngest.

Jacob scoffs at what I guess is Aiden's displeased facial expression, shakes his head, and walks by him, nudging him in the shoulder purposefully. I watch his back walk away from us, watch him run his slender, pale fingers in his soft, golden curls, and my lips frown.

When Jacob disappears up the stairs, I turn to Aiden who has his hands caught in his hair, and who is looking after Jacob as well.

”Jacob loves you a lot,” Tobias remarks from beside me. ”Why would you kill yourself?”

I turn to Tobias who looks curious and scowl. ”None of your business.”

Tobias then shrugs with a ridiculous smirk before I look back at Aiden who stands, hands by his sides now, lost in thought. I watch him curiously, waiting for something to happen. For him to burst into tears or just anything.

All that happens is that his phone buzzes in his pyjama's pocket. He fishes it out, looks at the screen, and picks up with a sigh.

”Hey babe,” is what he says in his deep, rumbling voice. ”Yes-” He says in response to something. Then, with a hand on his hip, and a shaky voice he says, ”Babe, my sister just killed herself.”

And just like that, Tobias puts a hand on my shoulders, and we're pulled back into the 'Darkoom'.