"Our parents both died nine years ago, Nico, I've been her guardian since I turned nineteen. I took over raisin' her when our parents passed away, so she considers me her sister, her ma, and da all wrapped into one. Her memories with them are limited, because she was so young when they passed. She doesn't talk about them at all."
I squeezed my eyes shut when the image of my mother's pale face framed with her dark chocolate-coloured hair flying in the wind as she ran while my tall father chased her around our back garden filled my mind. Branna looked like mam with her heart shaped face and blue eyes while I looked like my dad with his pale white complexion and bright green eyes. That much about them I could remember without seeing their pictures. I didn't know why but I couldn't remember anything but that single memory of my parents messing around in our back garden. I refused to see a therapist when I was younger but one made an educated guess to Branna that the impact and trauma of losing them made my mind completely block them out.
I loved my parents, and my chest hurt when I thought about them which was why I didn't do it often. I thought it was good that I could barely remember them. It made losing them sort of bearable even after all these years. Some people liked talking about their lost loved ones and decorating their house with their pictures but not me and Branna. We acknowledged certain things like their birthdays, their wedding anniversary, and their death anniversary but other than that, we didn't have reminders of them, because it was just easier that way. It hurt less.
I blinked my eyes open when the memory went away and found things were quiet for a moment until Dominic spoke again. "Is that why you have people issues, you won't get close to anyone in school or people in general, because you're afraid you could lose them like you did your parents?"
I widened my eyes; he had hit the nail directly on the head.
"Dominic," Ryder snapped, "show some compassion!"
"I was just asking a question. When our parents were killed you took over the mother and father role like Branna did, but I didn't push everyone away from me because I was afraid they might die. That's a pretty shitty way to live."
Those words hurt me, because they were completely true.
"I want to go home," I said as tears filled my eyes.
"Bronagh," Branna whispered and quickly followed me as I pushed past Ryder and ran for the stairs. I heard Ryder shouting. Then I heard roars from Dominic for me to wait and that he was sorry.
I ignored everyone and everything and ran down the stairs at full speed. It amazed me how I didn't trip and fall to my death, because a couple of times I missed my footing and stumbled a little. I eventually had to slow down though, because there were some people sort of lying on the stairs on the bottom floor, which reminded me of the reason I was here.
The party.
I felt Branna's hand come into mine as she caught up with me and manoeuvred around the sleeping, drunken bodies that littered the bottom floor of the house. I heard a giggle and kissing noises so I turned and watched Damien walk a girl out of the kitchen and towards the hallway to the front door.
"Bronagh!" the girl gasped when her eyes landed on me.
It was Destiny.
Oh, Jesus!
I flicked my eyes between her and Damien; she was shocked while he was grinning at me.
"Babe, just hear me out before you leave-"
"Dominic, leave her alone!"
I blinked when Ryder and Dominic were suddenly in front of me. This caused Destiny's eyes to practically pop out of her head.
"You and Nico?" she gasped, looking at him in his boxers.
I frantically shook my head. She had such a big mouth and would have a rumour spread around school by the end of first period on Monday if I let her think what she was thinking.
"No, no. I'm here with me sister and her boyfriend, Ryder. He is Dominic and Damien's big brother; that's all."
Destiny blew out a breath and looked like she believed me until Dominic got in my face.
"So what was upstairs then? You didn't sleep with your sister last night Bronagh; it was my bed you slept in and I was the person you slept with!"
"Oh, my God! You slept together?" Destiny squeaked, her face twisted in rage. "Seriously?"
Her version of slept was clearly not what mine was.
Damien all but carried her down the hallway and out of the house once Branna lunged for Dominic and Ryder had to restrain her.
"That girl thinks Bronagh slept with you!" she shouted.
Dominic glared at Branna. "She did sleep with me!"
Branna snapped her head to me, so I held up my hands. "He means slept as in the literal term; we literally did just sleep next to each other."
Branna threw her hands up in the air and pointed at Dominic. "I see why she can't stand you. You're a word twistin' little fuck!"
Dominic actually smirked, and it made Branna angrier than she already was. I pushed Dominic in the sitting room/gym room that was littered with drinks and rubbish. I slammed the double doors behind us and swirled around to face him.
"You know Destiny will tell everyone what she saw and heard. Everyone will think we had sex and that I'm with you or somethin'!"
Dominic shrugged. "So?"
I gaped at him. "So it's a lie, none of that is true!"
Dominic stepped towards me. "The being together part could be true."