Brother

Michael does as I say, parking just off main street so we’ll have to walk to the oval. The whole area is already starting to get crowded and we weave through the traffic with ease as everyone lines up to get into the designated parking area.

“Good call.” He points out as we get there stress free.

“Told ya!”

His hand is still firmly around mine, and Michael takes the lead as we join the bulk of the mob. The mood is light, happy and catching his eye, that easy smile looks good on his face. Better than the smugness I just want to claw off, or that serious blank look that makes him look older, and scarier than I think he wants or intends to be.

Tonight, I want to pretend there are no werewolves, or packs and the unexplained stuff happening to me. By agreeing to give Michael a chance, I figure I owe him that much. The only thing we need to avoid tonight is my family. Putting everything to the back of my mind, it’s kind freeing to suddenly let go and I haven’t felt like this for some time now. I don’t even have to ask to know Michael feels the same.

Those thoughts last until we cross the oval and head toward the row of amusement rides that had been set up for tonight only. The more I began to think over about how easy it had been to just switch off, everything felt surreal. It was like staring through a glass wall, waiting for it crack and explode dangerously all around me. If Michael noticed my change in mood, he didn’t let it show, guiding me towards a ferris wheel at the end of the strip. He got us tickets and as the sun started its descent, we began to rise up towards the sky in a rickety, slightly rusty wire carriage.

“So, spill. Why are you back to ice queen?” I stopped looking down at the ground below us and turned to him.

Sure enough, there was enough space for a third person between us and being trapped up here, with him, didn’t seem like such a great idea now.

“Afraid of heights?” It wasn’t the first time I’d used that lie and just like before, he didn’t buy it. “This was too easy.”

“What was?” He made no move to close the distance, and I was thankful of that.

“Going out with you. How can we just act like there is nothing wrong with us?”

“You can’t use the werewolf thing, because Danny is actually pretty happy now and I’ll take care of the rest of it. So, what is wrong, with us?” Michael crosses his arms and as he leans back, the carriage rocks a little too much for my liking.

“You’re like four years older than me!”

“So? You’re mature for your age and there are much worse age gaps.”

“You’ve been to jail!” I remind him.

“True, but all charges were dropped. If you weren’t told, you’d never know or be able to find out because Scott has his ways regarding certain things.”

I tried to think up as many flaws as I could, but he had an answer for everything. He must have got us extra time, as we didn’t get off when we should have and as new passengers got on, we were left sitting at the top. The ocean was in the distance, with the sky a mixture of violet and pink. The sun was nothing more than a giant fiery ball, darkening from a bright orange to a ruby red as it sunk below the horizon. There was a breeze up here, and closing my eyes, it played with my hair and cooled me down, despite not even realising how warm it had become.

“Are you done?” Michael asked as I went quiet.

“Yeah.” I sighed, opening my eyes again.

“Good.” He moved in the same second he pulled me towards him and meeting in the middle, his arm went around my shoulders. “Now, lets enjoy the sunset, cause this is me trying to be romantic.”

“Trying?”

“It’s been a while for me too Bright Eyes!”

We went quiet, and looking at my hand in his, it didn’t actually feel strange. When he wasn’t being a jerk, I could almost like him, like when we walked together and when he came to help me with Danny. His moods seem to go like mine currently did. Up, down - all around. When it was just us though, and we could just relax like this, it left a warm feeling inside. If he said everything was going to turn out okay right now, I’d believe him.

“Michael?” I asked.

“Yeah?”

“What the hell is going on with me?”

“How do you mean?” He asked cautiously.

“How do you think?” I looked up at him. “Seriously, my moods are all over the place, and my thoughts! Then that episode on the stairs, and am I really turning into one of you?”

“Honestly, I did wonder because of how Danny reacts to you. Then there is what happened with Ben. Dad hasn’t heard of anything like this happening before. There is a ritual that needs to be done to start the process of changing, but you haven’t done it. That night Danny changed, you felt that. I know you did, and things like that shouldn’t happen, just like what happened on the stairs.”

“I actually hate you, like nearly all of the time. When you were at my house the other day, I wanted to kick you out. I even said to Rach, I wanted you out of my territory. Who says stuff like that?” I confessed.

He actually laughed. “A pissed off she-wolf. What about now?”

“See, this is what I’m talking about. I actually feel, happy. More relaxed than I have in a long time!”

“Happy wolf. Happy human. I don’t know is happening, but you can’t deny something is.”

“But what does that mean?”

“Like Danny wanted you away from me, that morning after he changed. He was like a dog with a new toy, it was his and no one else could touch it. That should have been another sign something wasn’t right with you, because you were the one to calm him down. Not me. You’re just as protective of him, because he’s your pack. Me and mine - we’re intruders and you didn’t give us permission to be there.”

I just nodded, letting him continue. Some of this of kind of thought already, especially when Danny explained my sleeping issue.

“Thing is, we’re with Danny and that annoys the shit out of you, hence why, you hate me. You don’t really, if you did, this wouldn’t be happening. If I even touched you, I’d probably have a bruise somewhere around here.” He pointed at his eye. “You know that Danny needs us. You let me in to help him, and you let me help you. It’s give and take. I gave you some space, respected your ’boundaries’, and since we’ve called truce, here we are!”

Was it really that simple? Was a part of me turning into one of them - so much so it was already changing who I was and how I thought?

“I’m not the type of person to be a pack leader though. I hated being chosen as captain in school sports, I follow the plans of my friends, Rach would be our leader. Danny is too! Jake and those guys all follow him around!”

“Werewolf or not, some people are born leaders. Just because they might be outspoken and controlling, or act as a bully, but only around those who are weaker than they are and - you know what? Lets try it this way. If your friends have a problem, do they go to Rach, or do they go to you?”

“Me, her advice is terrible and she usually speaks before she thinks. Like Danny a bit.” I tell him.

“And whatever is happening with Danny; he goes to you to fix things right?”

“Yeah, because he seems to think our parents are the enemy, like all authority. That’s before any of this happened though?” So explain that!

“Well, Danny’s issues with his parents, are something else entirely. He is still a teenage boy, and clearly you two are close enough for him not to include you in what ever that’s about.” Michael shrugged. “Look, from what I know about you, you always put others before yourself. You’re patient, and your strengths run deeper than you know. Being a leader isn’t about who is the most dominant or can talk the best bullshit, it’s about being the one they can trust and rely on.”

The sun finally disappeared as we dropped back towards the earth, and got off the ride. It was weird hearing him tell me this. I had some of my own thoughts about certain aspects, but was he right? I didn’t feel like a leader, especially lately when all I really wanted to do was block out everyone and hide under the blankets in my bed. So I told him that too.

“All this change is happening, school, Danny, life; it’s full on. If you didn’t feel out of your depth, I wouldn’t believe you. I still feel like I’m drowning most days. I know it sounds like I’m a forty year old guidance counselor, but remember you have people around to help you and all this will work itself out.”

“And if it doesn’t? What if Scott decides Danny has to die or your brother rebels, cause I know he isn’t happy about Jake and I not being turned?” I start to feel cold with that thought and we stop walking.

“I told you, I am taking care of everything. Don’t even think about Scott and Joe is no threat. Trust me!”

It was easier said than done. How could I ever really trust him?

“So, dinner?” Michael once again had my hand in his and with a nod, we started to walk to those over priced food vans for something fried and greasy.

Then it was his turn to start with the questions. “Are you scared of me?”

“Sometimes.” I answer honestly, and his shoulders instantly straightened; a subtle sign of his dislike of my answer. “Well, I was, until I started to understand a little more.”

Okay.” Was all he said, his steps evening out from practically stomping to something that was more like gliding. “I will fix this Sarah. Whether you trust me or not, Danny changing wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened.”

I really wanted to believe him and I could tell he did. He said he felt like he was drowning sometimes too, so who was there to help him?

We get our food and go to find a place to sit. As Michael heads in the direction I know Mum and Dad always end up, I steer him the other way. When we stop, I’m expecting him to be beside me, but instead he sits in front of me. The box of hot chips and cans of drink are put down between us and the last few sound checks are being done as event staff covered in glow sticks and santa hats start to wander through the crowd trying to sell their goods.

Silence takes over as we eat our hot-dogs, until I decide to try and make things even more awkward than what they had just been.. “Why me?”

“Why you what?”

“Why did you ask me out?”

“Well, I couldn’t see you doing it anytime soon, so thought I’d get things moving.” He shrugged.

“But why would you want to in the first place?”

Michael finished eating his hot dog, and I hadn’t got through a quarter of mine yet.

“Do you believe in the law of threes?”

“Ah, no? Maybe? What’s that?”

“Things happen in threes. Bad or good luck, like, if your car breaks down, then you lose your job, you’d wonder what would happen next; cause of the three thing?”

“Oh yeah. Nanna goes on about it all the time.”

“Good. Well, I believe in that. My Mum did too, so I guess it stuck with me from her. Anyway, we hadn’t been here long and I was still recovering from a few, injuries; I was in the grocery store and the guy handed me like ten bucks in small change. One hand was all bandaged, and I couldn’t move or bend it to catch the change as he handed it to me.”

“I helped you pick it up.” I finished for him.

“Yeah, you did. A week or two later, you actually got me a coffee cause I only had card, not cash. Once again, this beautiful girl, with the brightest eyes, came to my rescue. People don’t help me of their own free will like that, and not ask anything in return. I know it’s part of your, country hospitality, and you’re just a nice person, but you stuck with me after that. Twice I’d run into you when I’d been having bad luck and you’d saved me.”

I thought over the third time we crossed paths, if anything he had been the one helping me then.

Had I missed something else?

“And the third?”

“I wasn’t following you by the way, but I thought I’d try surfing, realised I chose the wrong spot so just went for a swim. I saw you coming a mile away, so when your headband slipped off, I had it instantly. I felt so stupid walking over to you, and you didn’t even recognize me. The whole time I was angry with myself for getting my hopes up.”

He paused, before running his hand through his hair. “Right after you left, my brothers came over and told me who you are. After that second time, I’d asked a couple of the right questions to the shop owners and from that morning on, you weren’t just Sarah Attwell, the smart girl who just the mention of would make any of the oldies around town smile, or the girl with the big blue eyes, you were our newest recruits sister!”

“How did you not know I was Danny’s twin if you’d asked about me?”

“No one mentioned him. If I asked about someone called Danny, cause my useless brothers didn’t get his surname, people stopped talking. They also thought your name was Sally and that you and your brother weren’t close, so they really fucked that up.” Michael sighed.

“I didn’t rescue you from anything that time though, so maybe your three plan is flawed?” I pointed out.

“Not quite. Finding out who you actually were was the bad, and you didn’t rescue me again, but you did bring a positive into my life!” He smirked.

“What did I do?” Now I was actually confused.

“It took a while actually, and I kept trying to screw it up, scare you off and was constantly telling myself you were just another girl I shouldn’t bother with, but here we are. You gave me a chance, even after all the shit that’s happened, you’re still here.”

Michael had a point.

“So Bright Eyes, my turn!” He took a sip of his drink, waiting for me to talk.

“Your turn?”

“Why did you agree to come out with me?”

“I don’t want to sit with my family and all my friends were busy. Someone had to come with tonight, and buy me dinner!” I answered casually, moving slightly so I was looking at the stage better.

Other people started to appear around us now, so that killed the werewolf talk and glancing at Michael, he was watching me with that intense look he had perfected. It left him the second we made eye contact and with a tiny grunt of effort, he pushed himself up to move beside me.

“Why do you keep lying to me?” He whispered into my ear.

I didn’t realise he hadn’t moved back as I turned to look at him, so we were practically nose to nose. Michael made the first move, leaning in closer. I wasn’t sure his lips were even touching mine as he paused. A second dragged on too long as we both hesitated, but neither of us moved away. So I made the decision to kiss him.

My eyes closed, my lips parted and suddenly we were kissing, again. It wasn’t like the first time; shock and heat had been replaced by something else only I wasn’t sure what that was just yet. My confidence grew with one of my hands taking on a life of it’s own and it snaked up the toned, firm flesh of his arm and followed the groove of his shoulder to twist through the bits of hair that hung against his neck.

Instinctively I inched closer only to then have him pull away. That confidence was left shattered around us as I shrunk back into my own little space. My cheeks burned, nearly as much as my lips; had I read the signs wrong?

I couldn’t look at him, even daring to shuffle forward a little to put more distance between us, only then I suddenly felt him behind me. Instantly I went to squirm away, but his legs were either side of me and his arms knotted around my waist.

“What are you doing?” I snapped, completely confused as to what was going on.

“I don’t want to be known as the guy who corrupted sweet, innocent Sarah Attwell, with a very obvious PDA at the Christmas Show and ssh, it’s about to start.” Michael mumbled, his chin resting on my shoulder.

There was something different about having him so close, different to what just happened on the ferris wheel. It was kind of like when he’d held me at the grocery store. I felt protected. Safe. Wanted - things I didn’t know a guy, let alone Michael could make me feel.

Despite the weather, there wasn’t anything uncomfortable about being so close to another person, and the temptation to snuggle closer against him was there. Sure enough, the stage lights started having a green and red fit as the curtain lifted. The choir on stage erupted with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and all around kids bounced up and away from parents to dance, while the rest of us clapped in time to the tune. I’m no expert, but as far as first dates go, I think it could be a lot worse.

Half way through, Santa made an appearance and judging from the cries, screams and hysterical meltdowns from the kids around us, I can’t help compare it to what it would have been like at a Beatles concert back in the day. As anyone under ten ran up to the stage to see the fat man in a red suit, that was not designed for the Australian summer, I could tell Michael was getting restless.

“So, how much longer does this usually go for?” He asked, trying to hide how over it he was.

During the last couple of songs he’d been paying more attention to his watch than any of the entertainment we’d come to see.

“About, half hour, maybe longer if they run over time.” Leaning back onto his shoulder, I tried to hide my amusement. “And they always run over time.”

Michael groaned.

“That bad huh?” I teased.

“What? No! This is, great.” He lied, looking over the crowd, and then back to the stage. “Never been to anything like this before. It’s an experience.”

“A experience you’d rather not have again any time soon?” I tried to act offended.

“Now you’re putting words in my mouth.”

Slipping out from under his arm, I stood up and started to walk towards the back of the mob; to freedom. Michael was shadowing me in a second, completely bewildered as to what was happening. I smiled at a few people as we passed them, wished some others Merry Christmas, and finally as we approached the rides again, Michael found his voice.

“Are you leaving? We don’t have to leave. What’s another half hour?” He rambled panicked.

“You, really, actually, truly, want to stay?” I ask him, arching an eyebrow as I looked him in the eye.

Michael hesitated. “Yes!”

“Why do you keep lying to me?” Throwing his own words back at him, he stopped and looked at me closely before caving. He knew I was joking, the smile that appeared was another sign of that.

“Fine. The first five minutes were okay, but it kept on going and going and then there was that dance thing and there was that baby that wouldn’t stop crying behind us and-” The words came pouring out of him as he confessed how much he had been enjoying it.

“I know, I get it. Come on, let’s get out of here.” I took his hand as he shook his head, and we started to leave.

“Sarah?”

We both stopped as my name was called, and turning to look behind us, Noah was heading our way.

“Oh hey Noah!” I waved.

“Your Nan sent me, I’m sorry.” He apologised, looking at Michael with obvious curiosity.

Behind him was a food van and sure enough Nanna waved at us just before the server passed her over a couple of bottles of something.

“Here I was thinking I’d make a quick getaway!” I laughed. “Oh, Noah, this is Michael, Michael, Noah. He’s my cousin’s fiance.” I introduced.

“And you must be the boyfriend that’s been getting talked about all evening?” Noah teased, extending his hand to shake Michaels.

“No, not my boyfriend!” Then again, with Michael standing behind me with one hand on my waist, it probably looked that way to him.

“Right. You might want to tell her that then.” He whispered, just as Nanna joined us.

“Enjoying the show?” She grinned.

“Oh yeah, it’s great!” I smiled back at her as Michael nodded.

“Going somewhere?” Of course we were; we’d been heading for the exit.

“We were looking for Danny actually.” Michael took over, and this time I nodded along to what he was saying.

“Oh, he’s already gone. Your brothers came by and he and Jake left with them.” Nanna looked over her shoulder, before turning back to me. “Why don’t you just say hi to your Mum, she’ll appreciate it.”

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat as she turned and started back to where my family was. Noah said something to her that had her laughing and I was literally dragging my feet.

“You should really correct her about the boyfriend thing.” Michael whispered.

Opening my mouth to answer, it was quickly shut it as Nanna spoke instead. “Look who I found wandering around!”

Mum smiled, still pouring her wine into a plastic cup, while Dad only looked apologetic. The rest of them barely acknowledged my existence. I wasn’t going to even bother introducing everyone and Deborah stood up to stick herself back at Noah’s side.

“Who’s he?” She pointed at Michael.

“He is Michael.” I snapped, then got an idea. “This is my cousin, Debbie. That one there is, Anna-B!”

I introduced them all in way I knew they’d hate. My Uncle Geoff was too busy on his phone to even notice someone was talking about him and my Aunt was more into the wine than my Mother, which often happened when they had to be around each other.

Michael gave them all a once over, and didn’t look impressed. “Nice to meet you all. We should go if we want to catch up to the others.”

“Good idea!” I quickly agreed.

“Leaving? Already?” Nanna pouted. “Why don’t you take-”

“Yeah, we’re going Nan. See you all tomorrow!” I quickly cut her off. There was no way I was going to take any of them with us and she knew it.

“Have a good night sweet heart!” She sang out sweetly behind us.

“What was his last name?” I heard Noah ask, and Michael tensed; the grip on my hand nearly crushing.

“Blake I think.” Nanna answered, and the rest of the conversation was lost on me as we got too far away.

It took until we got back to the car for Michael to slow down. Something was bothering him and as I went to follow him to the passenger side of the car, I tripped over. He moved quick, steading me by my shoulders before I could fall, yet the most sickening feeling of guilt that hit me made me hold onto him.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, stepping back slightly to look me over.

“I- I- I don’t know.” Yes, I did. “Danny. It’s Danny.”

“What?” Michael let me go as I got out my phone and three times I called him with it ringing out, before it was switched off. “No answer?”

“No. Where would he be with your brothers?” I demanded.

Michael went quiet for a second, and I was position I heard him growl. “Home.”

“Let’s go then.”

I held my stomach as I got into the car, the feeling slowly getting worse. What ever he was doing, wasn’t good and once I found him, I was going to show them all just how much of a pack leader I could be.