I turn around to face my little brother.
“What are you doing here?” I question while taking a sip of my coffee.
He’s dressed casually in gray joggers and a white T-shirt. His long dark hair is styled in a messy, disheveled way that he swears is his fiancée’s favorite look on him. His green eyes are so unlike mine yet so similar at the same time. It’s the expression in them. Someone once told me my eyes look haunted, while Matthew’s look alive.
Matthew is like a golden retriever. I’m a vampire. The same person who described our eyes was also more than happy to provide me with that depiction.
“I can’t come to see my big bro?”
“You should be busy with wedding preparations,” I state, turning around and heading up the stairs. He follows, of course.
“I am busy, but Mom told me to check up on you. With good reason, I can see. What did that poor girl do to you?”
“She broke a glass and woke me up.”
“Don’t you think you’re to blame for buying a house that echoes so terribly?”
I turn and glare at him. He rolls his eyes.
“Alright, fine. I get that she broke something and woke you up but it was an accident. Couldn’t you have scolded her in a nicer way?”
“What’s the point of scolding if it’s done nicely?” I retort.
Matt chuckles. “You don’t even want to try to be a nice guy.”
I shrug. “It’s not really my thing.”
We enter my room and Matt immediately lies on the bed. The dark circles under his eyes suggest he’s not sleeping well. It might just be due to stress, though.
“Christine’s back in Arcola,” I find myself saying.
I’m not sure why I’m telling him. I guess it’s a warning or something.
“I know,” Matt says simply.
“And you don’t care?” I question.
“Of course I care. I haven’t seen her in so long. I kind of miss her. I still don’t know why she decided to cut off all contact,” he says a little sadly.
“You’re not still in love with her, are you?” I ask.
“Come on, dude. I’m getting married. That’s not even a question you should be asking.”
“And that’s not an answer, Matthew. You’re not still in love with her, are you?” I repeat.
He sighs.
“I haven’t been in love with Christine in a long time. She was my first love and my best friend, but I’m over that. I’m over her, obviously.”
“Good,” is all I say.
I know one thing for sure. Christine Lawson’s reappearance in our lives is going to change things. It’s inevitable. She’s like a force. It doesn’t matter what she does, she always makes sure to leave her mark. I can only hope our next meeting doesn’t have devastating consequences.
CHAPTER3
CHRISTINE
Matthew Crane is getting married.