clashed dates

"Henryk?" I call out the moment I'm at home. The place is dark, and I don't think anyone's home. I head straight to my room, double checking on the way if Henryk is in his room. He didn't tell me he was going out, and something about it just makes feel upset.

Maybe he left me a letter?

I walk up to my room door and sure enough, a note is pasted on my door. It says:

~Be back soon, out with An.~

Love, Henryk;)

Shorter than ever. I feel this sudden pang of jealousy. I have to share Henryk with Anna now and there's nothing I can do about it. I can't cling to Henryk all the time, others need him too.

Sigh... I lie on my bed for what seemed like ages and eventually doze off.

"You can tell me anything! Emma, I'm your sister, I can help you!"

"Nothing happened... There's nothing you can help with." I replied Gemma softly.

"Then why do you not wanna go out with Henryk? He's your brother, it's o—"

I yelled back at her before she could finish her sentence and I know that I felt guilty, "No, it's not! I don't want to go out with Henryk!" That was when Henryk appeared at the door.

He gazed at me sadly and told Gemma, "It's okay if she won't go." That's all. Then, he turned and left.

"If you won't appreciate family, then you can't be in it."

Gemma ducked her head in disappointmentand that is the last I hear before I wake up, panting in my bed. Beads of sweat rolling down my face and mixes with my tears as it falls on my sheets. I sob, my shoulders trembling from the weight of grief.

After a while, my phone beeps continuously at my bedside and I eventually pick it up to read the messages. I see one from Henryk and many from an unknown number.

HENRYK: Sky? U home yet?

ME: yep

HENRYK: Good... I'll be back late, sorry.

UNKNOWN: Hey, Alex here, got your number from Kiley.

UNKNOWN: Call me back ASAP if you're Skyla 😏

UNKNOWN: Yo, you there?

I tap on the call button and Alex picks up almost immediately. "Hey." I say into the receiver.

"Wow, did you just wake up? You sound worn out."

"Yes... And no, I'm fine."

"Good, I was thinking if you wanna join us for a group date?"

"Who is the 'us' and what's a group date?" I raise my eyebrows and wait eagerly for his reply. This is the first time I'm going out with someone. I'm pretty sure Henryk wouldn't mind, but would I? I always feel like something is off.

"Us will be Ivy and Tanya taking Max and Ben, Kiley-Riley, Mason-Axel and presumably me and you," I can literally hear a smirk coming from him and he continues, "So? I'll pick you in half an hour, how's that?"

"Fine." I reply simply, my brain is clogged, I'm not thinking straight.

"Great." He hangs up and I literally jump out of bed. I dig my closet for something to wear.

Eventually, I stuck to tight jeans and a cropped top. My make up is plain simple, and I grab only my phone and wallet.

Sure enough, Alex is waiting for me outside and I meet him at the sidewalk. He nods at my house, "No one home?"

"They're out." I plaster a smile on my face as he guides me to his car. "Where are we going?" I ask when we are in his car.

"Back to school." He smiles and when I don't reply, he drives. "Is your house usually this quiet? Is that why you're so quiet?" He breaks the silence.

"Maybe... but sometimes my brother will be at home, he went out with his friends today." I don't add that my sister would've been home too, if it wasn't for me. Neither do I answer his second question.

"Oh. My house has five girls. My sisters and my mother. My mother literally acts like she's seventeen." I'm glad he completely forget his second question but it stung my heart when I hear 'five girls'.

"I used to have a sister." The words come out spontaneously and I cover my mouth with my hands.

Oh no...!

"Oh. She migrated?"

"No." I gulp and close my eyes for a few seconds.

"She became a boy?"

"That is almost funny." I tell him and manage a smile, while he laughs out loud.

"If it isn't, then?" He looks over but my eyes don't meet his, I can't let him see the pain.

"I don't wanna talk about it." I look out of the window.

"Oh." The realization hits him and he slams his mouth shut. "Sorry." And I don't reply.

"We're here!" He smiles at me and gets out of the car. I follow, slower, after I open the door he's already outside my door to help me out. His hand slips around my waist and we walk in together. As a couple.

He knocks at what I assume, is Kiley's dorm. "Knock knock! 'A' and 'S' reporting for duty!" Alex yells and I giggle softly.

"You do know A plus S equals..." I start and we finish the sentence together with an, "Ass." Then we laugh like we've been friends since ages. I smile just as Kiley opens the door and beams at us, "Look who's getting along!" I roll my eyes at her.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself." I tell Kiley once Alex is out of earshot.

"So... what have you all been up to?" Alex asks, slouching back on his seat. He crosses his leg on Kiley's table, earning a slap from her. I stand awkwardly at the door and am so grateful when Alex pats on his lap, signaling for me to sit there, but I reject his offer and sit on the ground beside him. Moments later, he joins me.

I scan the room and notice that everyone but Mason is here. "We are playing this song game that Riley learnt from God knows where." Kiley laughs.

"I learnt it from Johnny!" Riley slaps Kiley on the leg and Ivy pipes in, "Don't mind Riley, she has lots of daydream boyfriends."

Riley ignores her and explains the game to me and Alex, "Alright, it's simple. Axel will give the four date groups a word, because he is the only one without a partner."

"Not my fault!" Axel complains and we laugh.

"Yes... we know. Then, the first group to sing the lyrics of a song with that word gets a point." I catch Riley sharing a wink with Kiley.

"Alright, Ax, what's first? I'm heated up!" Alex turns his game mode on and I smile.

"Adrenaline."

Riley and Kiley squeals a song from 'Why don't we', "I can feel the rush of adrenaline

I'm not scared to jump if you want to. Let's just fall in love for the hell of it."

Ivy pops in with the high notes, "Maybe we'll just keep falling." Everyone cheers and she flicks her hair just as Max kisses her.

"Adelaide." Axel continues.

This time most of us sings along, "Adelaide, wish I didn't I think about you every day, and I know that you're with him just to get to me, and it gets to me. Every time I hear him say, Adelaide. Don't pretend you're happy like you wanna stay. When your arms are around him do you wish it's me? Do you picture me? Every time you hear him say. Adelaide!"

Everyone collapses in laughter as Riley exclaims, "Johnny Orlando is the best!"

"This is too easy!" Tanya teases Axel and he pouts his lips.

"Big." Axel gives another word. Everyone including me stares at him and Ben chokes.

"You mean like big d?" Ben clears his throat and everyone chokes with laughter.

"Damn it! Fine then, how about 'high'?"

"Watermelon sugar, high!" The twins scream before we even get a chance to say anything. "Damn, we are so good..." They say together.

"Young."

"Riding my bike like I'm too young to drive, careless and free like it's two thousand five." I start and stop when everyone stares at me, impressed. They beam and continues the song for me, "Had to chill the fuck out, take a trip outside. To have fun with my friends like I'm young and alive!"

"Whoo! Point to Sky." Axel grins and I smile back as Alex snakes his hand around my waist and pulls me nearer to him. I start to grow tense, the memories play through my head, slamming over and over again. My hands grow clammy and my lips turn dry. This is giving me a major headache and I thank God when Mason knocks on the door. Alex stands and opens the door for Mason. "Bout time." Axel whines.

"Missed me?" Mason grins cockily but the smile knocks off his face when he sees me, and 'Sometimes' is playing in my head.