The light was still on. I did not think we were ready to sleep yet, except maybe for Baron who was turned the other way.
"What do you think might have made mom decide to pack her bags and say she wanted you both to leave?" Lucas wondered.
"You heard her say she had a fight with dad. She probably thought he did not want Katherina on the house anymore." Zach replied him.
"So girlfriend?" He called.
"Yes, boyfriend?" I turned toward his direction.
"Can I ask a personal question?"
I could already guess what he wanted to ask, I sighed. But the problem was the kind of reply I was supposed to give him? What could I possibly say to him? He would not understand. My hand went to the bracelet on my wrist and toyed with idly.
"Ask." I simply said. That scenario that had taken place in school played in my mind, it was as though I was watching a movie. A movie of my own life. A section of my life that was quite embarrassing. That had been humiliating but for some very peculiar reason, the Salvatore boys had not found strange or even tried to stay away from me more.
"What happened to your wolf?"
"How can you ask her that, Luke?" Trenton admonished.
"It's okay, Trent." I smiled at him.
"You're sure?" I was beginning to see him in a new light, and it shone brighter. I liked him before, even though he was not talking to me. Even though he kept to himself mostly and exhibited this dark personality, I had liked him. Even now, looking at him, there was still something dark about him, not in a negative way but one that ensured his privacy.
"Yes, I'm sure." He was a boy that deserved all the love he could get. He had seen the worst and I used to think mine was the worst that could happen to anyone but here he was. A living proof that there were worse scenarios and events. I had mom at least to help me through it. But he had no one. In fact, his own mom had done worse. He had gone through the stages of life being closed off.
That had been the only way to protect himself from further hurt, building a wall around him, letting no one in. I did not even think he allowed his brothers too much access to him also. He was wary, probably had thought that they could also decide to chase him out of their fold one day but even I knew, it was not going to happen.
The boys might be everything and anything but they certainly were not the kind to deny or expose anyone they saw as family to harm. They might had done that to me but I could in a way understand. Though it had hurt that they could not trust me, I had accepted it somewhere along the line that they probably were still getting used to me and had acted irrationally in that state of what they had termed anger, betrayal and disappointment.
All that was gone. I had forgiven them, I was cool with them. We were all in this room together, and even though Aaron and Baron would not think so, we were here as a family.
"Alright." He went back to his phone.
Lucas, being his usual self stuck out his tongue at his brother. "She's fine with it."
Trenton merely looked at him, and went back to what he was doing.
"How will you ever get a girlfriend?" Zach eyed him.
"Can you not see this face?" Luke edged closer, putting his face in his brother's who was trying to get his brother away from his face and space. "Can you not? Which girl will turn me down with this awesome body and attitude? Name one." He stuck his index out in his brother's line of view.
The scenario was making me laugh, but I tried to hold it in.
"I want to know too."
I almost jolted at the voice, then steadied myself and my heartbeat. Aaron. With Trenton's small talk and Luke's quirky attitude, I had almost forgotten he was beside me and still wide awake. Lucas and Zach were still engrossed in biting each other's heads off. Drama was an unending event in the Salvatore household.
"Know what?" I turned to face him. Even though I knew what he was talking about, I pretended as though I did not.
"Why you're wolf-less." He stared intently at me.
"And you're asking because…?"
"I want to know."
"What if I don't want to tell you?" For some reason, I felt like pulling his legs.
He frowned. "But you were just about to tell Lucas."
"Only because I thought you were sleeping."
"So you don't want to tell me? I don't believe you." He was studying my expression. I guess he was seeing the proof that I was possibly teasing him.
I gave a mindless shrug. "You can believe whatever you want, but you can't make me talk." A secret smile crept up my lips.
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Do I have to kiss you again?"
My eyes widened and I bit my lips, my cheeks went scarlet. But before I could say anything, a hand had wrapped itself round my wrist and pulled me along with them. It was Baron.
"Baron what are you…"
Another hand clasped my other wrist. I did not need to look to see it was Aaron. Oh Mother of the Moon! What was this? How could the two of them be doing this? I was even confused.
"Let her go." Aaron glared at his brother.
"Make me." Baron challenged.
The three boys had already stopped whatever they were doing to watch the drama before them.
"Let her go." Aaron pushed Baron.
The latter pushed back. "Stop deluding yourself, she's not your mate."
"She is." Aaron stood his ground, poised for fight.
I stood in their middle looking at Trenton, Lucas and Zach helplessly. "Can't you guys do something? I'm tired."
Before the blows could start flying, Trenton had rushed to hold Baron back, while Zach was holding Aaron. I stepped away from both of them, staring in disbelief and horror at the two of them. They were very much ready to kill each other.
This had gone on for far too long. What was their problem? Why were they always behaving like loons? Well, since they so badly needed to have a hit on each other's face. Since they derived joy from seeing the other in pain, I'd better help them out there.
With speed I did not even know I possessed, I had landed two punches each on their faces. They groaned, looking at me stunned. Even Zach and Trent that was holding them back could not believe their eyes. Lucas stared shocked at me too.
My knuckles hurt from coming in contact with both their faces but I would not show it.
"Since you both want a bloody, swollen face, case settled." I left them and went to bed.