Save Me

Two - Thea

Brody and I collected our luggage and made our way through customs. We had just had the best two weeks at his father's villa in Italy, exploring the town, lounging by the pool, and midnight strolls along the beach. It was a much-needed break from reality and although my folks weren't thrilled about us skipping the last week of school, they still allowed me to go. I mean how could they not, I practically have them wrapped around my little finger, both of them. The past 18 months I have really pushed the boundaries with them, and now I can get practically anything I want, all I have to do is press the right buttons and just like that, they give in. There were times I felt guilty, for pushing them, for using them, but this was my coping mechanism, this was how I survived, how I held my s**t together, this is what I needed just to make it through the day and so far it was working like a charm. 

We cleared customs and were approaching the arrivals exit, through the glass doors I could see my folks' Blue 4x4, parked to the right-hand side, the boot door wide open and my folks stood at the front of the vehicle talking to another couple who had their backs to us. A sandy blond-haired woman stood next to a chocolate brown-haired man, who I knew only too well to be my brother Flint. Mum had messaged to tell me he was bringing his girlfriend Isla home for the Summer and that their flight would land just a few minutes before mine. I ran the remaining distance dropping my bag as I neared the vehicle and jumped wrapping my legs around the back of my brother like he was giving me a piggy-back. 

"Guess who!" I shouted into his ear. 

"f**k THEA" Shock rang through his voice.

"Nice to see you too Bro!" I giggled climbing down from his back. 

"You could have given me a bloody heart-attack" he grabbed me up into a huge bear hug before setting me down again. "How you doing Kiddo?" Flint now towered over me at 6ft 2in to my lowly 5ft 6in. I was tall for a girl, the tallest out of most of my year group, but my brother still made me feel like a child standing next to him.

"I'm good what about you?"

"Yeah, really good. Thea, this is Isla my girlfriend." He held his hand out to the sandy-blonde haired girl to his left. She was gorgeous, not over the top 'look-at-me' kind of gorgeous, but a subtle, natural kind of gorgeous. She had mesmerising hazel eyes that glistened against her beautiful olive skin. Her smile was nervous and she looked at me unsure and already I knew that I liked her. She wasn't Flint's usual type, over-the-top beautiful, so sure of themselves, cocky even. Isla was genuinely nervous about meeting us, so me being me, scooped her into the biggest hug I could manage. 

"It is so nice to meet you Isla." I could feel the tension in her ease as she hugged me back.

"You too Thea, Flint has told me so much about you. He is quite a proud Big Brother." She nervously laughed, but her voice was warm like honey. I felt my wall going up ever so slightly at her words. Of course, he didn't know the truth, but still, my guard went up a little bit higher. 

"I'm beginning to feel left out here Sunshine" a warm silky familiar voice broke through the air and I pulled away from Isla to see an extremely hot looking Ethan standing by my dad. It had been 2 years since I saw him last, he had come home for my 16th birthday. Or that's what I had wanted to think, but in reality, he had come home for the Summer. Fortunately for me, his return home fell on my Sweet 16. I had thought he was hot back then, but damn age only made him look hotter. His jet black Italian hair swept to one side, dark olive skin that made those emerald green eyes pop just that little bit more and that jaw-line which clenched as he watched me taking him in. 

"Well, look what the cat dragged in" I teased before stepping in wrapping my arms around his neck, again I was on my tip-toes, what is it with the men in my life being extremely tall? My insides were suddenly like jelly, but on the outside I remained composed and confident with every move I took. "It's nice to see you too Stranger, I didn't know you were coming home too". 

"I wasn't planning on to, but your brother talked me into it." His voice was matter of fact and for a moment I'm sure it felt cold. I pulled away and saw Brody standing there ogling Ethan, a smile crept across my face.

"Flint, Isla, Ethan..." I strode next to Brody who composed himself, I slipped my hand into Brody's who squeezed my hand and smiled at the group, "this is Brody. We have just got back from his Dad's villa in Italy."

"Hi, guys, so nice to finally meet you." Brody was yet another tall man in my life, standing in his tight-fitting tank top and beach shorts, he looked like he should have been on a beach photo-shoot rather than at the airport. Ethan's eyes glared at Brody, Flint was looking him up and down. But before the guys could say anything a car honked drawing Brody's attention to the black SUV that had pulled into a space a few yards down from us. "Ah, that's my ride... Mr. and Mrs. James, thank you again for letting Thea come and stay with me." he flashed them his pearly whites

"Oh, Brody I think we can drop the formalities, don't you?" My mum soothed.

"Flint, Ethan, Isla, really nice to meet you..." Brody smiled at the guys once more before turning to me, "I'll call you later babe. I had an amazing time." he leaned down a kissed my cheek "I love you." 

"I love you too, and good luck with your Dad." and with that he waved at us all and clambered into the black SUV. 

"Right are we ready to make a move ourselves?" My dad was already climbing into the driver's seat.

"Thea darling you're going to have to sit on someone's lap, the bags have taken up more room than we thought." Mum was sympathetic.

"Not it" Flint yelled

"Not it" followed Isla

Ethan had still been glaring at the place Brody had just been and was completely oblivious. 

"Looks like it's your lucky day" I teased running my hand along Ethan's chest. 

"Huh?" Ethan was completely clueless as he stared into the already full car. Suddenly the reality of our car-share hit him. "Sounds good to me Sunshine" his voice warm and silky again, he placed his hand on my hip and guided me to the car. 

The ride home from the airport was full of banter, laughter, and lots of teasing. Ethan and I were sat in the very back of the car, with the majority of luggage. My back was propped up against the window with my legs swung out over the bags. We had been in the car for almost an hour and the entire time Ethan had one hand draped casually over my legs and the other on the small of my back, with his thumb, mindlessly drawing circles, when Flint turned around in his seat, a smirk plastered across his face.

"So is Brody your boyfriend then?"

I felt Ethan freezer and go rigid at Flint's question.

But before I could answer Mum had interrupted, "We wish they would get together officially." 

Ethan tensed beneath me. Oh my god, my mum really knew how to word things. Flint spun back round to me with fury in his eyes. Here we go my Big Over-protective brother. 

"What do you mean 'officially'? please don't tell me you are in some casual, no strings attached kind of relationship." with age Flint had become in control of that fiery temper of his, but the ability to think things through before speaking, not so much. 

"Not that my relationship with Brody has anything to do with you." My voice came out harsh and defensive. I didn't need to defend my actions, especially Brody to anyone. I was also extremely aware of how still, ridged, and quiet Ethan sat beneath me.

"So you and Brody are just f**k-Buddies and you have just spent two weeks together on holiday?"

"FLINT CARTER JAMES" My mother yelled from the front seat, she turned around and opened her mouth.

"No mum, don't even bother," I snapped back at her. "My s*x-life Flint has absolutely nothing to do with you. Do you understand me? And for your information, Brody and I spent two whole weeks alone in his father's villa." My words were sour as I spat them at him and turned away. I could see Ethan out of the corner of my eye, he was still frozen in place, with an unreadable expression plastered all over his face. 

The remaining 30-minute car ride home passed in dead silence. I slowly felt Ethan relax, but not once did he look at me, his gaze remained out the window. When we finally pulled up in the drive, Mum suggested we order take-out for dinner tonight at which the boys cheered, obviously they would be ordering Joe's, a local BBQ joint who did the most amazing, mouth-watering chicken wings.

"I think I'll pass," I mumbled as I stormed past them both, and hauled my bag up to my room. Who the hell did my brother think he was, strolling back home and playing the Big-Protective Brother role when he had hardly been home in 5 Years. I flung my bag onto my bed and I could feel the anger rising inside me...He doesn't get to play that role, not now...what gives him the right to be judgemental over my s*x life, he was never exactly discrete. I paced back and forth in my room, but it was no good, the anger just kept rising inside me that I was beginning to tremble with fury. It was no good, I pulled open the bottom draw of my chest and grabbed the first set of black leggings and work out top and changed into them. The only way to calm down now was to run it off.