Save Me

10 Thea

I stacked up the plates from breakfast and took them to the sink where I began my morning ritual of washing the dishes. I had left Ethan sitting at the breakfast table.

"We're leaving guys. Have a great day." Mom yelled as she grabbed her keys.

"Don't forget the groceries!" Dad piped up as he ducked out the door behind Mom. 

And just like that, for the first time since being home, Ethan and I were alone together. Maybe it was just my over-excited imagination, but the air felt different. Electrified almost. I heard him get up, and my breathing hitched as I felt the air move behind me. 

"So, what are we doing today then Sunshine?" He asked as he grabbed a dishtowel off the side, and started drying the bowls that I had just placed on the draining board. 

"I don't know. Is there anything you wanna do?" I asked, suddenly very conscious of everything that stumbled out of my mouth. 

"Spend some Quality Time with you." My breathing hitched again and I turned to look at him, a smirk spreading across that handsome face of his. My heart plummeted.

"Oh haha. We all know you drew the short straw." I spat full of sarcasm as I hip-bumped him.

"Well everyone knows how short you are Sunshine." He chuckled. 

"Oh, like I haven't heard that a 1000 times before, please at least try and come up with something original."

"Well it's been so long since we hung out Thea, I'm not sure what your tall enough to do nowadays."

"Really, Ethan? Really?" I sighed. "It's the first time you've been home in years, and I just thought..." I trailed off, not sure where I was taking this. 

"You just thought what Thea?" He asked quietly. 

"I just thought... do you know what, just forget it." I pulled the plug from the sink and turned to walk away. 

"Thea wait..." He tried to grab my hand but missed and I didn't stop. Instead, I left the kitchen retreating to my room. I'm such a fool. If I ever thought that there was a chance he saw me as anything other than his kid sister I was hugely mistaken, Hell! He probably didn't even think of me like that. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.