Page 12 of All Roads Lead to You

“Stop calling me that,” I growled, gripping the steering wheel hard enough until my knuckles turned white.

“Why should I? You made it abundantly clear we’re ‘not brothers.’ So, yeah, fuck you, too.”

I had nothing to add to that as we spent the rest of the drive home in silence other than his sniffling and my stewing.

By the time we got home, Nick was epically trashed. He could barely get out of the truck without falling face-first onto the concrete, so I had to help his ass out, take him inside the house, and up to his room. I drew the line on getting him undressed, so I tossed him onto the matress face down and went to my room. He could get his own fucking water.

I stripped off all my clothes except for my underwear and fell into my bed, tucking my hands under my head. There had to be a way to go on this trip alone or with someone else. I needed to get out of this fucking house and away from Nick before I slipped up. I could already feel my walls crumbling, knowing he wasn’t with Lauren anymore.

This trip was everything to me. It wouldn’t be the same without Hunter, but I needed to do this for my own sanity. And for Mom.

Suddenly, there was some banging around next door, a loud thump, and drunk cursing. The light flipped on in the hallway, beaming under my door, and the sound of the toilet lid slamming back against the tank.

The retching noises made me want to vomit myself.

“Fuck… Why’d I drink so much… Fuckin’ Laur… Lauren.”

It grew quiet for too long. Damn my fucking empathy.

I climbed out of bed and found Nick passed out on the bathroom floor. Well, at least he was close to the toilet if he needed to throw up again.

I headed to his room, grabbed an extra blanket, draped it over his prone body, and headed back to bed.

I didn’t know how long I tossed and turned until I finally fell asleep.

The following day, Nick and I sat at the kitchen table, eating our oatmeal with our parents and a sleeping Hannah in Mia’s arms.

Nick was slumped over his bowl, picking at it but not eating. I sipped my coffee with my legs stretched out, not looking at anyone while trying to find a way to talk my dad into letting me go on this trip alone, but I doubted it. Maybe if Mom hadn’t died in that accident, it would’ve been different, but he was too afraid to lose me, too.

“Alright… out with it,” Mia said. “You two boys look like you’re more than hungover. Well, Nick looks more hungover than you, Logan. But both of you have the face of someone whose evening was completely ruined. Let’s start with you, Nick.”

He shrugged and dragged his spoon across the thick goop of oats.

“Now,” she insisted.

He winced. “Not so loud, Mom. Lauren and I broke up. She’s going to Columbia in New York City instead of coming with me.” His face morphed into a scowl to hide his watering eyes. “She doesn’t want to marry her high school sweetheart, apparently.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, honey.”

“What a shame, Nick,” Dad said, rustling his newspaper as he folded it and put it on the table. “We really liked her and thought you two were going to be together forever.”

“This is terrible, but I also see where she’s coming from,” Mia said. “Your father and I got married too young after getting pregnant with you. We were high school sweethearts, too, and he left us. Maybe it’s better she leaves now rather than later.”

Nick shoved his bowl away. “Yeah, whatever. Tell that to my shattered heart.”

“I know things seem bad now, but your mother’s right. If Lauren’s having these thoughts, perhaps it’s best that it happens now.”

“Yeah, well, she could’ve talked to me about it first instead of me overhearing it from someone else.”

Mia reached for her son and patted his arm, careful not to wake Hannah. “You’re right. She should’ve been upfront and honest. You’ll feel better in time. That’s a promise. Once you’re in college and meet new girls, you’ll find someone new and better.”

“Whatever,” he huffed and stood to pour himself some coffee.

“And what about you, young man? Why are you all surly? Did a girl break your heart, too?” Mia asked me.

I also shoved away my cereal, no longer hungry. “No, Hunter can’t go on the trip. He had to cancel.”

Dad and Mia gasped. Hell, I was still in shock, too, but more for his mother than for myself.

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