Page 4 of Stealing Sunshine

They might be complete opposites, but she keeps him grounded and makes him happier than I’ve ever seen him. So, when she agreed with his offer to have me stay with them for the last couple of weeks and foreseeable future until I can find a place of my own, I accepted, not wanting to turn down their generosity.

That was my first mistake.

I should have saidno, thank youand hurried up in my search for somewhere all to myself because now . . .

Another groan sounds from the room directly behind mybed, and I squeeze the edges of the pillow harder against my ears. My breath is hot against my face as I consider suffocating myself before I have to hear my brother make another one of those noises.

“Are the walls made out of paper?” I whisper to myself.

It wouldn’t surprise me if they were. This cabin is old as balls. Johnny’s renovated almost all of it, moving room to room to make it feel more like a home instead of a creepy shack in the woods.

The guest room that I’m staying in is bright in the daylight, painted in soft greens and beige, with a shuttered window and sheer curtains. My bed is soft and cushioned, with a thick comforter that makes the bite of the relentless air conditioning not as noticeable. I always run cold, and even with this blanket, I’ve doubled up with socks to keep from freezing.

Moonlight streaks into the room through the curtains, keeping it from growing as dark as I’d like, so I add that to the tally of why it’s past two in the morning and I’m still awake.

I should be grateful that I wasn’t left with no option but to move back into my moms’ house until I’m sorted in Cherry Peak, but as of this moment, I’m feeling grumpy. Sleep deprivation, stress, and cringe have turned my usual sunshine mood into a stormy one.

With a sigh, I grab my phone from the side table and wince at the brightness when I click it on. After lowering it until I don’t have to shield my eyes, I’m opening the conversation I had two hours ago with my other best friend. The non-twin one.

Kiki: Sleep tight, babe. Imagine you’re alone on a boat or something

Me: Oh perfect. Because we both know how much I love being on the water, right?

It’s the opposite.

I’m terrified of bodies of water. Doesn’t matter if it’s a lake or the ocean, I get full-body shakes. It took me until I was five to stop screaming every time my moms put me in the bath. I’lladmit that the ocean scares me more than a lake does, which makes complete and total sense. We’re not meant to be in the ocean,period.

Kiki: Smart ass.

Me: Being alone on a boat scares me more than hearing my brother having sex with his girlfriend.

Kiki: Well that backfired then. Oops.

Me: Now I feel sick all over again.

Kiki: Night night, Didi *kiss emoji*

There’s a slam against the wall, and I shoot up in bed, huffing my breaths. I whip my pillow across the room and hightail it into the hallway. If I didn’t like Aurora as much as I do, I’d be slamming my fist against the door and telling them to keep it down, but I don’t want to embarrass her.

The two of them were out at Peakside tonight and didn’t get home until late, both sounding like giggling drunks. I should have known this was where their night was going and left earlier.

Not bothering with shoes, I unlock the front door and step outside. The porch is sanded to perfection, so I walk to the rocking chair in the corner without a worry of anything cutting into my feet through my socks.

With a long exhale, I sit and close my eyes, letting myself rock in silence for a few minutes. The house was built on Steele Ranch land but is far enough away from the ranch itself for any of the noise there to carry over. It also doesn’t smell like cattle.

I’ve never liked the ranch much. Or animals, for that matter. My brother loves them and the ranch enough for the both of us. The only time I go there at all is to see him, considering he’s been working there since he was a teenager.

It’s been months since I’ve been back over that way. After graduating from the University of Calgary with my teaching degree this summer, I came back home with a new focus and drive. It was different passing the town sign this time around, knowing I’m here to stay.

I didn’t rush to spend as much time as possible with my family out of fear of not seeing them enough before heading back to Calgary. Everything has been a bit calmer, and I feel steadier. Well, despite my nervousness about starting my new job in two weeks.

I went to the K-12 Cherry Peak Public School, and now I’m here to teach second grade.

The creaking of the porch door swinging open has me cracking one eye open. My brother offers me a soft smile and comes to lean against the railing. His hair is a mess, and he’s wearing a pair of flannel pants and fuzzy slippers that I’m pretty sure belong to Aurora.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” I ask softly, closing my eye again.

“Why aren’t you?”

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