Wait for It

by Mariana Zapata

the fluorescent street light made his hair look dark blond.

This better be good considering he's blond...

But if there was one thing I’d learned over the course of the last few years, it was that everyone dealt with grief differently. Hell, we all dealt with life differently.

“Papá,” I started to say as I undid the lock and opened the door, my attention still on the living room behind me. “Not your daddy,” a low, unfamiliar masculine voice replied. What?

HAHAHA!

the man with the big biceps and short, dark brown hair.

This has to be the mmc...

I didn’t look at his butt as I closed the door behind him.

Ok? Thanks for letting me know??? lol.

I made my eyes go wide at Louie who had at least managed to catch on to us leaving. “Bye, lady,” he added, shyly. Lady. God.

HAHAHA!

Van didn’t miss a beat. “Sure, Di. Give them a hug from me and call me back whenever. I’m on the couch, and I’m not going anywhere except the bathroom.” “Okay. I won’t call Parks and Wildlife to let them know there’s a beached whale—” “Goddammit, Diana—”

Sasquatch’s cousin

That's cazy. lol.

Who was this man and why was he doing this?

I can see the character development.

“You’ve done enough. I’m not trying to take advantage of you or cross some line. We’ll be all right,” I whispered, closing one eye when the pounding became even more concentrated. Dallas was staring me down, but I didn’t care. His voice was so low I had to strain to hear it. “I get that you’re not trying to come on to me, now or ever, all right? Can we never bring that up again? I’m here. You’re not feeling well. Let me help.”

That's what I've been waiting to hear jackass.

How did it never get easier to know that life was unfair? How did it never hurt any less to know I would never see someone I loved again? Why did it have to be my brother? He hadn’t been perfect, but he’d been mine. He’d loved me even when I got on his nerves. Why?

It wasn’t about the fucking socks. At least not totally. It was about everything. About life and death, and white and black and gray. It was about having to be tough when you weren’t used to it. About having to grow when you’d thought you were done growing.

“Two years,” I croaked, still waving my hand back and forth. Crying usually made me feel better, but in this case, I wasn’t so sure if that was the case. “The longest two years of my life.”

He didn’t agree or disagree. Wuss.

That's what I said!

Fucking Nana? Dallas was related to Miss Pearl? Since when?

NO WAY!

Jackass Jackson.

HAHAHA!

“Joshy—” I started to say before I got cut off. “Can I talk to your aunt, Josh?” a rough, voice filled the bathroom, making me look up to see Dallas standing three feet away. When the hell had he walked in without us noticing? The boy in my arms tensed before he turned around, his stance wide and protective. “No.”

Josh IS the man of the house. At the grown age of 11.

The tips of his tennis shoes inched closer to me, his hands squeezing my shoulders as he said in a whisper, “I’m gonna hug you as long as you promise not to grab my ass, okay?” I almost laughed, but it sounded more like a broken croak.

When I’d gone for the bill, Dallas had swept my hand to the side and said, “That’s cute.”

Stawp! Im blushing...

It had been three years since I’d last seen Jeremy, but it felt like days.

I don't like this foreshadowing.

“Tell me what his name is, and I’ll put him six feet in the ground.”

“It’s like you’re purposely trying to get me to love you, Dallas. I swear to God. You don’t even want me to stick my hand down your pants. You want me to want it all,” I laughed, trying to make a joke but failing awfully.

“I’m sorry, okay?” “Me too. You’re not really dumb.” “Sometimes people say crazy things when they’re upset that they don’t mean. I get it.” He ducked his chin but kept eye contact with me. “You do that sometimes.” “When?” “When you’re… you know…” His cheeks turned pink. “That time every month.”

HAHAHA!