Loving His Demons

**Phoebe's POV** I woke up this morning feeling hopeful and ready. It has been just a few weeks since I finished my college applications and I should be getting letters in the mail starting this week. I looked around my bedroom, and felt a bit of sadness. I have lived in this house, this room, all my life and now I was fixing to leave out on my own. Well not really on my own. Most likely my cousin, Darius, will go to the same college as me. Being only six months apart, we grew up like siblings since Uncle Elliot and Aunt Chelsea visited all of the time.  There was a knock on my door and my little brother, Sebastian, bounced in. "Morning Pheebs. Breakfast is ready!" He climbed onto my bed and started jumping around. His black straight hair bounced in the air with him. "I'm sad. You will be at college for my birthday." He sat down on my bed next to me.  I placed my index finger under his chin and made him look at me. We had the same blue eyes as our dad. "Sebastian, I'll be home for the holidays. Just a few days after your birthday. Promise not to celebrate without me?" His charming little face lit up and he smiled. "Promise!"  "Now go brush your teeth. Your breath stinks!" I squealed and shoved him off my bed, causing him to land on his butt.  After he ran out of my room, I got out of bed and went into our connecting bathroom that separated our bedrooms. We went to our sinks and started brushing our teeth. When Sebastian was finished, he went to his room to change while I washed my face and applied moisturizer. Once done, I went back to my room.  I wasn't the girl to wear skirts and dresses. Athletic shorts and tank tops were my go to when the weather was warm, and sweat pants and baggy t-shirts when it was colder. It was a warmer day today so black athletic shorts and a baby blue tank top did fine.  When I ran down stairs, my little brother was already at the kitchen island, shoving waffles into his mouth. I laughed at how much of a pig he was. I will miss seeing his face every morning.  "Good morning." I said cheerfully to my parents. My mom smiled at me and my dad gave me a hug. "How was date night?" My parents have been married for almost twenty years, and they have a date night every other Friday night. Uncle Elliot and Aunt Chelsea used to let Sebastian and I spend the night on date night, but when I turned fifteen, I started to stay home and babysit a four year old Sebastian. I love my little brother so I never minded. While other girls snuck out to parties and met up with boys, I enjoyed cooking dinner and watching movies with Sebastian.  I sat down next to my brother, and tied up my long thick wavy brown hair that matched my mothers. She placed my breakfast in front of me and I dug in. We talked and laughed as we always did every morning. I hope my roommate was all for mornings like this. I don't know what I would do if I had a roommate that didn't want to try to be friends at all.  "Have you checked the mail yet?" I smiled at my dad.  "Phoebe, you know the mail comes around in the afternoon. Be patient." He laughed.  I have been asking him the same question every morning since I sent off the applications. As if I would hear back the very next day. After breakfast, my parents headed off to the office. On Saturdays, they worked half days, and I took my brother to his soccer practices.  I drove Sebastian and I in my cherry red Toyota Tacoma, that I got lifted for my eighteenth birthday last year. We arrived to the fields where his practices were held in just under forty minutes. He played the goal keeper, and he was quite good for his age. Sebastian's school didn't have a soccer team for his age group so we found a team for him until he goes to high school. The coach is always too flirty, but I try not to let it bother me. Sebastian loves his teammates and I do not want to cause issues.  "Have fun." I call out to my little brother as he runs onto the field.  I head to the bleachers to find a seat before I am stopped by a hand on my elbow. "Phoebe. I was hoping you were going to be here today." Zack, the coach, smiles at me. "I hear your leaving off to college soon. I do hope you are staying nearby."  Zack was about twenty three, only five years older than me. He was handsome. Stood about five foot ten, was tan with brown eyes, black black curly hair and a charming smile. He also had a great body, but I just was not attracted to him. It also doesn't help that he flirts with the single moms, or the other sisters that bring their brothers.  "That depends where I am accepted." I answered as I sat on the bleachers.  "Well if you stay in the area, then I hope you finally let me take you out." He winked and ran to the fields to get the kids ready for practice.  Some of the girls that have had their eye on Zack gave me such an ugly look. Even though he flirts with them, as far as I know, I am the only one he has tried to date. They offer, but he declines. As many times as I have rejected him, I don't know why he doesn't give up. I mean there are so many more girls desperate for his attention so why does he bother with me?  My brother's soccer practice only lasted about an hour, and in that time I watched him defend the goal successfully. We believe that once he goes to high school, he will be able to be on the varsity team even as a freshman.  When he ran up to me, he came along with Zack. "Pheebs! I invited Zack for dinner." Sebastian smiled. Zack looked at me and winked again.  "That's great. I'll call mom and dad and let them know." I smiled politely. "Dinner is usually ready by six. I will have Sebastian send you the address."  We said our goodbyes and left towards home, the whole way Sebastian teasing me that his coach liked me. When we got home, Sebastian headed upstairs for a shower, while I prepares his lunch. I looked at the time and saw that it was only noon, and the mail wouldn't come for another three hours. I was growing so impatient.  The hours ticked by and soon it was time to prep dinner. It was my night to cook, so I made my favorite. Medium steaks with homemade mashed potatoes and green beans with bacon and garlic, along with some bread rolls with cinnamon butter. Dinner would be ready soon and my parents were just getting home. "Long day?" I asked.  "Sorry. We were supposed to be home hours ago, but-"  "No worries." I interrupted my dad. "Sebastian had a great practice. He invited his coach for dinner." I rolled my eyes.  My mom gave me a knowing smile. She saw how he looked at me, but I was never interested in him. My dad, however, never noticed. He was always too interested in the games to see who was checking out his only daughter. Around a quarter to six, Zackary knocked on our front door. I was in the kitchen with my mom and my dad went to answer the door.  "Go change. You look horrible." My mom whispered as she pushed me out of the kitchen.  Deciding on jeans and a simple blouse, I headed back down to set the table. Zack and my dad were talking like old friends in the living room.  "Phoebe. You look lovely." Zack commented.  "Thank you. Dad, dinner will be on the table in five minutes." I smiled.  The table was set, and dinner was served. My dad sat at the head of the table, my mom on his left and me on the right. Zack sat next to me, and Sebastian next to my mom. We fell into a comfortable conversation. Mostly about work or soccer. I managed to keep the conversation away from me, not wanting Zack to know anything more about me than I want to tell him.  "Phoebe, honey, the mail is on the table in the foyer. I believe I saw some letters you were waiting for." My mom smiled.  Without a second thought, I jumped out of my chair and ran to the foyer. I found three letters, all from the schools I was most excited about. Yale, Harvard, and my number one choice: Stanford. I ripped them open and read the first sentence.  Dear Phoebe,  Congratulations! It is with great pleasure that I offer you a full academic scholarship... All three letters had the same start. "AHHHHHHH!!!!" I screamed. Everyone ran in to see me jumping up and down full of excitement. "I GOT IN TO ALL THREE! FULL SCHOLARSHIPS!!!" We all jumped and celebrated. All except Zack, who stood by with a smile on his face as he watched me. When our eyes met he mouthed "congratulations." The rest of the night we ate dessert and talked about which college I was leaning more to. I would just have to wait to see which college my cousin Darius was accepted to.  It was getting closer to nine, and I started clearing the table with Zack's help. Mom, dad, and Sebastian went to pick a movie for family movie night. Hopefully Zack heads home, or I feel that would be weird. I was washing dishes when I could feel Zack behind me. A little too close for comfort.  "Beauty and brains." He whispered.  He turned me around to try and kiss me, but I pushed him away. "Zack, what are you doing?" I whispered.  "Come on, Phoebe. When are you going to give me a chance?" He groaned while placing his hands on my waist. Something that made me feel really weird. "You're so damn beautiful and you don't even try. You aren't like those other girls who try too hard to get noticed. You're loyal to your family, and you're so smart. I like you." "Zack, you like every pretty face that you see." I removed his hands from their place and stepped away. "You know nothing about me."   He finally backed off and wished everyone a good night. I finished cleaning the kitchen and joined my family to watch the movie. It was my brother's turn to pick, and like any seven year old, he picked Captain America. As we watched the movie, I couldn't stop thinking about the incident with Zack in the kitchen.  I never dated, my dad said I couldn't date until I was sixteen. But when I was sixteen, I was also able to start working summers in my dad's hotel as the front clerk. Weekends, my mom let me go with her to her office and learn about planning and design. I loved it so much that every summer I worked, and most weekends I was with my mom learning. Or I was with my brother at his practices and games. Dating just wasn't a priority.  Now that I will be leaving to college soon, will I date then? Or should I just focus on my studies. I could just be a boring, book worm like I have always been. I thought about what it would be like to have a boyfriend, but what if he wants something I know nothing about. s*x.