LUNA'S RISE

Brother and suspicion

" You okay?" I heard him ask but I wasn't certain about that question either. I had to ask the same to myself...

Am I okay? what's wrong with me?

While still sitting shook and confused in the car, I looked back at the guys standing by the porch and they appeared normal, save for the fact that they were still staring towards our direction. Which was totally ordinary and typical of anyone.

Then it must be me, something is wrong with me...

I had been so excited to come here but ever since we got on the way, I've been acting weird, giving too much thought to everything here and there.

" Aurora?"

I was jolted out of my thought hearing Michael's concerned tone. He'd bent by the car door and had now reached a hand to cup my face in an attempt to probe. Seeing the bitter expression he had on his face, I could tell he was worried about me.

I felt obliged to say something...

" I- I'm fine. It's just..." I tried to not make him worry but with the complications within me, I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye.

" Let's go back!" he said right after and moved to get back in the car.

" No!" I quickly grabbed his hands just as he turned around to do so and waited until he turned around to face me once again before I spoke up what I really felt.

With all that had been going on ever since we left for this place, I was scared and nervous without doubt, but that didn't change the fact that I really wanted to meet his family and get to know them. Deep in my heart, it was what I truly and really wanted.

" I want to see this through!" I said with a firm nod of my head to convey my conviction. I stepped out of the car, with his help, and stood before him, looking straight in his eyes. I knew he had become downhearted about the idea of me meeting his family, to convince him otherwise, I needed to show him how serious I was about this. That or I'm never changing his mind.

" Hah!" He sighed and held me by the shoulder. He looked to the side and seemed to think for a second before facing me once again to say, " Look, Aurora, you don't have to do this. We've only been together for a few months.

" Look, I know I might have rushed things... and you're probably doing all of this cause you don't want me to feel down bad about this. But I really understand, we can turn around and go back now if you're unsure"

I must say, ever since I started seeing him, I'd never seen Michael say such a long sentence and showcase so much worry in his tone like this. It was always short sweet words and him poking fun randomly. But now, he was deep and dead serious, I could tell.

Nevertheless, his face conveyed concern for me and there was no disappointment in his eyes as he looked straight into mine.

I felt a sweet yet sorrowful tinge in my heart seeing him like this. This was supposed to be a step forward in our relationship and not a hindrance that I'd make it become. I shouldn't have let my nerves and anxiety get in the way.

" Michael..." I said feeling all sorts of bitter emotions surging within my heart. I took a step forward and reached to caress his face.

" I really want to do this. I've been excited ever since you asked me to. It's just that... I'm nervous and worried, and that has been getting to me all this time along the way here. I'm sorry, I never wanted to make you worry..." I decided to be sincere with him. I truly never wanted to make him feel this way.

Michael looked into my eyes after I'd finished speaking and I looked into his to search for answers as I couldn't wait to hear him speak. His gaze softened as he wrapped his arm around my lower back and said, " It's alright. I understand how you feel. Here..."

He looked down with a smile, grabbed my hands and clenched it tightly in his. " Let's see this through together" He said and I couldn't help but beam with a confident smile.

" mm!" I nodded.

" Let's go, they're all waiting" He nodded his head towards his home and turned around to lead me in with his hands still holding mine. I hurried my steps behind him as we walked away from the yard towards the porch where the guys were standing, waiting for us to approach them.

Getting closer, I noticed that the exterior of the bungalow was adorned with a charming mix of rustic wooden panels and large windows, which would allow plenty of natural light to pour in during daytime. Now that I was close to it, I realized the house only looked creepy from afar and more magnificent up-close.

" If it ain't old Mike! it's hard to see you around these days you bastard!" I heard a hoarse voice bellow out from the porch as we reached its small footstep. The man was a stout man with a fierce build and a bald head. He had tattoos in almost every part of his body and a long blonde beard. He was dressed in a pair of jean and a denim armless top, making him seem like a gang member. He downed the bottle of beer in his hands even as he spoke.

" Haha! it's indeed been a very long time. How have you been brother Odus?" Michael responded with his iconic laughter in a calm tone.

However, what caught my attention the most was a particular word in his sentence.

' B-brother?' I couldn't help but look at the man named Odus once again, trying to link the similarities between him and Michael. However, I couldn't find anything save for the shape of their nose and eyes. other than this, they were complete opposites of one another.

" Mike? Is that really you, Mike?" Another guy stepped forward. He was skinny and scrawny and was dressed in similar style as Odus. They all seemed like a bike gang club or something.

" What do you mean is that Mike, Ortiz?! Are you drunk?!" Another guy who was sitting on the floor, obviously drunk, yelled out of nowhere.

" Haha! what a dumb i***t, you're the drunk one here!" Another of them said. I thought I would have said that myself at some point if this person hadn't said the same.

I held back the urge to burst into laughter seeing all of this. I could tell that Michael was probably embarrassed underneath the smile that he put on.

" Shutup Chris, you're not any better" Said Ortiz and someone else interjected. The subject matter seemed to quickly switch from Michael to discussing who was and wasn't drunk.

No more importantly, they all seem to ignore my existence.

" Haha! Welcome home brother, it's been a long while" Odus stepped forward and gave Mike a brotherly hug, patting him in the back.

" Hey hey hey! who's that?" The scrawny guy, Ortiz, who had also stepped forward yelled out loud as he looked at me with a widened gaze and dropped jaw, as though he was looking at a ghost.

oh, someone finally noticed me. It took you long enough. Not that I'm complaining but...

" Whoa! she's a stunning beauty!"

Oh, stop you silly...

" Stop, i***t! can't you tell she's Mike's"

How can they tell so easily? Is it that obvious?

While I was still busy thinking what gave us off like that as though I and Michael hadn't arrived together, he suddenly wrapped an arm around me and pulled me to his side before declaring, " This is Aurora, my girlfriend. I've brought her to see 'the family!'" I felt there was a huge emphasis on his last word which denotes a meaning. However, I was too worried about the looks I was now being given by the bunch before me at the moment.

I couldn't help but hide my face away in embarrassment. He didn't have to reveal so much information, Gosh!

It got even worse when all was met with nothing but silence. Could this whole meeting thing get any awkward than it already has?

I swore just this moment to write a detailed narration of this event when I get back. It was just too much to not write down.

" Are you sure about this Michael? You've been away for a very long time and he is probably not going to be pleased. Besides she's..."

" Brother, I'm sure!" Michael stated, cutting his brother off. His voice was heavy and deep this time and I could tell there was more to what was just being said.

I couldn't help but raise my gaze to look at him. Quite expectantly, his expression had grown grave and serious. Could it be that even Michael had family problems? Could this be the reason why he's been worried all along? But why would.he ask me to do this when he knew he and his family weren't in good terms?

I know I had no way to find answers now and I could only wait till later to ask him. However, I still felt sad for him and wanted to know the details of everything so that I could help him out in any way that I could.

Knowing Michael, I knew he wouldn't tell me even if I asked. However, that didn't mean I wouldn't find out. I looked at his brother, Odus who looked me up and down with his deep brown eyes as he said...

" Hah! Young lady. I'm Odus, Michael's elder brother, and these, are irrelevant rotten bunches that you need not know about. But they're also part of 'the family'. Pleased to meet you" He introduced while extending a hand.

" Pleasure is mine," I took his hand gently and opened my mouth to say something. However, I decided otherwise and just kept quiet. I didn't want to offend Michael, he probably had his own reason to not have said anything about this whole family thing to me. I'll give him the time and trust that he needs to actually open up to me.

" Right. Let's go inside, I'm sure everyone would be surprised at your visit Michael" Odus suggested with a genuine smile.