Loving My Brother’s Best Friend

As the door of Cole’s cabin flew open, Reyna’s eyes dilated in horror as he saw Ethan at the door. She pushed Cole away, startling him.

“What the,” he was about to shout, but froze when his gaze was drawn to Ethan.

Ethan stared at them in utter disbelief. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He didn’t even think in his dream that his best friend would use his sister. He misinterpreted everything because Cole was still a playboy in his eyes.

‘How could he use my sister? If he hadn’t been my best friend, it would have been his last day on earth.’ He clenched his hands, for the first he was feeling like punching his best friend while Cole bowed his head in shame.

Cole and Reyna were both perplexed as to what they should explain to him.

Ethan seized Reyna’s wrist to take her outside because he wasn’t in a state to react, he was in great shock. He was about to drag her out of the door when she caught Cole’s hand in hers. He glared at her and was about to yell at her, but stopped when he noticed her pleading with him through her sorrowful eyes to give her a moment, and the tears in her eyes melted his heart.

He didn’t utter a word and exhaled a deep breath, freeing her hand. He gave up in front of his sister because she was his biggest weakness. She wiped her tears and smiled faintly, seeing her brother’s love. She knew no matter what, he could never hurt her and ignore her pleading eyes.

She turned around to face her man, who was frozen in place with his gaze fixed on the floor. She could feel him, and she knew how ashamed he must be.

He wasn’t at fault; loving someone is never in our hands, and if it was still his fault, it was from both sides, because as much as he loved her, she loved him as well. They both kept the truth hidden from Ethan, but she knew he was only blaming himself for hiding it and hurting his best friend.

She lifted his face by clasping it to make him look at herself. She looked at him with immense love in her eyes.

“I’ll make him understand. Okay? Don’t take the stress.” She reassured him and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, taking away all his fear like magic. He closed his eyes, and a small smile automatically spread across his face, feeling her soft lips on his forehead.

Ethan was silently observing every gesture of them, standing there. He keenly noticed Cole’s surreal expression as soon as Reyna’s lips touched his forehead. He had never seen this look on his face before; this was the first time he had witnessed this Cole.

Then as his gaze moved toward his baby sister, the anger empowered his all emotions. He pulled her hand, startling them, and then dragged her out without saying anything.

“Ethan, please speak with me. I can explain.” She said as he forced her to sit inside the car. He slammed the door shut in a rage, making her flinch. He sat beside her and started the car, ignoring her request to speak with her.

“Ethan, please at least talk to me. Don’t stay silent like that.”

“Just shut up, Reyna. I don’t want to listen to anything.” She froze in place as he yelled at her indignantly; it was the first time he had shouted at her like that. When she saw anger in her brother’s eyes, tears welled up in her eyes, and she turned her face to the window because she felt excruciating pain in her heart.

‘I need to be strong. He’s angry, that’s why he yelled at me. I know when he calms down, he’ll surely understand me.’ She tried to encourage herself.

Cole, on the other hand, was staring at the door where Reyna and Ethan had exited. He couldn’t figure out what had happened so suddenly, that everything had gone so wrong. For the first time, he had fear in his eyes, fear of losing his two precious gems.

He wasn’t just anxious about Reyna and his relationship; he was also terrified of losing his and Ethan’s friendship. If Reyna was precious to him, Ethan was no less. If his heart beat for his kiddo, then Ethan lived in his soul; his entire world revolved around them. He couldn’t afford to lose any of them, but he had a strong gut feeling that Ethan would trust him.

Sometimes destiny plays such a mind game that you won’t even realise it. Your plans and abilities to think will fall apart in front of destiny. From the beginning, Cole knew that he had to face this situation, and that was the only reason he was stopping Reyna to disclose this to Ethan; he needed some time to think about how to disclose such big news to his best friend. He was well aware of how important Reyna was to Ethan.

***

Reyna stayed silent on the way back home and decided to talk to him after reaching home. The way he shouted at her, she was badly hurt but she made herself strong, knowing she deserved his anger because of hiding such a big truth from him.

When Ethan’s car came to a halt in front of the house, he dashed inside without saying anything to her.

She stepped out of the car and shouted, “Ethan, stop, please. I’m sorry.” Tears were constantly streaming down his cheeks; she was hurt because of his behaviour towards her.

‘No, Reyna, stop crying. He is your brother. Stop him and make him understand. If not for yourself, then for your Cole, you have to make him understand.’ She murmured under her breath, still staring at the door of the house. Wiping her tears, she exhaled a deep breath to muster up some much-needed strength.

She ran inside and saw him, climbing upstairs. “Ethan, wait. ” She shouted, running behind him, but he didn’t bother. He heard her, but he wasn’t in his senses and didn’t want to hurt his baby sister even if he was angry.

“Ethan, please stop. Please talk to me. Cole and I weren’t doing anything which could hurt you. Trust me.” She screamed, trying to stop him. Ethan was about to stop but when he heard Cole’s name, his anger empowered his mind again. Flashes of him kissing his baby sister started coming in front of his eyes.

“Aghhh!” He screamed, throwing away the side table which was kept beside his room’s door.

“Ethan.” Reyna rushed towards him as she saw blood oozing out of his hand.

“Stay away, Reyna. Stay away from me. I don’t want to talk to you.” As she listened to his harsh words, she took a step back and rooted herself, seeing his rage. She had never witnessed this sight before. She was frightened by his bloodshot eyes.

“No, I won’t go until you talk to me, Ethan.” She said stubbornly and opened the cupboard to take out the first aid box from it.

“Leave me alone.” Ethan grabbed her hand and dragged her outside of the room before shutting the door on her face. Fresh tears trickled down her cheeks mechanically, seeing her brother’s rage. She became numb for a moment.

“I have to do something. I can’t let Ethan stay alone at this time.” She murmured to herself and immediately called Ella.

“Hey, Barbie. How did you get time today to talk to your best friend, leaving your hottie biker?” Ella answered the phone cheerfully and teased her at the end. If the situation had been different, Reyna would have blushed profusely, but at that moment, all she could think about was Ethan’s wound and his pain.

“E-Ella.” Reyna sobbed, still staring at the door.

“Reyna, what happened?” She panicked.

“Ella, c-come here.”

“I’m coming, Barbie, but at least tell me what happened?” She asked anxiously.

“E-Ethan.” She hiccuped, but her mere word was enough to drain the colour from Ella’s face.

“What happened to him? Where is he? Tell me.” Ella became terrified, thinking about all the possibilities. Her heart was beating rapidly and all she wanted to hear was that he was fine.

“He got to know about Cole and me, and in anger, he hurt himself and locked himself in the room.” She told him everything, sobbing fretfully.

“I’m just coming. Stay strong.” She hung up, saying this. She took a deep breath of relief as she had become distraught, thinking something was wrong when Reyna took Ethan’s name. She could handle this situation, but the negative thoughts that came to mind when she was making assumptions in those 30-40 seconds were something she never wanted to experience again.

Reyna, on the other hand, was standing, staring at the door of Ethan’s room with moist eyes and constantly praying to God to make everything alright in her mind.

***