All of Us

  “You heard me. Get away from me,” she said, tossing her auburn hair.

  “Wait. Why are you so mad?” Seth asked, confused. Brooklyn’s blue eyes stare bore down on him like she was mentally stabbing him. Her small wiry frame was threatening. She gave him a last huff and spun around on her heels, stomping away. Seth watched her go, completely bewildered.

  * * * * *

  Ty shut his eyes, trying to drown out the sounds of the two girls next to him, giggling and gossiping. He’d heard enough to know their names were Becca and Riley and that they knew rumors about everyone.

  But whatever. All he wanted to do was find Romeo, but Ty was afraid that he was getting too clingy. Even dates were not always at their partner’s side. He was just so uncomfortable with everyone else. He didn’t know anyone, and he didn’t want to try. Most of them seemed very like the descriptions his mother gave him. Sighing, he stood up and strode through the crowd to the terrace. The door was open slightly and he pushed it and stepped out, feeling the icy New York air hit him with full force.

  It took him a couple seconds to realize that he wasn’t the only one there. Sitting on a black leather sofa chair was Romeo’s sister. Her small frame was shivering slightly in her thin dress and her dark hair fell around her like a soft halo. A lone tear fell down her beautiful cheek.

  Ty walked up to her, wanting to talk but too afraid. What if she told him to leave? What if she told him to get lost? Finally, it was Brooklyn who looked up. “Oh, hi,” she said quietly.

  “Are you okay?” Ty finally said.

  She paused for a minute, sighed, and then shook her head. “No. I’m not fine,” she said. She shivered again.

  “Here,” Ty said, taking off his jacket he hung it around her shoulders.

  “Oh, thank you. Do you want to sit?” she asked him. He sat on the chair next to hers, and gazed at the view in front of them. New York in all its glory, lit up, and beautiful, despite his mother’s claims.

  “So, do you think you’re up to listening to me rant about my problem, because I need somebody,” Brooklyn said with a small laugh that almost sounded like a sob. Another tear rolled down her cheek.

  “Sure. This is my dream come true. Listening to my best friend’s sister rant about her problems. What else am I here for?” Ty said with a grin. Brooklyn laughed.

  “You’re funny. I, just… I’ve known this guy for a while. Like since kindergarten and I guess around seventh or eighth grade, I fell in love with him,” she looked up at Ty. “I know, you probably think I’m stupid for thinking that I’m in love, but it’s true.”

  Ty shook his head, but felt like he was being punched. She was already in love with someone else. He could almost see all of his chances with her fly out the window. But he said comfortingly, “No, I don’t. I know what you’re talking about.”

  She gave him a small smile. “Yeah? Well, love sucks because he never told me anything even though we spent almost every living moment together and he had plenty of time to. But at least he never dated other girls. Well, he did once, but it was on a dare. With Riley. But whatever. Just back inside, though, I saw him kissing my best friend like she was the most amazing person in this world. He’s never looked at me like that, and I—I just don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m breaking inside.”

  On an impulse, Ty reached out and brushed a tear from her cheek. But then, suddenly, her hand was holding his there. “Have you ever been in love?” she asked softly.

  He shook his head. “No, but I’d like to be.” And then, suddenly, his hand was tracing her face—her eyelids, her jaw, her lips. She stared at him, not breaking their gaze, with her beautiful green eyes. They looked so pure, without all the makeup he’d seen on her before.

  He leaned his head in closer until his lips were almost on hers and he could feel her breath on his face.

  Just then, the door banged open. Romeo stood there, staring at them, his eyes wide. “Oh, guys, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize there was anyone here, and—“

  But Brooklyn stood up. “No, it’s fine. I’m going anyway. I just have to, um, I gotta do—whatever. I’m going,” she said, flustered.

  Ty watched her leave, still reeling from that almost kiss. But she had jumped up so fast. Seemed so eager to leave. Did she hate him now?

  “Do you like my sister?” Romeo asked, looking bewildered.

  “No. Yes. Maybe, I don’t know. I think so,” Ty said, searching for the words to explain.

  “Dammit. I thought you were a real friend. You think I don’t know how many guys pretend to be my friend to get close to my sister? I doubt I’ve ever had a real friend. I used to add ‘until Ty’ to that last sentence, but not anymore. You’re just like the rest of those losers,” Romeo said, his eyes flashing angrily.

  “No, Romeo. You don’t understand, I—“

  “Shut up. Shut up. Do you think that none of the other guys have tried to come up with some phony explanation? I’m sick of it. If I didn’t have Brooklyn for a sister, I wouldn’t have any friends at all,” Romeo yelled. And then it was like something inside of him broke. “Just go. Get out,” he said, turning away to stare at the stars. His eyes glistened oddly, like he was going to cry. Ty decided he had to give him his privacy.

  “I’m not like the rest of them. I like you for you. We’ll talk later,” he said.

  Just before leaving, he heard Romeo whisper, “Don’t hold your breath.”

  Sighing, Ty walked out the front entrance into the cold New York air. He had finally found someone he liked on the Upper East Side. Someone with depth, and he had blown it. What an idiot he had been. Angry, he kicked an offending stone.

  He was glaring angrily at the ground and walking when suddenly he ran into somebody with full force. “Oh my, god, what the hell?” the person who he had run into said.

  She had straight golden hair and blue eyes and an angry frown on her face. She was pretty, and in a very different way from Brooklyn. She was tall and leggy, with a sweeping grace to her. While Brooklyn had the beauty of someone small and petite, this girl was long and towering and inexplicably beautiful.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking, and I—“ he stared but she cut him off.

  “Just don’t do it again and we’re good,” she said, getting up and dusting herself off.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked.

  She looked at him. “When did I say I was okay? I’m not okay. My feet were already aching from ballet, and now you’ve knocked them from under me. Jesus, how the hell am I going to walk home?” she complained.

  “This is my fault. Let me help you,” Ty suggested. She glared at him, narrowing her pretty blue eyes.

  “I’m not getting into a car with some random stranger. What do you think I am? An idiot? Because I’m not. I’m calling Simon,” she said, angrily pulling out her phone and jabbing in a number. Ty stood there, rooted to the spot, knowing he couldn’t leave her there alone. He would wait with her until her friend came.

  She talked into the phone and Ty politely averted his ears. When she was done, she turned to him. “What are you still doing here?” she asked.

  “Look, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I crashed into you, but I can’t just leave you here, stranded. I’m going to wait with you until your friend gets here,” he said determinedly.

  She looked at him oddly, cocking her head. “Okay, fine. My name is Averil, by the way,” she told me, holding out her hand.

  He shook it. “Tyler. But everyone I know calls me Ty, and people I don’t know don’t call me at all. Well, except when I’m drunk. Then I don’t strictly know them, but they call the next day, and—“

  She burst out laughing. “Nice. How many girls have you used that on?”

  “None, actually,” he said.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Really? Interesting.”

  “So what are you, a senior?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “Junior. What about you?”

  “Same. What school?” she aske
d.

  “St. Damien. You?”

  “Oh, I go to Vincent’s. We’re like a block away from St. Damien. How come I’ve never seen you? I’ve even performed at your school’s theater,” she said.

  “Probably because I only moved here a week ago. You could have killed someone at our school, and I wouldn’t know about it,” Ty told her. She grinned.

  “So what do you like to do?” she asked. “I’m into ballet. Big time.”

  “Oh, nice. My hobby is painting, actually. Oils mostly, but I sculpt sometimes too. I got into St. Damien on an art scholarship.”

  “That’s so cool. I do ballet at Vincent’s but I’m not smart enough to get a scholarship, I don’t think—“ she was about to continue when a battered russet colored truck pulled up and someone got out. He was a tall guy. Tall, and incredibly thin. He had long dark hair that curled to the nape of his neck and grey eyes that were shielded by glasses with wide black frames. He wore an open checkered shirt over a black T-shirt and worn jeans. He looked kind of nerdy but cool at the same time, Ty thought.

  “Averil, are you okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine, yeah. My feet just hurt so much, I didn’t think I’d make it home anyway,” she told him. “Thanks for coming, Simon.”

  “No problem. Who are you?” he asked Ty, bluntly.

  “Ty. Tyler Brenson, but everyone I know calls me Ty,” he said, winking at Averil. She laughed. Simon stared at them, blinking, like he knew he was missing some joke. He felt kind of annoyed. Averil had called him all the way here, when he had been right in the middle of one of the most exciting writing spurts he had ever had. Writing was everything to Simon. Almost everything, actually. Averil was there, too. Sometimes he felt like she was the only person that existed for him. She was real, so real, unlike everything else. Simon lived much more in the fantasies that he created in his head then on earth. It was Averil who really kept him grounded. But right now, he didn’t want to be grounded. He wanted to live in his own world.

  “Oh, I’m Simon. Anyway, Averil, can we go? I was having this amazing spurt of words which cannot be kept waiting,” he said.

  Averil smiled. “Sure, I’m coming.” She turned to Ty. “Nice meeting you. Here, enter your number,” she said, handing him her phone, when he did, she plucked it from his fingers and waved, before getting in the car and yelling, “Maybe I’ll call you,” as her friend drove off.

  Ty smiled as he watched her go, feeling a little wistful. He made his way back to his foster mother’s loft in silence, thinking.

  * * * * *

  Alexia turned her head side to side. Where was Seth? He just kissed her and left? He was so weird.

  Giving her hair a little flip, Alexia made her way up to Riley. “What’s going on, Riley?” she asked.

  Riley widened her big brown eyes. “Seth is going on. Did you know he’s going to boarding school? Also, he’s secretly dating Emma Blake. They’re keeping it a secret because his parents don’t like her and they’re going to run away,” Riley said. Alexia almost burst out laughing. Riley was always filled with gossip that was so unbelievably false.

  Alexia faked a surprised expression. “No way!” she said.

  “Yeah, way. I know, I could barely believe it either. But it’s true,” Riley said seriously.

  Suddenly, Alexia caught sight of Emma Blake. She waved goodbye to Riley and made her way over. Emma looked beautiful in a sun bright yellow dress that complemented her pale skin perfectly. It hugged her thin frame and fell all the way to the floor. Her dark chestnut curls lay perfectly to her waist.

  “Hey Emma,” Alexia greeted her.

  “Oh, hi, Alexia. Did you see that new guy with Romeo?” Emma asked.

  Alexia shook her head. “Oh, yeah, his name is Tyler, but Romeo calls him Ty and I’ve heard everyone else does too,” Alexia said.

  “Oh. He has nice eyes,” Emma commented. She knew that was an understatement. He had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. Emma had been sneaking covert looks at him throughout the party. It was wrong, she knew. After all, she had a boyfriend. But she couldn’t help it. He was just so beautiful.

  She felt mean and bad. Kyle had never showed her anything but love and here she was staring at someone else. She shook her head, trying to shake the thought of Ty from it. She was sure that later, she would laugh at this little fancy she was having. She was meant for Kyle and they both knew it.

  “Can you excuse me for a second?” she asked Alexia, who nodded her head in response. She strode up to Kyle who was talking to a guy with white blonde hair.

  “Kyle?” She wrapped her arms around him, hoping his piney scent would erase her horrible thoughts.

  “Hey,” he laughed, kissing her forehead. Emma scolded herself inside. Here he was, loving her; how could she even think about someone else? She looked up at him. He was wearing a black suit with an olive green collard shirt and his wavy caramel colored hair fell around his beautiful heart shaped face. His green eyes matched his shirt and stared at her like she the only person in the world. He ran his hands through her dark curls.

  The white haired boy left them, melting into the throng of people, leaving the two of them alone. Emma kissed Kyle, trying to lose herself in him like she always did when they kissed. But for some reason, this time she didn’t feel very lost at all.

  * * * * *

  Averil stared out of Simon’s beatup truck’s window, ignoring the stares of the late night passerbys. Stares followed them everywhere in that truck—no one drove a truck in New York. But Simon loved it, and refused to drive anything else. When they arrived at their apartment, Simon walked around to her side of the car and carried her out and up to the apartment. Averil leaned into him, breathing in the smell of his lemon soap and feeling his faint hint of stubble brush her forehead.

  He lay her down on her bed. “Thanks Simon. I’m sorry you had to come get me. I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” she told him.

  He shook his head. “I don’t mind, really. I’ll always be here when you need me.”

  Simon sat down in front of his laptop, but for some reason, he was too distracted to write. His head was full of Averil. He had never wanted to kiss her more than when he was carrying her up to the loft. She had been excruciatingly close to him, so close that he could have just leaned down and covered her lips with his own. But he didn’t. Because he was a coward. He should have told her he loved her long ago, he knew. If she didn’t know, she’d go and fall in love with one of those guys like the one she was with today, and that, he knew, would break his heart.

  But what if she didn’t love him either? He couldn’t live with that either, so he loved her quietly, from a distance, watching her every day through his glasses. Watching her beautiful smile and her sparkling eyes. Watching the way she danced with a grace that was otherworldly.

  * * * * *

  Brooklyn watched the last of the guests filter out of the penthouse, fighting not to cry. Romeo seemed equally subdued too, though she had no idea why. Lance had tried to kiss her goodnight, but she had sent him away with as much politeness as she could muster. She didn’t think she could be so close to him after what had happened.

  “Hey, Brook, are you okay?” Romeo asked.

  Brooklyn nodded, trying to look as okay as possible.

  “For some reason, I don’t believe you,” Romeo looked at her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Let’s go get some late night coffee. Christmas Eve is supposed to be fun.”

  Brooklyn looked up at her younger brother, wondering when he had started taking care of her instead of the other way around. She sighed. Maybe she did need someone to take care of her. “Okay, Romeo. Let me just change out of this dress and I’ll be with you,” she said.

  Brooklyn made her way to her room and shut the door behind her. Her clock said it was ten thirty. A little late for Dean & Deluca’s, but she didn’t care. She unzipped her dress and let it fall to her ankles and then made her way to her closet. She pulled out a dark blue flowy s
hirt and put it on over her dark grey skinny jeans. She pulled on her knee-length black coat and was at the door with Romeo five minutes later.

  They walked in the evening air together, much preferring it to a stuffy cab. There was something about the night that made Brooklyn feel so happy. It was so calm and cool and wonderful, without the sun that gave her headaches and hurt her eyes. For Brooklyn, the night was always much more beautiful and radiant than the day.

  Romeo looked down at his older sister as they walked. There were faint eyeliner marks, from when she had been crying, around her eyes, and she looked distraught. “You know, Brook, if something is wrong, you can tell me,” he told her. She nodded her head but didn’t say anything. Romeo felt his heart sink. If his own sister couldn’t confide in him, then who could? Maybe that’s why none of his friends liked him for him, instead of Brooklyn. Maybe he wasn’t such a good person to be around in the first place.

  They walked into Dean & Deluca’s, sat in their usual place near the right window, and ordered black coffee, a favorite of both of theirs. Romeo couldn’t remember sitting anywhere else in the store. He and Brooklyn had made a pact when they were ten, and old enough to go buy coffee on their own, that they would never sit anywhere in the store but here. It had been a random promise, but both had adhered to it anyway.

  Suddenly, Brooklyn turned from the window and looked straight at Romeo. “Okay, I need to get this off my chest. Something is wrong, but you have to swear not to tell anyone. Ever. Promise?”

  “I’ll pinkie swear, and then I’ll never be able to tell,” Romeo said, smiling and taking her pinkie in hers. “Cross my heart and hope to die. Except I don’t really hope to die. I never understood that phrase but—“

  “Romeo, do you want to know or not?” Brooklyn asked, annoyed at her brother’s incessant chatter.

  “Yeah, totally. Throw it all up, sister,” Romeo said.

  Brooklyn wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Stop it, Romeo.”

  He sighed. “Okay, tell me.”

  “It’s about Seth.”

  “That you like him? I already kinda figured, you know,” Romeo told her.

  “What? How do you know? I never told anyone, it’s impossible that you—“Brooklyn started. She looked almost ready to hyperventilate.