It had been two days since Jack had revealed what our next lesson would be. In that time, I'd been chatting to Gabriel online with an increased interest.
He had brought up our meeting again, asking when I'd be coming to New York and how long I was staying for. In that time, all I could think about was how nervous I was about meeting someone new.
What if I failed to meet their expectations? What if Gabriel wanted to have sex and I wasn't ready? Asking Jack to help me with sex didn't always work wonders for my self-esteem too.
My phone kept buzzing on the coffee tables as Jack and I pigged out on Chinese that night in front of the TV.
"You wanna answer that?" Jack asked, gesturing to my phone with his fork.
"It's just Gabriel," I reply. "Besides, I'm watching TV with you."
Jack says nothing and goes back to eating. After five minutes I give up. "Okay, what the hell are we watching?"
A confused expression came over Jack's face as he flicked between the TV and myself. "It's about a psycho killer hunting a bunch of teenagers in the woods. You don't like it?"
"I mean," I laugh. "That girl just licked a werewolf's face and I'm sorry but how did those two not see the zombie behind them. How can you miss something so obvious when it's right in front of your face?"
"You'd be surprised what people miss." Jack muttered and I looked at him in confusion but no further explanation came forward.
I'm about to open my mouth when suddenly there's a knock on the door.
"I got it." I say, placing my carton on the coffee table and standing up to open the door. My eyes widen in shock at the sight of the grinning, green-eyed brunette standing before me.
"Well about time, I was beginning to think you'd never answer."
"Aria?" I ask, staring at my older sister in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I've been texting you all day!" Aria, my twenty-three year-old sister, exclaims. "I even rang Jack. Didn't he tell you? Jack, didn't you tell him?"
"Oops." Jack grins from the couch. "Must've forgotten, sorry."
Aria rolls her eyes. "Boys."
"What are you doing here?" I ask. "I thought you're on the European leg of the tour right now?"
"Well, first of all," Aria says. "I'm waiting for you to step aside and let me in and second, did you not get my messages? Mum and dad's anniversary is coming up and I flew in this morning. I get a three-day break before it's back to work. In that time, we need to plan mum and dad's wedding anniversary!"
"Why?" I ask, stepping aside to let my sister through. "It's only their twentieth."
"Exactly!" Aria exclaims. "They want to re-do their vowels this year since they went on that cruise last time. Work will probably have me out of the country this time next year so mum and dad wanted to do it when the whole family was together. Understood?"
I flash her a thumbs up and Aria smiles, moving gracefully into the lounge room where she shrugs off her coat to reveal a dark sweater and ripped jeans.
My sister, who now earned a pay-check in the millions, had managed to maintain her stylistic, bohemian appearance she developed as a teenager.
While she spent her time now donned in evening gowns for award shows and sparkly costumes on stage, my sister had been born when my parents were very young and didn't have a lot of money.
Born in the slums of our neighbourhood, Aria was raised tough and to treasure every opportunity and luxury she was given.
Being used to roaming the streets of "dirty jeans and tees", Aria was much more accustomed to living her private life the way she was raised and not the way she was presented. Hence, she ruled her stylistic decisions with an iron fist.
Aria Evans, whilst being undeniably stunning just like our mother, liked to remind people that a pop-star status did nothing to shake her of her past and the way she was brought up.
Beautiful, empathetic and virtuous, Aria was anything anyone wanted to be as a teenager. Unfortunately, she'd had it rough enough herself to know.
"I have not missed this weather." Aria groans, shaking her damp hair and sending small water droplets flying.
"Speaking of which," Jack leans over the back of the couch beside my sister, grinning cheekily. "How's the tour going? I heard France is scraping up the millions for you."
"The shows aren't about the money," Aria replies altruistically. "It's about the fans. I adore them. Look how much they've done for us."
"True, but you can't tell me you don't love being up on stage."
"Of course I can't." Aria shakes her head. "Music has always been my passion. It's really the only thing that go me through everything until now."
I nod in understanding. Having been bullied pretty hard as a teenager, Aria had been ostracised and kicked to the curb for a large portion of her life.
Even though I was young at the time, I remember when my sister finally graduated and re-discovered her love for music. It was probably the best thing to ever happen to her.
"Hey Jack, could you give Troye and I a moment please?"
Jack jumps up and heads into the kitchen, announcing his plans to make tea and leave Aria and I alone in the living room.
Aria perches on the back of the couch and turns her attention towards me.
"What?"
Lips pursed, my sister stares me down and I shift uncomfortably. With a hint of a smirk curling on her lips, she says. "I hear you've joined the dating pool again."
'What?" I exclaim in shock. "Where did you hear that."
"A little birdie told me." Aria replies, sending a smirk towards the kitchen where Jack was.
I groan, sometimes hating how close Jack and my sister were. Jack and Aria were the same age and were in the same year at high school.
It was by coincidence that Jack met me and already happened to know my sister. He was probably one of the only people who truly cared about her during that time of her life.
"Jack," I sigh.
My best friend pokes his head out of the kitchen. "I thought she should know."
"No one knows," I mumble. "Mum and dad don't even know."
"Troye," Aria says. "Jack's right. This is a big deal for you. We want to make sure you have the support you need."
I look down at my hands without replying and Aria pats my arm gently, moving to sit next to me.
"You're my little brother," she says, voice cracking slightly. "I've known you since you were in diapers and I hated myself for not being able to shelter you from a pain you should've never experienced so young."
"It wasn't your fault."
Aria shakes her head. "No it wasn't, but you have no idea how mum, dad and I felt watching you go through this torturous time when all we could do is hold you. We wanted to do so much more to end your suffering."
I shrug. "I'm fine."
"You're weren't fine," Aria replies. "It's been nearly four years and this is the first time you've made the move to start dating again. It's okay to be scared."
My eyes close and I work on slowing my breathing as my head spins. Dating wasn't something I wanted to make a big deal out of but Aria and Jack had a point.
"I haven't actually met anyone yet." I point out. "I only joined a few weeks ago."
"What about Gabriel?"
"Who's Gabriel?" Aria turns to me with a raised eyebrow.
"Just some guy I've been talking to." I reply nonchalantly. "He lives in New York."
"New York? How long have you been chatting with this guy?"
"About three weeks."
"And you didn't tell me sooner?" Aria feigns shock and places a hand over her heart. "I'm hurt, little bro."
"I didn't tell anyone." I mumble. "Only Jack knows because he's the one who got me to sign up."
"And to that I say," Aria stands up and claps Jack on the back, grinning up at him. "Well done Jack-in-a-box."
"Not that nickname." Jack groans and I snicker.
"Picture. Now." Aria holds her hand out.
Sighing, I take out my phone and head to Gabriel's profile, clicking on his photo and turning the phone towards Aria. "That's him."
"Oh, he's cute!" Aria gushes. "European?"
"Spanish. He's an Arts student too."
"That boy is a work of art." Aria swoons. "Damn."
Throughout our whole exchange, I notice how uncomfortable Jack looks and ask, "You okay, Jack?"
"Hm?" Jack's attention snaps to me. "Oh yeah, m'fine."
The distant look in his eyes told me otherwise but I didn't push it.
Aria hands the phone back to me. "How are you going to meet up? Presuming you want to."
"That's the thing. I have to be in New York for work in a few weeks time and I was thinking I could possibly meet him then."
"And you're okay with that?"
"With what?"
Aria gives me a pointed look. "Well, what would you do about long-distance?"
"Woah," I hold my hands up, my heart slamming in my chest. "We just started talking, no one said anything about a relationship."
"Troye," Jack comes over and rubs soothing circles on my back. "Breathe."
Pulling me to his chest, I lean my head against Jack and work on calming my racing thoughts, Jack continuing his soothing motions between my shoulder blades.
With Jack's help, I manage to squash down my anxiety and turn back to my sister who is watching me with a concerned expression.
"How long has he been doing that?" Aria looks up expectantly at Jack.
"A little over a year," Jack answers and his chest rumbles with his sweet tenor. "He's better than before though."
Aria nods slowly, seemingly thinking to herself and processing the information. A moment later she turns and pulls something out of her bag and presents it before us.
"It isn't France if you don't bring home the finest of macaroons." Aria grins, holding the tray of multi-coloured treats before her.
Jack and I exchange a look before I grin at my sister. "Can't say no to that."
"C'mon, let's watch a movie." Aria says, dragging us and the macaroons over to the couch. Jack hits play on the movie we'd been watching earlier as we feast on the sugary treats.
"Why is he trying to kill a zombie? They're already dead."
Aria stares at the screen in confusion and I laugh as Jack groans.
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