Chapter 17

Anna walked into the house, her mother was sitting at the dinning table while typing into her laptop "hi mom."
"Hey baby, how was school today?"
She shrugged "fine."
"Did you do the math's quiz?"
She nodded.
"How was it?"
"Okay" Anna replied "where is Jason?"
"In his room. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"That Jason has a girlfriend?" Veronica smiled while looking intently at her.
Anna bit her lower lip "I only found out yesterday. How did you know?"
"A beautiful girl came asking for him and when I asked him, he said he knows her. She is with him in his room now. I figured it out because Jason has never invited any girl home."
"Oh" was the sound Anna made and swallowed, Courtney is with Jason in his room? Just what is she doing here? "I will go up now" she said and Veronica nodded before going back to what she is doing. Anna walked up the stairs to her room. She dropped her bag on the floor and fell on the bed. Her thoughts running wild. Just what could they be discussing, is he the one that asked her to visit him? If so, then is his phone already working?
What is she telling him? Has he kiss her? What excuse will she use to go to his room now? What could they be doing? How long have they been inside? Why did mom allow her to go inside his room? Just as her mind was throwing all the questions, she remembered that he has a fever and immediately jump up from her bed. Now that is a perfect excuse to go to his room, she thought and ran out of her room.
She drew open the door to Jason's room to see Courtney sitting beside him on the bed and he was lying with a towel placed on his forehead. He looked at her immediately she entered and smiled "hey there baby sis."
"Hi Jason. I'm sorry, I just wanted to know how you are doing."
Jason's smile widened "I'm good. Feeling better. How was your quiz?"
She shrugged "good. Hi Courtney."
"Hi Anna" Courtney replied.
"How did you get to know here?" Anna asked her.
"Oh, Megan called Josh and he directed me. I was calling Jason but his number was not connecting, I got worried especially when Megan called to tell me he was not in school, I thought something had happened to him, so I rushed down here after getting the direction from Josh" she smiled.
Anna nodded "oh, that's okay. I was just surprised to see you, you know, not even Megan knows here, so I was surprised how you came to know. I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable?" Well, I really hope I did, you need to start going, she thought but still kept her smile on her face.
"Oh no you didn't. I would have done the same" she looked at Jason "your mom is really lovely, I wish my mom is that sociable."
"I'm lucky" Jason replied her with a smile before looking at Anna "have you eaten?"
"Not really, mom and I will be making dinner soon, and I also ate lunch in school, so you don't need to worry. Or else you are hungry?"
"Nope, mom made lunch for me and it was crispy and delicious."
"Oh I see, and you are making it sound like this, so that I will regret going to school today right? It's aren't working."
He laughed and it sounded like music to her ear and not just her, Courtney too "I like your laughter. You should laugh more" she complimented him and Anna clenched her teeth, you are not supposed to notice, she screamed in her mind.
"Thank you" Jason said.
"So, when will you be taking me to the movies? I will be leaving soon remember?"
Anna bit her lip, she waited patiently for Jason's answer but her heart was thumping in her chest "I'm sorry Courtney but, I'm grounded" she heard Jason said and she looked up at him immediately, why, that's true, how could she have forgotten? She found herself rejoicing that her brother is grounded.
Courtney looked shocked "grounded? Since when?"
"Since today."
"What did you do?"
"I did something against my parents wish and they grounded me."
"What's that?"
"Something."
"Something that you can't tell me?"
"Maybe not yet" he flashed her a smile and she sighed.
"Okay then. If you say so. How long will it last?"
"A week."
"What? Isn't that too much? I'm mean you are an adult now."
"Not really, I will be fully eighteen in two months time."
"Oh, but still ..."
"It doesn't matter Courtney. Don't worry, when you are back in town, I will take you to the movies" he promised.
"Okay then, I will hold you to that."
"I accept" he smiled.
Anna stood wishing she will not come back, wishing that she will travel back and meet someone else in order to forget her brother, she don't know why, but she really don't like Courtney for him. Although she doubt if she will like to see him with anybody else but Courtney is just the worse, she can feel it.
"I need to go now. I promised Megan I will join her to make dinner."
"Oh, that's okay. I appreciate you coming."
She leaned forward to kiss him and he bit his lower lip before giving her an eye signal that Anna is still around. She chuckled and let him be, since he can't kiss his girlfriend in the presence of his sister, she is not going to make it awkward for him "get well soon."
"Thank you."
She stood up and picked up her phone and her bag before turning to look at Anna "bye Anna."
"Let me see you to the door" Anna offered and she smiled, she looked at Jason again "bye Jason."
"Bye" he replied.
Anna heaved a sigh of relief before following her out of the room, down the stairs.
"Bye Mrs. Macaulay" Courtney said and Veronica looked up from her laptop and smiled.
"Bye dear, see you some other time."
"Thank you" Courtney replied and Anna walked her out. Don't come back, she screamed in her mind, and don't date my brother again, I don't like you "bye again Anna" Courtney's voice called her out of her stupid thought. She smiled and waved at her before heaving a sigh of relief again and then walked into the house, she really don't want her for her brother.
"You don't like her" Veronica commented immediately she walked in. Anna was shocked and turned to look at her.
"Of course not" she denied.
"Really? Course it was screaming in your eyes 'I don't like you, leave my brother alone' I can see that young lady."
Anna bit her lower lip "it's not like I don't like her but that she is leaving off town. I don't want Jason to practice long distance relationship."
"Well, you won't tell me he doesn't know about that."
"He does" she muttered.
"And he still chose her didn't he? Maybe he just want her. Sweetie, it's not all long distance relationship that doesn't work it. It's not all about the distance, as long as the root of the relationship is strong, the distance doesn't matter. Okay for example, are you going to stop loving your brother or caring about him if he leaves town?"?
Anna was startled, why did she use Jason as an example? Did she know about her feeling?
"Another one, I travel almost every time, does that affect my relationship with your dad? No it doesn't, and that's because our root is strong. Now Jason chose her, the least you can do is to be happy for him, like he always is with you, okay? Don't go screaming in your heart, that his girlfriend should leave him, anybody can see that" she smiled
Anna bit her lower lip and sighed before nodding "yes mom."
"That's my good girl. Now go take a rest, dinner will be ready soon."
Anna nodded and walked up the stairs to her room, thinking about what her mom just said and wondering if she will say the same should she find out that she is madly in love with her very same brother.