1o | wine-drunk (part one)

EBONY IS MAKING BREAKFAST BY the time I wake up. It isn't much, but the earthy scent of coffee fills the air, matched with the strong smell of bacon; its mouth-watering aroma bordering on overwhelming in the early morning.

A pale autumn sunlight trickles through the cracks in the blinds, shedding golden strips of light onto the shiny wooden floor. Threads of gold flicker in his eyes and outline the shape of his face in the unborn morning, slowly fading as the sun slips behind the thick sheet of clouds blanketing the sky.

"You're not dressed," he states, shovelling the last of the bacon onto a plate with some eggs and shifting it across the table to me. I take a seat, lifting my fork and tapping it against the ceramic. "You can't skip school again."

"I'll come in in the afternoon," I say, knowing too well it's a lie to keep my brother happy. Judging by the raising of his eyebrows and the pursing of his lips, he knows this too, and I release a withering sigh. "Okay―okay, I just...want things to die down a bit."

"You're running away." Ebony twists my words on his lips. "They're not even talking about you that much, but the more you avoid coming to school, the more you'll fuel the flames. Right now, they're barely sparks."

"In your year, maybe," I mutter, scraping a forkful of eggs onto my fork and shoving it into my mouth, "but not in mine."

"You'd be surprised," my little brother responds after a beat, taking his own seat and starting on his breakfast. "Archer says they've moved on. Since the graffitti got washed off, no one even cares anymore."

I twirl the fork in my fingers. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

I bite my lip, then shake my head, freeing myself of my inhibitions. "I'll go get ready. Archer offered to pick us up for school."

"Yeah," he chews and swallows his mouthful, "I know."

☆☆☆