It was nothing

Mallory

The second I got into the car, I knew AJ was fuming. His grip on the steering wheel was tight, his jaw clenched so hard I thought his teeth might crack. He didn't pull away from the school straight away—just sat there, gripping the wheel like he was trying to calm himself down.

I barely had time to shut my door before he turned to me, eyes blazing.

"What the hell were you doing talking to Kian Holland?"

I sighed, already regretting everything. "AJ, it wasn't a big deal—"

"Not a big deal?" He let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "I watched you, Mal. You stood there, having a full-on conversation with him like he's not one of the worst people you could be around!"

I rolled my eyes. "You're being dramatic."

His glare darkened. "No, I'm not. Do you have any idea what kind of shit he's involved in? What his da's done to our family? What he's done?"

I crossed my arms. "I know exactly what his dad has done. You remind me every time his name even comes up."

"Then why were you talking to him?"

"Because he was there!" I snapped. "What was I supposed to do, run away?"

"Yeah," AJ shot back. "That would've been smart."

I huffed, looking out the window as he finally pulled away from the school. The car was filled with tension so thick I could barely breathe.

"Stay away from him, Mallory," AJ said after a long silence, his voice lower but just as firm. "I mean it."

I didn't say anything.

Because I wasn't sure if I could promise that.

The ride home was silent. AJ's grip on the steering wheel stayed tight, his knuckles white as he stared straight ahead. I knew better than to push him when he was like this, but that didn't stop the irritation bubbling up inside me.

By the time we pulled into the driveway, he was still seething. He threw the car into park and turned to me, his eyes sharp.

"I'm serious, Mal. I don't want to see you anywhere near him."

I unbuckled my seatbelt, matching his glare. "You're not my dad, AJ."

His jaw tightened. "No, but I'm your brother, and I actually give a damn about what happens to you."

I scoffed, reaching for the door handle. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

"That's what you think," he shot back. "But you don't know him like I do. You don't know what he's capable of. He's not some misunderstood lad, Mallory. He's trouble. The kind that drags people down with him."

I got out of the car, slamming the door behind me just to make a point. He followed, his footsteps heavy as he came up beside me.

"You don't get it, do you?" he muttered, shaking his head. "He's not just bad news because of his da. Kian is just like him. He sells, Mal. He's in deep with some real scumbags. You think he's just some harmless eejit hanging around the school gates for fun?"

I folded my arms, standing my ground. "I never said that."

"But you don't take it seriously either," he shot back. "And that's the problem."

Before I could argue, the front door swung open, and Ma appeared, looking between the two of us with narrowed eyes.

"Why do you two look like you're about to box the head off each other?" she asked, crossing her arms.

AJ exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Ask your daughter who she was chatting with after school."

Ma's eyes snapped to me, her expression immediately shifting. "Who?"

I hesitated.

AJ didn't. "Kian Holland."

Ma's face hardened in an instant. "Please tell me he's joking, Mallory."

I sighed. "It wasn't a big deal—"

"Jesus Christ, Mallory!" she groaned, rubbing her forehead. "Do you know who that lad is?"

"Yes, I know," I muttered, already exhausted by this conversation.

"Then why were you talking to him?"

I gritted my teeth. "Because he spoke to me! What was I supposed to do, ignore him and run away like a child?"

Ma's expression darkened. "Yes!"

I let out a frustrated breath. "You're all overreacting."

AJ scoffed. "Overreacting? Mal, do you have any idea what would happen if Da found out you were anywhere near him?"

That shut me up.

Because I did.

And I wasn't sure I wanted to deal with that.

The tension in the air was thick, and I could feel it creeping up around me, suffocating me with every passing second. I didn't want to deal with this right now. I didn't want to have this conversation. But Ma was already looking at me like I was making some massive mistake, and AJ's glare wasn't helping.

"I'm not a kid anymore," I said, finally breaking the silence, though I hated the way my voice shook. "I can talk to whoever I want."

Ma shook her head slowly, her eyes softening but still carrying that motherly concern. "It's not about that, Mal. You're not a kid, but you're still my daughter. And I won't stand by and watch you make a mistake you can't undo."

I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling the frustration build in my chest. I hated the way everyone treated me like I didn't know what I was doing. Like I couldn't make decisions for myself.

"Ma, I'm not stupid," I snapped, my words coming out sharper than I meant. "I know who he is. I know what he's about. But I'm not doing anything wrong by talking to him. I'm just... being nice."

"Nice?" AJ's voice was laced with disbelief. "You don't have to be nice to him, Mal. He doesn't need your charity. He's not some lost puppy you can just pet and make feel better."

I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to shout. "I wasn't trying to make him feel better. I was just talking to him."

"That's the problem." AJ's tone turned colder. "You think it's just talking, but it's not. It's him getting into your head. It's him messing with you, pulling you into his world. That's how it always starts."

I flinched at the accusation, but I didn't let him see it. "And what? You think I'm so naïve I'll just fall for whatever he's selling?" I laughed bitterly. "Please, AJ. I know better."

"Do you?" His words were like a slap, and I could feel the sting of them. "Because if you did, you wouldn't be standing here defending him."

I stood there for a moment, silent, my thoughts racing. I wasn't sure what hurt more—AJ's words or the look on Ma's face. I couldn't understand why they couldn't just trust me, why they couldn't see that I could handle myself.

The silence dragged on, thick and heavy, until Ma spoke again, her voice quieter now. "Just be careful, Mal. That's all I'm asking."

I nodded, though I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. "I will."

But as I turned to go inside, the unease in the pit of my stomach didn't go away. AJ was right about one thing—Kian Holland wasn't the kind of person you just casually hung out with. I knew that.

But what no one seemed to understand was that I didn't just see him as the boy they all warned me about. There was something more to him, something real that I couldn't explain.

And no matter how much they tried to control my life, I wasn't about to let them dictate who I could talk to.

The door creaked as Dad walked in, a soft sigh of relief escaping me when I saw him. I always felt better when he was home. The tension from earlier—AJ's anger, my frustration, the whole mess with Kian—seemed to fade just a little when Dad was around.

there was something about him that commanded respect without saying a word. It wasn't the kind of authority that came with a fist or a raised voice. It was the kind that came with years of being a steady presence, a calm leader in the chaos of life. But tonight, I could sense the change in him before he even said anything. His gaze flicked around the room, a little more tense than usual, and I knew it was about to get uncomfortable.

"What's for dinner?" Da asked, hanging up his coat, his voice calm but with an underlying tension I hadn't noticed before.

"Stew," Mam answered, her voice lighter, but I could see she was trying to hold everything together, probably for Dad's sake more than ours.

I set the table, trying to ignore the tightness in my chest as AJ stared at me across the room. It didn't take long for the storm to hit.

"So, Mallory," AJ began, his voice sharp as a knife, cutting through the air. "You're still talking to Kian Holland? After everything that's happened?"

I rolled my eyes, exasperated. "Seriously? I don't see what the big deal is."

But AJ wasn't backing down. "He's trouble, Mallory. You know that. You can't be that stupid."

I could feel my patience fraying, and just as I was about to snap back, Dad spoke, his voice firm.

"What about Kian Holland?" Dad asked, looking up from where he had been unpacking his bag. His tone wasn't harsh, but the seriousness in his eyes made me pause.

I couldn't back down now. "I was just talking to him, Dad. It's not like that."

But AJ wasn't finished. "It doesn't matter, Mallory. You don't get it. He's a disaster waiting to happen. You're putting yourself in the middle of a mess you don't need to be in."

I felt a heat rise in my chest. "I can handle myself, AJ."

Dad shot me a sharp look, his brows furrowing. "Mallory." His voice was still calm, but there was an edge to it now. "You shouldn't be talking to him. Not after everything."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, my anger flaring up. "Why should I listen to you or AJ about who I talk to? I'm not a kid anymore."

"You don't get it, Mallory," Dad said, his voice steady but insistent. "You think you're fine, but Kian's trouble. We don't want you mixed up in that."

I felt my stomach drop. "Dad, I was only talking to him, it's not like I'm doing anything crazy."

Dad shook his head slowly, his face hardening. "I don't care if it's just talking, Mallory. It's not a good idea. He's not the kind of person you should be around. We've seen what he's done. You don't know him the way we do."

"I can make my own decisions," I said, my voice a little too sharp for comfort. "I'm not asking for permission."

Dad didn't raise his voice, but his tone carried the weight of authority. "And I'm telling you, Mallory, it's not a choice I want you making. You need to stay away from him. We're not going to just stand by and let this happen."

AJ crossed his arms, his gaze on me unyielding. "He's right, Mal. We're just trying to keep you safe. Can't you see that?"

My chest tightened, frustration bubbling up. "I can't believe you two are ganging up on me like this."

Dad's eyes softened, but he didn't back down. "We're not trying to control you, Mal. We just don't want to see you make a mistake you'll regret."

The room was silent for a moment, the tension thick between us. I could feel the weight of their words pressing on me, but I wasn't ready to back down. "You don't get it," I muttered under my breath. "I'm not a kid anymore."

"You might not be a kid," Dad said quietly, his gaze unwavering. "But you're still my daughter. And I'll be damned if I let you get hurt."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Mam spoke up before I could. "Alright, that's enough," she said, her voice cutting through the tension. "We're not going to get anywhere arguing. Mallory, I know you don't want to hear it, but your dad and brother are just trying to look out for you. Please just listen."

I bit my lip, the anger still simmering inside me. They didn't get it. None of them did. But the last thing I wanted was to keep fighting, especially not in front of Mam.

"Fine," I said, the word coming out sharp and final. "I won't talk to him again."

Dad's expression softened, relief flashing across his face. But I could feel my stomach twist. I wasn't agreeing because I thought they were right. I was agreeing because I didn't want to make this worse than it already was.

Dinner passed in uneasy silence. I could feel Dad watching me, and AJ's eyes were still sharp and angry, like he was waiting for me to mess up. But I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.