[Marluxia]

Friday, 3:13 PM
Location: Mall

We walked for a short bit, looking through the windows at the various clothes and trinkets offered. I love going to the mall, I never get to go, but when I do it's the best. I love browsing through the stores at all the things I wish I could have but I don't.

Elliot and I walked for a bit more before I finally stopped and turned to him.

"What are you guys up to?" I asked.

He looked over at me, at first concerned, but he seemed to hide it by a troubled and puzzled expression.

"Huh?" he replied. "What do you mean?"

"You know, the secrets," I continued. "The list that Drake and Walter had?"

"Oh! That's just a list for Home Depot. Drake is going to drive over there and pick up a few things. He said we wanted to build something cool, something he learned in Wood Shop?" he laughed.

I looked at him and I believed him. What a fool I was.

We continued until we got to the food court.

"I'm hungry," I said. "Where is Walter? He was right behind us."

"I think he went off to a store," Elliot replied. "Let's get something to eat.

We sat down at a table and he left for a brief moment, waiting in line at a Deluxe Pretzel Factory. He kept checking his phone and replying to messages, every so often tapping his foot. Eventually, the woman gave the two pretzels to him and he came walking back over.

"Look, I just want to say that I'm sorry," Elliot said as he sat down.

"What do you mean? For what?" I asked.

"For what I've done to you in the past, what I might do in the future. I just want you to know that I love you - as a brother I mean," he laughed awkwardly. "Not anything else, that would be awkward..."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

He didn't reply and just pretended he didn't hear me. He took a bite of his pretzel and checked his phone again.

Something wasn't right. It was so obvious. Why didn't I do anything about it...