My Severe Brother

ch 29: My only friend

Peter's pov

I stirred awake, took a refreshing shower, and carefully dressed, applying soothing lotion to my tenderized posterior. Descending the stairs, a subtle dizziness unsettled me, and as I navigated the steps, a sudden darkness overcame my vision, resulting in an ungraceful fall.

"Ow, shit," I exclaimed, my ankle throbbing painfully.

"Oh God, Peter!" Cole rushed to my aid, offering a supportive hand to help me stand. 

In my irritable state, I pulled away, muttering a curt "fine" as I attempted to hobble towards the dining room. The pain intensified with each step, and I couldn't suppress a pained exclamation as I stumbled once more.

"Let me help you," Cole urged.

"I'm okay. Just go, I can handle it," I retorted defiantly, only to lose my balance again.

"Ugh, so stubborn," he sighed in exasperation.

With surprising strength, he lifted me effortlessly in a bridal hold, settling me on the couch before inspecting my injured ankle. Determined to avoid further retribution, I maintained a stoic silence.

"I'll get your breakfast and some ice," he said gently, disappearing into the kitchen.

 Upon his return, he placed the ice on my aching foot, and I began to eat my breakfast, nursing both my wounded pride and throbbing ankle.

"Are you bipolar or something?" I questioned, a mixture of frustration and bewilderment in my tone. He merely chuckled in response. 

"So ironic, at night you belt me to death, and in the morning, you take care of me like I'm your precious thing... I'm not a toy, though," I asserted.

"I know," he stated confidently.

"You don't. I hate it, and I hate you... No, I don't hate you. I feel like I should respect you; you're my big brother. I didn't know you before. I was wishing to have siblings, but when I got one, he was a moron, abusive, and an alcoholic psycho," I admitted, the words escaping my thoughts.

His expression shifted to one of shock, as if he had somehow tuned into my inner monologue.

"Was it that loud?" I asked, finding amusement in the awkwardness. I was aware that, at times, I tended to think loudly.

"Yes," he replied, smirking.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," I offered, a twinge of guilt surfacing.

"Never mind," he dismissed, standing up. "Come on, let's take you to your school."

I nodded, trailing him to the car. He drove me to school and stayed by my side as I entered the building. "Hey, why are you coming?" I inquired, a bemused expression playing on my face.

"Your first class is science, so I want to talk to her and the headmaster," he explained.

"Oh, okay."

How did he know my schedule? Did he have another copy of it?

"You're coming with me," he stated.

"Yes, sir."

We entered the headmaster's office, and my brother requested a meeting with my science teacher. As she detailed what she perceived as my shortcomings, an uncomfortable tension settled over the room.

"And he skipped his detention," the principal concluded.

"I don't think it's fair to punish someone for something he didn't do. It was an accident," Cole retorted casually.

"You see how lateness affects his marks; he got an F," she said provocatively.

"Maybe your comments affect his interest in focusing on his lessons. Hmm, I guess I'll have him removed from your class. I don't like how you were treating him—yelling at him in front of the class, taunting him too, and who knows what else," Cole countered with mock sweetness.

"He was disrespectful too and should be punished."

"Oh, yeah, by the way, if I remember correctly, I never signed the consent form for any sort of discipline to be given to Peter. I requested to be called, and I remember too that I'm a partner in this school," Cole stated harshly, the headmaster nodding in agreement.

"I didn't know that," she admitted, surprised.

"You must have forgotten," he said, raising an eyebrow at her. "And, by the way, some bully kids ruined his papers. This is a record one of the students provided for me where the two boys admitted what they have done. I'm asking you, with all due respect, to check the footage and make those students pay."

Oh, Miles gave him the record. Such a good friend!

"Yes, Mr. Carnell. It's our job, but your brother didn't talk about it that day," the headmaster interjected.

"I told you about it now. Do your job." Cole stated firmly.

"Yes, sir. I'm very sorry. I'll take care of removing him from her class and supervising how she is treating the other students. I will find who caused him trouble. Be assured of that. I'll call you with good news, Mr. Carnell. We are sorry for bothering you. We are sorry, Peter."

I nodded.

"Thank you for the apology. Have a good day," Cole said sarcastically, and we walked outside.

"Oh, you were amazing in there. God, you have such a way with words," I marveled.

"I know, man. It's my job, you know, kind of a lawyer's ability," he said, smirking.

"Are you really one of the partners?"

"I own half of it," he declared, winking at me.

I chuckled before expressing softly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, babe. I'm going now. Have a nice day," he said, ruffling my hair.

"You too, Cole—I mean, sir," I corrected myself. He just smiled and went out.

I walked to my next class when Olly stopped me.

"Peter, Miles didn't come to class. He said he would go to the bathroom, but he wasn't there."

"I will find him," I said.

I rushed to the garden, a place the cameras couldn't reach. There, I found him sniffling a white powder.

"No, stop! God, Miles," I exclaimed, grabbing the substance from his hands.

"Give it back!" he yelled as he stood up.

"No," I asserted, pushing him back down.

"I will kill you, son of a bitch."

"Calm down, Miles. Calm down," I urged.

When he attempted to fight me, I delivered a controlled punch to his neck, just enough to induce unconsciousness. I carried him to the changing room, tending to him until he woke up after about three hours.

"Are you fine?" I asked.

"Yes, I want my stuff," he glared.

"Sorry, I threw them."

"You are a pain in the ass," he said, getting up and choking me.

"Okay, I get it," I managed to gasp out. "I'm going to tell your brother that you stopped attending your classes. Are you happy to be under the walls, surrounded by trash like a dead body?" I said disgustedly.

"You're fucking annoying me," he retorted, attempting to leave.

"You are my only friend, and I won't let you destroy your life," I asserted, grabbing his arm.

"You don't have to care!"

"That's my job as a friend. I won't watch you drowning in this disgusting swamp."

To be continued...