Gracen forced Hunter to go through with a checkup with Andrew. There was some bruising, but the diagnosis was that it would heal in a couple weeks and if it got worse they would head to Andrew's clinic for a more thorough examination. After thinking Andrew, Hunter headed towards his room absentmindedly. Deciding that it was best that he followed Hunter, Gracen trailed behind him. Unaware of his follower Hunter didn't reject the company. After Hunter arrived in his room he immediately headed into his bathroom and the water from the shower could be heard sputtering into motion. Gracen placed himself on the beanbag chair in one of the corners of Hunter's room and was prepared to wait quietly for Hunter to come out so he could be there for Hunter, as any decent older brother should. Fifteen minutes later Hunter came out, a bathrobe on. Finally Hunter noticed his brother's presence and meet his brother's eyes. There was nothing but pain and frailty in his gaze.
"Why?" Hunter whispered. It was a rhetorical question, Gracen knew that. Regardless some part of him wanted to explain Daniel's actions, to comfort Hunter and make the situation all better. He couldn't. So he kept silent.
"Why?" This time Hunter's voice was slightly louder.
"He punched me. My older brother, my role model assaulted me. He sided with the woman who manipulated us. He choose to believe someone that had left those hideous scars on our younger siblings, no that's not right nothing that is part of the beautiful people they have become in spite of all that. I will never know the absolute H*** they went through. And if I ever did I doubt I would be able to take it." Hunter was yelling, his hands clenched, as he strode back and forth in the room.
"And you know the worst part? I wanted that. I wanted my mother to be just a victim. I wanted Delia, Artie and Drew to be liars. I wanted her and Daniel's acceptance. I craved it. And for one moment. One beautifully horrible moment I was willing to do anything for it to happen." Hunter's eyes were frantic.
"It could be worse." Gracen said quietly, which immediately caused Hunter's gaze to focus on him.
"You could've been like me." A self-deprecrating smile was present on Gracen's face as he began to talk. "At least you took care of them from the beginning and didn't assume things about them. I immediately suspected them of lying and rejected them as people who could enter my true family. Later on it got worse, I knew what Daniel was planning. I knew that he was taking out his emotions on them. But did I interfere? No, I tried to downplay I tried to get Delia to give in, to accept Daniel's abuse as normal. Luckily, Delia is smart and has a strong moral compass she refused my efforts and exposed my flawed views. She even saw that I was pretending and tried to get me to open up." A scoff could be heard from Gracen. "But when I saw Daniel go even further, when I witnessed his preferential treatment, I sided with him. Maybe I didn't verbally say that it was ok. But my silence was a form of consent. I always told myself, that if it did get bad enough I could take custody of them. But I just kept letting it go further and further." Hunter had gradually calmed himself down and was now sitting in front of Gracen, tears still leaking every now and then.
"Just to let you know I'm done." Gracen said, "I'm done making excuses for that abusive family member of ours and won't be making excuses for Gina either. I'm getting custody, we are leaving. All I want to know is are you coming?"
YOU ARE READING
I Am Here (UNEDITED)
General Fiction*Completed, but unedited* Delia, a 13-year-old girl lives with her abusive parents and her eight-year-old twin brothers. She shields them from the cruelties of their parents as much as she can. The twins try to provide her with support but they are...
