All The King's Horses And All The King's Men

two - 'are you shitting me?'

I looked Zach dead in the eye and saw not a single hint of a lie. Fuck. The Rodriguez brothers are my brothers. Double fuck!

There is no way I'm ever going to be able to settle in with them, they can practically put somebody beyond the grave with a single glance, and they're my fucking brothers! This is highly, drastically comical. Like they always say, out of the frying pan and into the fire.

I've only ever been used to my twin brother and them. For the past five months he's been in juvie, and I distanced myself from my non bio family because it just fucking hurt.

We both worked our asses off to make a living in street-fights and illegal races. Our da- no, he doesn't even deserve to be called a dad or a father. Marcus' reasoning for our abuse was because I'm bisexual, and Theo supported me. I know, shitty reason right? Although I couldn't help but feel guilty every time Theo got hit, because it's my fault.

One night when I couldn't make it, Theo was caught at a race by the police, and he got himself sent to juvie for half a year. It's like missing half of me, for five whole months.

When our stepmum and her son died, it went from bad to worse, then Theo had to go and it went from worse to absolutely awful. He used to beat me until I couldn't move, and then Theo left and he beat me until I was on the brink of death.

You must be wondering why I didn't fight back, well it's pretty easy to explain.

I always wanted Marcus' approval, and his support and maybe I just wanted him to give a single shit full stop. But my logic was always that if I did anything to jeapordize the chance, I'd never forgive myself, henceforth I just layed there.

In those five months once he'd beat me that much I'd die from so much as one more hit, he invited his 'friends' to come 'play' with me, which I think has traumatised me more than Marcus has, and that's saying something.

The worst thing about it overall though, was Theo wasn't there. I didn't have a safety net, I didn't have my other half, my best friend, the only thing keeping me from going off the deep end, my lifeline.

So eventually, after just a week of Theo being gone, I started drinking, smoking weed, I even started to self harm over the scars on my legs, so I know the scars that are left there are on my own accords. That something was my choice.

I don't think he would be proud of me, Theo I mean. He always made sure I never did that shit, and kept me on my feet. I think he'd hate what I've become. He never really cared about me smoking weed before - he used to do it with me, but the rest, he'd be pissed about. I visited for the first couple weeks but after that I just sank deeper and deeper I couldn't bare to see the look on his face when he'd see how bad I'd gotten, I can imagine it. I don't think he'd want me anymore.

I feel like the worst sister, the worst twin ever. If I was in juvie I know he'd make it priority to see me every chance he got.

"Luna!" Zach yelled. My head snapped towards him.

"What?"

"I've been calling you for 5 minutes, you were zoned out."

"No."

"What do you mean no?" He scrunched his eyebrows together.

"No. I can't go."

"Why not?"

"Not without Theo. I'm not leaving Theo. I will not leave without Theo." I stated, my face showing no emotion.

"Your brothers hired a better lawyer, he'll be out in a week."

I just hummed, my eyes glazing back over and travelling to the wall behind him.

Were my brothers going to be like Marcus? What if they have friends like his? What if they don't want me and are just being forced to take me in? What if they pity me?

Questions swam through my head until I felt it was going to burst, and the ringing in my ears failed to subside. I looked to Zach and saw him eyeing me, concern dancing in his eyes.

Truth be told, me and Zach are more close than we would care to admit. He's been a big brother figure to me, and if I didn't have him for the past few months I'm honestly not sure where I'd be right now.

"Lu, what's wrong?"

Did this prick seriously just ask me what's wrong? Okay let me make a list for you buddy.
• My 'dad' just died,
• I found out I'm going back to my 6 extra big brothers as if one or two isn't enough!
• My twin is in juvie, and when he gets out he'll have to deal with all of this without me telling him.
• I have to go live with said big brothers!
• And lastly, my life is just fucked up.

Is what I wanted to say.

But what I said was the complete opposite.

"Nothing, I'm fine?"

"Mm. Okay. Well, when Theo's out he'll be coming to live with you at your new house, in Chester." His eyes moved between me and the paper that sat infront of him, his index finger and thumb holding it lazily at the corner.

"CHESTER? Are you shitting me? How many miles away is that? Like 200? For fucks sake Zach!" I yelled, anger and frustration arising in me.

If I'm completely honest, it's not the place I'll miss. Granted, London is beautiful, not my area though. I live in the worst parts of London. It's the races, the street fights, the people in the underground that I've come to have a bond with. My family.

And now I'm getting shipped off to fucking Chester. 200 miles away, and not to mention who with. I have to be there for a whole fucking week without my twin. And when he does get there he'll see the mess that I am! Could my luck get any worse?

"I know it'll be hard, Lu, and you're scared, and upset, but you're strong. You're the strongest teenage girl I know, you'll be just fine."

I actually nearly shed a tear. Yeah, I know. Luna Armani. Nearly crying infront of people, mindblower! But it actually sank in what was happening.

And even though for the last ten years Marcus was the bane of my existence, I remember when he was a good dad. When I was six and he used to take me on walks and buy me ice-cream and call me beautiful. Even though for the last ten years he was the reason I didn't want to be alive, I remember the good.

I nearly shed another tear for the man he used to be. The man who died when I was six. I don't know who he was from six upwards, but I almost shed a tear for that man who died, not the abusive asshole who went out with a bang.

Zach quickly pushed his chair backwards, smoothly rounding the table and holding my head to his chest with one hand on my head and the other arm around my back, resting his chin on my head.

I had the urge to just shrug him off, and tell him I'm fine, and I don't need his pity, but instead I just let him hug me, my arms laying limp on my sides and my head tilted the smallest bit into him.

"You'll be okay, Lu. You're so strong, I promise. You're the strongest girl I know. Your brothers have missed you so much love. You'll be amazing. I love you so much."

His words seeped through properly, and I felt myself being oddly comforted by them. It didn't even scratch the surface of how Theo could comfort me, but that's just a twin thing.

I slowly pulled away from him, and crossed my arms on the table then rested my head atop them. He re-rounded the table and pulled his chair back underneath him. I felt so pathetic, I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I needed a massive fucking joint, or a couple dozen hard shots.

My life is fucked beyond belief.

Now, time to meet my oh so lovely, caring, darling brothers who made no move to contact or see me my whole life while they were living in riches and me and Theo were getting abused. Wonderful.

This is going to go oh so absolutely wonderfully.
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1496 words

I was going to post a long chapter but I'm splitting it into two bc I wanted to give yall something... vote pls bc I require validation