Suffocate

Chapter 5

Mr. Henrique was an OK, old man. He ignored my family for the longest time, ignored our craziness, and lived his life silently. He had family who often visited because unlike my family, he had caring members. Not that my sisters don't care about me. It's the other four members of our family that don't.

Standing outside of his house wasn't my ideal way of observing the place. I've only been in there a few times, only when he allowed me to stay. His only rules were to be quiet and don't touch anything. I was okay with that.

I sneak in through the backyard, into an open window, and sure enough, the place is different. Even though he lived next door from us, Mr. Henrique's house was very much different. His house is bigger and nicer looking. But I guess it was being renovated. The inside completely changed. The older fashioned furniture and decorations are gone. The surroundings almost looks as modern and rich as Sapphire's house.

Only my brothers can afford that, I suppose. And my dad, I guess.

Walking throughout the house, I try finding the staircase. I was never allowed to go upstairs, but I knew my neighbor had a lot of rooms because he had a lot of family. Sucks that the guy died. I could've been more friendly with him and he could've given me the house.

I knew there were two spare bedrooms in the basement, but Jesus, there're four more on the second floor. What the hell are my brothers going to do with this space?

Already am I growing with irritation, because my sisters and I can enjoy this wealthy kind of living, but it just has to be given to my selfish, bastardly brothers. And my dad. I keep forgetting about my dad.

I feel a buzz in my pocket. Fishing out my phone, I see, on-screen, a text message from Marissa:

Bryson, Mom's looking for you. I roll my eyes at the text.

I know.

Well can you come home? She's being crazy again.

When is she not?

Bryson, please!

Okay. I feel bad for running from the house, but I just had to investigate. I'm right next door, too. It's not like I went to my job or anything.

Once I turn back around to walk down Mr. Henrique's stairs, I get another text.

Thinking it's from Marissa, I decide to just read the text instead of immediately responding. Instead of Marissa, though, it's the same number that called me at school a couple of days ago.

Where the fuck are you?

I stop dead in my tracks. "What the fuck?" My phone buzzes again in my hand.

We've been waiting for a fucking hour and a half. This time, the text is from another number.

Pick us up, we know you have a car. It's in Dad's name.

My eyes widen. Why am I being bombarded by text messages from two fucking phone numbers? Another text comes in.

BRYSON!!!

I almost drop my phone because, seriously, this is freaking me out. What the hell is happening? What the hell are they talking about?

Who the hell is "they"?

I quickly run out of the house, exiting the way I came. Running over to my own house, I find that all the girls, including my mom, are in the living room. I don't think, as I'm taking the keys from the mantle, hurrying back out of the door.