Her Secrets

12. School

The weekend had gone by slowly and by Monday morning, Mia wasn't ready to go back and face anyone. She was still in bed with her covers overhead when normally, despite hating school, she'd be ready by seven thirty in the morning.

When it was eight, Chris came inside to see if she needed a ride. With the covers still overhead, she didn't make any moves or sound.

"Mia, you gotta wake up. You have school." He said.

When he received no response he began again, "I know why you're worried but Mia it's your last year. It'll be over soon and you'll never have to go back. You'll never have to see anyone again if that's what you want."

"I'm tired and my bed is warm. I don't want to leave."

"Mia, I'm sorry but you have to go." He said.

"I can't." She said. "I don't want to."

"Mia, I'm sorry but you don't have a choice. You have to go today." He said as he pulled the covers off of her.

"No! I don't want to go. What you want doesn't even matter to me. I'm not going!" She said.

"As long as I'm your guardian, I make the decisions." He said lowly. "You are going."

She threw the covers back over her head as Chris walked to her closet, grabbing leggings, a t-shirt, and hoodie. He threw it on her bed and told her to get ready before walking out and into the long hallway.

She had no plans of leaving that room and Chris knew it but he needed to try to get her out of bed.

"Is she okay?" Asher asked with his elbows propped up on the granite countertops.

"No, and I don't think she's going to get up. She told me she doesn't want to leave the house and I believe her."

"So what are you going to do?" Benjamin asked.

"Nothing. I can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do."

"That doesn't sound like you. Your usually on her ass about everything." Benjamin stated. They all knew it was nothing but the truth.

"I'm not going to force her to do anything she doesn't want to do. I won't. I don't care if it's like me or not." He said.

"Okay, well I guess I like this new version of you." Ben said.

"That new version of him isn't for you, dumbass." Asher stated earning a smack on the head from Ben.

"Fuck you." He said with a glare.

"Can you two stop fighting like children. It's annoying and you guys are too old. We have bigger problems here and Mia to focus on."

Their argument came to a halt with the reference to Mia and the reminder of what had happened to her was affecting her mentally.

"We got rid o-" Benjamin started but cut himself off as Chris sent him that look.

"You got rid of what?" Asher asked looking between both his older brothers.

"I got rid of the trash in Mia's room last night. When she was asleep, I thought I'd help her out a little and make her room look a little nicer." He said. He hoped to God his quick lie didn't sound too much like the bad lie he knew it was.

"What are the odds that the only two normal siblings in this place of five kids, are Mia and I?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"The way you worded that was weird as hell. I'm thinking you need school more than Mia does." He said.

"I worded it fine. I don't know why you're trying to be the grammar police." He stated.