Secrets Untold

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 26

𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐈 rolled out of the bed, a headache pulsing behind my temple.

"Holy fuck," I mumbled, struggling to pull my clothes on, recalling the events of last night.

After I had put my clothes on, I hurried downstairs, hoping that Victor hadn't left the house yet. To my surprise, almost everyone was sitting at the breakfast table, albeit with sullen looks plastered on their faces.

Victor's hair was mussed, bags under his eyes, with an already drunken look in his eyes. Carson was absent, presumably still over at his friend's house. Archer was stabbing his food angrily, whilst Lila texted someone furiously on her phone.

I pulled out a chair and sat down, dropping my head on the table, wishing I could just go back to sleep again. A glass of water, accompanied by two pills slid over my way with a disapproving noise from Cameron.

Ignoring him, I took them gratefully, before turning my attention to my two eldest siblings. Diego was sitting still, his expression blank, with a dead look in his eyes, his mind far away.

We were all falling apart.

Sighing, I thought about what I had promised Dad. Keep the family from falling apart. I can do that. No problems, right? The sound of chairs scraping across the ground filled my ears, shaking me from my thoughts.

Victor had gotten up from the table, shaking his head whilst walking away from us. No one made a move to stop him, so I quickly raced after him as he left the room. Ignoring my headache that had now returned, I reached for his arm quickly, "Victor."

He stood still, back ramrod straight. I tried again, making my voice gentler, "Please. We need you."

"No, you don't," He rubbed his face, a familiar gesture which gave me hope that not all was lost. He continued. "We need a responsible parent, but he's dead, isn't he? Not like our mother can help us either because she's also gone."

I flinched, "Stop."

"See," he pointed out to me, "I can't look after us. I can't even control what I'm saying. I can't help us."

Growling under my breath as he began to move away, I called out, "You run a fucking mafia. If not for us, then for them. They're all depending on you, and here you are drunk. Pathetic excuse for a leader."

Victor suddenly whipped around, grabbing my shirt by the collar as he pushed me into the wall furiously, "You take that back."

"No!" I exclaimed, just as angry, "I'll take it back when you learn to act like a proper leader and brother."

Victor seemed to collect himself momentarily, releasing me whilst shaking his head. He turned to me, his face defeated, "I can't, Akira. I'm a mess. This whole thing is a mess. Face it, none of us are worth your effort trying to save."

"I'm your sister," I pleaded with him, "Please, try to step up and pull yourself together. I've accepted you guys as family, and when you're my family, you should know I would help you in a heartbeat."

Victor's jaw clenched slightly, "Akira, please-"

"No!" I protested.

Gentle hands restrained me from leaping at Victor in my frustration, "Akira, give him some time to cool off."

"No!" I yelled, "I'm sick of it. I'm sick and tired of trying to keep this entire family together. To stop Diego from drinking, to help you cope, to rein Archer in with his bad habits, help Carson confront his fears, Lila cope with all you people, and pull Victor back in shape as a proper sibling. I'm done. I quit. Sorry, dad."