The Seven

Chapter One

I stood in my bathroom once again, applying concealer to my wrists to cover the bruises Braydian left. It was almost a daily ritual at this point. Applying concealer to my bruised wrists and wearing clothing that covered my damaged skin.

Some of me wanted these bruises to be seen and questioned, but the risks outweighed the benefits. More harm would most likely just come to me instead, and maybe even death. I wouldn't put it past Braydian to kill me. I almost wanted it. It wasn't like I was living much anyway.

I wanted my brothers to save me like they always had when I was a small child, but they also started to become submerged in the dark waters my parents poured. My parents always had a messy relationship, and we paid the price.

My mother died of a drug overdose three years ago. As much as I hate to admit it, it's a relief that she's gone. We were freed of broken glass bottles, her rage, and random men coming into our house and trying to sneak into my room when my mother passed out. Luckily, my older brothers were there to prevent them from getting to me.

As for my father, none of us know. One morning, he just packed up and left without a word. There could have been so many reasons why he finally just left, which probably included my mother. Either way, both of my parents are out of the picture.

I pull down my sleeve and grab my backpack from the floor beside my bed. When I get downstairs, I see a figure sprawled out on the couch. I walk over to see my twenty-year-old brother Pilot.

He was passed out on the couch, and I hoped it was because he was just tired, but I knew it was most likely him blacking from drinking or drugs.

I put my hand on his shoulder and shook him slightly. I hope he was sober so he could drive me to school. It was supposed to be in the thirties today, and I would rather not walk to school for forty-five minutes in the ice-cold weather.

Pilot groaned and lazily swatted the air, causing me to sigh.

"Pilot, can you drive me to school, please? Pilot, wake up." I ask as I continue to shake him.

The only response I get is that he is slightly shifting and falling back asleep. I should have known better, considering he still reeked of alcohol, but I really hoped I wouldn't have to walk.

I knew Dash had already gone to work, and Draven was nowhere to be found, so I was left with no other choice but to walk to school.

I went to the kitchen and popped a single waffle into the toaster. As it heated in the toaster, I bundled up for my walk to school. When the waffle sprang up from the toaster, I quickly grabbed it and walked out the door.

I texted Dash to tell him I was leaving. I texted that Pilot was driving me because I knew how upset he would get if he found out I walked in the cold.

By the time I got to campus, my teeth were chattering, and my ears hurt. I let out a sigh of relief when I entered the warm school.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket when I felt it buzz. On my screen, I saw that Maya had texted me.

Cameron and I are in the library. She sent.

I made my way to the library and slipped my phone back into my pocket. I walked through the library doors to the smell of coffee. The librarians always had the coffee maker going for themselves in the morning. Some students snuck a cup or two when the librarians left the area.

My eyes scan the library until I see Maya and Cameron sitting at a table. Maya noticed me and smiled. She waved at me, and I made my way over to the table. Cameron looked up from his phone and nodded at me.

"Did you walk to school again?" Maya asked with a frown etching her face.

"Yeah. Dash went to work already. Draven wasn't home, and Pilot was passed out on the couch." I sighed.

"You know you can just text me, and I would give you a ride, right?"

I shrugged. "I know, but I don't want to be a bother."

Maya snorted. "How is that even remotely close to being a bother when we are going to the same place."

"I'd drive you too," Cameron said, not looking up from his phone.

Maya raised an eyebrow. "You failed your driver's test. Twice."

"And? I can still drive."

Maya just rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, Cameron, but I would rather not get involved in a car accident." I joked.

Cameron scoffed and put his hand over his chest dramatically. "That's so rude. Failing your driver's test does not mean I get into accidents."

"I am driving you to and from school from now on," Maya stated.

I sighed in defeat as Maya smiled back at me.

When the bell rang throughout the school, Maya and I picked up our bags to start walking to our Algebra II class. Cameron slumped in his seat.

"Cam. You need to go to class." Maya chastised him.

"It's gym. Who the fuck thought it was okay to make innocent teenagers have a gym at 7:30 in the morning. It's cruel and unusual punishment." He groans.

I can't help but laugh at his dramatic ways. "Cam, come on. You can't get another detention, or you will get suspended."

"Good." He huffed.

"Oh, whatever, let's go, Blair," Maya grumbled as she gently tugged my sleeve. "I refuse to be late because of this baby."

I spent my first period struggling to get the formulas down during the lecture. Algebra was not my vital subject. I was more of an English person. What I hated the most about math is that if you got one thing wrong in solving the equation, it messed the whole thing up.

If I bombed the upcoming final, I was going to fail. Dash would be pissed. I was already on thin ice with my falling grades, and failing a whole class would make him go ballistic.

I hated disappointing Dash. I felt like he was the only brother who still cared for me. He was forced into the parental role after Mom and Dad. He had no help with Jax out of the picture and Draven and Pilot being a constant thorn in his side.

Dash cared for me and was very protective of me. He was always just too busy to see the reasons for my low grades and every other fucked up thing in my life. I assumed it was easy to dismiss my quiet and timidness in our upbringing, but that seemed like nothing compared to the hell Braydian brings.

Draven never noticed or just didn't care about the sick obsession his friend had for me. Braydian was careful not to slip up in front of him. But it was easy for him to leave bruises and make his threats as Draven was always under the influence or paying attention to anything else but me.

Of course, Pilot was never really around; when he was, he was asleep and dead to the world.

It wasn't like I could ever tell them, primarily because of the fear I have of uttering a single word of Braydian's torment. Draven, I already know, wouldn't believe me and would most likely say I was making shit up. Pilot, I don't think, would believe me either. I wasn't a hundred percent sure, but I didn't want to find out. I wasn't sure what Dash's reaction would be. I know I should tell him, but I don't want to give him another thing to worry about with all he has on his plate. I just wanted all this to just go away and move on with my pathetic existence.