My Brother.

Chapter 3. Friday.

It's been a few days since Eli really scared me, the more time I'm at home with him the more I worry It's going to happen again.

So today I've decided to join some after school clubs, the less time at home the better. I look at the board for the clubs that spark the most interest for me; sewing club, I'm too clumsy id probably poke myself with the needle,drama club,uh yeah no thanks I'm trying to stay away from drama,robotics,that sounds cool! But it's only at lunch, I need something that keeps me out of the house,hmm.

Then I see Ryan waltzing towards me "Hey ellie! Looking to join a club? We're short on members for our hockey team" I smile at Ryan "I think I'll do netball! And...the school musical!" I gleam as I find the perfect activities for me that I think I'll actually enjoy doing.
/////

It's the end of the day and I'm about to head into school hall for my first after school club,the school musical.
Clara comes over to me "Hey! Just a reminder to be at mine for 6pm tomorrow for your 16th birthday celebrations!" Clara claps and smiles joyously as she tells me,I smile back feeling like maybe turning 16 could be sweet after all "im so excited for tomorrow,thank you Clara!" I giggle and hug her before we say our goodbyes and I go into the hall,I had texted my parents during lunch to say I'll be back later as I start the after school club and they were happy for me starting something new. I'm so anxious to step into this hall,but here goes!

I see an array of characters in the hall some practising dances and some doing vocal warm ups,most people here look like they've been here for a while and really settled in except one boy who's stood alone in the corner looking lost,he has shaggy blonde hair and an expensive looking jacket on and I've never seen him at school before so he must be new.
I walk over to the boy to introduce myself he's the only person here who looks as new to the musical scene as I do, "hi I'm Ellie,are you new here?" I tug at my backpack with some nerves as he answers me "new to this school yeah,I'm Jessie nice to meet you, I performed in musicals at my old school,gotta say the stage and rehearsal space was a lot nicer than this one" he laughs a little as he looks at the schools stage, I smile and reply "welcome to the finest place in this school,unfortunately we don't have a super gleaming stage space like Harmony high" I laugh back and his face frowns a little. I hold back my tongue as I think,maybe he knows someone from there? Did I just offend him?
"Harmony high is the private school I used to attend, my dad lost his job there though so we had to start attending this place" he mocks. Ugh not another stuck up private school boy I roll my eyes as I respond "sorry", he nods at me with a smile and then turns his head to a loud voice.
I look over,finally the teachers here. "Students from our last musical,first of all congratulations Hairspray was well reviewed by students,parents,teachers and the community around school" she claps and bows down her head to the students who performed in the last musical, her tiny librarian glasses look like they could fall off if she bowed her head any lower.
"students new to our musical theatre department welcome!" As the teacher points to me and Jessie,the seemingly only new ones here the rest of the students glare almost evily at us, "they must be scared of our talent" Jessie whispers to me causing me to blurt out a little laugh and smile.
"Now for our next musical we will be performing The wizard of Oz!" She announces to some cheers from students and some grunts,I try and sus out Jessie's reaction he doesn't seem bothered, the teacher continues to ramble as I start talking to Jessie about musicals "so are you a big fan of the wizard of oz?"
I ask,he laughs and says "well it's better than what I thought she was gonna say" he gives a bug eyed expression as he gestures to the teacher.

Throughout this first club the teacher makes us watch the wizard of oz and read some scripts.
We are all given some key character lines so that we can pick one character to audition for.
I'm not talented enough to be Dorothy and I don't feel like a brave lion,maybe I could be a tree I laugh to myself as I read through the lines on the way home on the bus.
/////
I get home and I'm greeted by mum at the door,it's nice to see her less drunk than usual," awh sweetie how was the first after school session? Are you gonna be my star!?"
She hugs me tightly and I smile at her and my dad as he comes round the corner from the kitchen "It was just the first day mum,dad, I have to audition for a role, we're performing the wizard of oz" I smile gleamingly and feel a bit of excitement as I think of dancing and singing on that stage.
My dad points to the dining room "your just in time for tea,and I'm proud of you for trying something new" he smiles and we all walk into the kitchen.
Eli is already sat at the table on his phone, he hasn't noticed me walk in, I sit next to dad and mum goes on the opposite side and sits next to Eli. "We've got spaghetti tonight,and your mums got a glass of r-" before dad can finish talking mum blurts out "it's a special occasion!" as she raises her glass of red wine nudging Eli's arm in the process.
"mum!" he yells rubbing his arm and then he notices me. "Where have you been? Your late back yknow?" He nods in my direction and then looks at dad like I should be in trouble.
"I've started an afterschool club,I'm not late,I'm on time" I nod confidently as I grab a fork and start twisting at the spaghetti my dad placed infront of me. Eli looks confused and a little irritated "what club did you start? Why didn't you tell me?" He says staring at me and tightening his fists. "You didn't tell your brother?" Mum interrupts "well,Eli,your sister is gonna be a star!" She shouts excitedly, her wine getting cautiously too high and her body swaying a little too much "she's already a star to me, my sister" Eli smiles at me,I grimace, and my dad looks at Eli like he's a saintly brother.
I continue to eat my spaghetti,"your sisters in a musical,the,what was it again?" Dad turns to me, "it's the wizard of oz dad" I reply in between bites of my spaghetti.
Mum keeps guzzling down her glass of red,it seems to be infinitely filled with red wine and she's getting more and more unsteady with it, I roll my eyes as I watch her and I notice Eli noticing me do so.
"Mum" he sternly takes the glass out her hand "that's enough mum" he places the glass to the other side of himself so mum can't easily reach it and gives me a smile and nod after doing so,like he's doing me a favor.
"I can't wait to watch you perform on the stage" Dad nudges me with his elbow smiling as he guzzles his water.
"me too dear!" Mum adds as she starts to touch the spaghetti on her plate, Eli looks a little jealous and then he looks to mum and dad gleaming as he says "well maybe I should join the school musical, then you can watch me too" I almost choke on my spaghetti as he says it, I start coughing and sipping on my water,Eli looks to me smirking and rubbing his hands "that way I get to spend more time with Ellie" I frown at him,thinking to myself please don't take this away from me, please don't pleas- "you can't sing! And your not a great dancer son,no offense" mum drunkly laughs at him and I let out a small scoff too and smile at her "Yeah and besides there's too many people in the club now anyways Eli,but thanks" I say confidently as I stand and go to wash up my plate, "thank you for tea dad" I give my dad a kiss on the cheek on my way to the sink.
Dad thanks me and then starts lecturing mum about her drinking this evening.

As I start to wash up my plate I feel warm air on the back of my neck,its Eli. "Hey sis,that was rude then,I might not be as talented dancer and singer as you but there's no need to be rude" I roll my eyes "Eli I didn't say it,mum did" I giggle, he giggles back and I continue to wash my plate shaking my head as he rants about being offended, he laughed so he can't really be offended right?
I'm snapped out of my thoughts when suddenly theres a loud thrash and "OUCH!" I yap as I feel a sharp pain in my hand,I'm bleeding, Eli has just thrown his glass into the sink on top of my hand and I look him in the eyes "why did you-" I start to talk but he shouts before I can finish "Omg! Ellie your so clumsy! You need to be more careful!" Our parents start to come over concerned "don't make fun of me and don't tell tales now" Eli whispers in my ear as he grabs my bleeding hand and pushes the sharp glass into my skin, my mouth is wide open and im shaking as I want to yell but feel tears and fear taking my voice.
As dad gets closer Eli stops and acts concerned holding out my hand and taking away the shards of glass he just pressed into my skin "Ellie what happened? Let me see" Dad yells taking my hand out of Eli's "she's so clumsy I was just telling her how excited I am to see her in the musical and she dropped the glass!" Eli starts acting the concerned brother,lying through his teeth,my mouth is still wide open and my eyes feel teary from the pain both physical and mental,why did he do this! All because of what mum said? Or is it the afterschool club? What the hell!
"Ellie, put your hand under the tap" Dad turns on the cold tap and rubs my back as he examines the wound on my hand. "Is she going to be okay?" Mum stumbles over "like you care,your too drunk to notice me half the time" I'm so tearful and angry I yell at my mum and instantly regret it,who I really want to yell at is Eli.

"Ellie! Don't be rude to your mother,she's only trying to help" Dad snaps, "how can she help when she can barely stand!" Eli shouts out, my dad snaps his neck to Eli and shakes his head shouting "enough" before following my wailing drunk mother who's started trying to climb the stairs.

I stare at my painful hand as I watch cold water hit it and bloody water drain down the sink.
"You'll be okay,I'm sorry I just don't. I missed you when you were gone today" Eli comes up to me and gently reaches for my hand,I sharply pull away "im sorry really. I just,lose my temper sometimes" he whispers then reaching for my hand again and examining it, "see? It looks fine,you don't need to go to the hospital" he tries to make eye contact with me and I scowl at him "I'll make it up to you,I will" he says worriedly and strokes my hair,I grind my teeth at his touch wishing I could move but needing to keep my hand under the water "go away, please" I cry quietly and he goes, a minute later our dad returns with a first aid kit.