I don't know

18

Archie put on his coat as he walked towards the front door. Finley and him had decided to invite a few friends over to Finley's house. Austin and Lucia had gotten home a few hours ago and were currently sprawled across the couch, Austin reading his new book and Lucia on the phone with Ally.

'Mum? I'm going to head out.' Archie said, putting on his shoes. Lucia looked at him in confusion and asked Ally if she could call him back.

'Where?' Lucia asked, crossing her arms. 'You never told me anything.'

Austin looked up from his book, watching the argument unfold between the two of them. He sensed this was going to be a replay of the night Tom died. So he excused himself and went up the stairs to his room, unable to watch.

'Oh yeah. I forgot. I'm gonna head to Finley's.' Archie said, leaning on the doorframe of the living room.

'No.' Lucia said, looking quite stern. 'I'm sorry Archie, but it's too late and I haven't seen you all day.'

'Mum, come on!' Archie groaned as he rolled his eyes. 'I'll be at your beck and call tomorrow, just let me go!'

'Archie Oliver James, I said no. If you want call Finley and ask him to come over.' Lucia said, her tone firm and commanding. The boys had never heard this tone out of their mother as it was normally their father playing disciplinarian.

'Why are you so god damn intent on ruining my life?' Archie said, as he turned around and stormed upstairs. Lucia watched as he go upstairs, upset and mad at his mother. She wanted to burst into tears. This was all so new to her and it felt like she was failing miserably. How did Tom do this?

Then, like he read her mind and knew she needed comfort, Anthony walked through the front door. He was smiling but the minute he saw his mother the expression on his face, turned to confused and worried.

'Mom, whats wrong?' He asked, instantly rushing to her side. Lucia shrugged her shoulders before leaning onto Anthony's shoulder and began to cry silent tears. Anthony noticed and instantly started comforting her.

'I feel like I'm failing them.' She said, as Anthony held her by her shoulders and stared her in the eye. Anthony had come over to check on his mother and brothers, especially since things weren't too awkward between him and his brother and he did not think this would be the situation he would come home to.

'No, you are not. You are an amazing mother. What happened?' He asked as Lucia looked down at her lap.

'It was like the night Tom died. He wanted to go out and I said no. Now he's mad at me.'

'He cussed at you again?!' Anthony asked, absolutely flustered. 'Is he upstairs right now or did he walk out like last time?!'

'Upstairs.' Lucia said as Anthony got up, all ready to go have a talk with his brother. But Lucia stopped him.

'Not now. He's mad and upset. Let him sleep it off.' Lucia said as Anthony looked at the stairs and then back to his mother. Sighing, he sat back down and looked at his mother.

'Fine. Can I punish him tomorrow?' Anthony asked.

Lucia stared at him confused. 'What you gonna do? Ground him? Cuz I can do that.'

'Oh no. I'm not grounding him. You can do that. I have something way different planned for him.'

This one line made Lucia proud of who Anthony had become. And a tiny bit scared for Archie.

~~~

'Get up Archie!' Anthony said, sliding into Archie and Austin's room at the crack of dawn. Anthony had gone home and came back early in the morning.

Austin rolled over and looked at Anthony with sleepy eyes. 'Nooo! Not again!'

'Don't worry buddy. Not you. Go back to sleep.' Anthony said as Austin grinned sleepily and rolled over on his stomach.

'Why?' Archie asked. He looked over and noticed it was 4 in the morning. OK, Archie might be a morning person but not this early! And what on earth was Anthony doing up? Half the reason he worked from home was so he could sleep longer.

'Don't ask questions little brother. Up! And get dressed' Anthony said as he walked out of the bedroom and into the hallway. He yawned; why was Archie's punishment more of a punishment for Anthony rather than Anthony.

He then spotted his bedroom. It still had the sign he had hung up when he was 15 stating 'Anthony's bedroom! Annoying toddlers not ALLOWED'. He let out a laugh as he remembered why he put up the sign. Archie was around 2 and was getting on Anthony's nerves. He would follow his brother everywhere, he would ask him to do everything and basically copied everything Anthony did. That annoyed his big brother heavily.

Thinking back on it now, it was cute. But back then after 13 years of being an only child and then randomly, his parents popped another baby out who followed you everywhere calling you 'Andy!'... was NOT cute.

'I'm dressed.' Archie said, snapping Anthony out of his thoughts. He had put on an England rugby jersey and joggers.

'That'll do.' Anthony said, hurrying down the stairs, Archie on his lead. He threw his brother a bottle of water and told him to put on trainers.

'Why? Where are you taking me?' Archie whined, tying his laces. Anthony shrugged his shoulders.

'You'll have to wait and find out.'

'Is this cuz of yesterday?' Archie asked. He didn't mean to snap at his mother that hard, he just wanted to go out with his friends.

'What do you think Archie?' Anthony asked, instantly changing his tone making Archie gulp. He took a step closer to Archie so he towered over him. 'You ever talk to my mother like that again, I will personally beat you up. Not punish you but actually beat you up.'

'Yes sir.' Archie replied as Anthony nodded curtly as he took a step back and gestured for Archie to follow him out of the house. 'We ain't taking the car?'

'It's a 3 minute walk. We don't need to damage the environment in the process you know?'

Archie instantly recognised that quote and shut up. He walked a good 10 steps behind his brother. Anthony had put in his earbuds and even if Archie wanted to talk to him he couldn't, because his brother was probably jamming to some 90's pop.

He would've put his own in but he didn't feel like listening to music this early in the morning. He wanted to sleep!

3 very long minutes later they arrived at a park. Archie had been here before - it was the biggest park in town.

'I want you to run me 5 laps of the whole park.' Anthony said, sitting down on a nearby bench. Archie's mouth dropped open as his eyes ran over the park. It was big.

'Nope. Absolutely not.' Archie denied and Anthony glared at him.

'Come again?'

'No.' Archie said, standing his ground. Anthony sighed and walked over to Archie.

'Yes you will. Or I'll just add 2 more on.' He said. 'I'm sure you don't want that.'

Archie scoffed before grinning, 'You can't even get me to run one. How are you going to make me run seven?'

'I can take your phone away, I can ground you-' Archie stopped him there.

'Whatever, I'll do it.' Archie grumbled, putting in his earbuds. 'Can I do this, Your highness?'

'Sure. But put your phone here.' Anthony said, smiling at the new nickname. Archie huffed before slamming his phone onto Anthony's outstretched palm. Anthony smiled at him sweetly, slipping the phone into his pocket. ' You can start now.'

One lap would take around 20 minutes and then 5 would take 1 hour and 40 minutes. He even had double P.E today. And then rugby after school. Archie's life officially sucked.