Parents.. with different treatment

Revenge

Xander sat in the corner of the playground, surrounded by wooden blocks, quietly focused on building a tower. Still healing from his recent arm injury, he preferred to keep to himself, feeling isolated while the other kids played together. The bright sun shone overhead, but Xander felt a coldness within, fueled by his frustration and lingering pain.

Just then, Xavier, his younger brother, bounded over, his excitement radiating. "Hey, Xander! Can I build with you?" he asked, plopping down beside him without waiting for a response.

Xander shrugged, not wanting to discourage his brother, but hoping for a little peace as he carefully placed another block on his tower. However, Xavier's playful nature quickly took over. With a gleeful shout, he knocked into Xander's tower, sending several blocks tumbling down.

"What are you doing?" Xander exclaimed, anger flaring. "You're messing it up!"

Xavier giggled, not realizing the intensity of Xander's frustration. "It's just a game! Look!" he said, playfully knocking down another block.

Xander's patience snapped. "Stop it!" he shouted, feeling rage boil over. In a moment of anger, he grabbed a block and hurled it at Xavier, the wooden piece hitting him in the leg.

Xavier's laughter quickly turned to tears as he cried out in surprise and pain. The sound echoed through the playground, and Xander felt a rush of satisfaction instead of remorse. "You deserved it!" he laughed, unable to hide his glee at Xavier's misfortune.

Colby, noticing the commotion from a distance, rushed over. "What happened here?" he asked, concern washing over his face.

"Xander threw a block at me!" Xavier cried, his face crumpled in pain.

Colby turned to Xander, confusion and disappointment evident. "Xander! Why would you do that?"

Xander shrugged, crossing his arms defiantly. "He kept knocking over my tower. I got mad!"

"You're supposed to take care of each other!" Colby replied, kneeling beside Xavier to comfort him. "That's not how we handle our feelings."

Xander's heart raced as he watched his father soothe his brother. Deep down, he knew he should feel guilty, but instead, he just felt anger at the situation. "I don't care!" he shouted, refusing to back down.

With a sense of recklessness, Xander picked up another block and threw it at Xavier again, missing this time but emphasizing his defiance. "I'll keep throwing if he keeps being annoying!"

Xavier's sobs intensified as he looked at Xander, confusion mixing with hurt in his eyes. "Why are you being mean?" he asked, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Xander's expression hardened. "You broke my arm first!" he yelled back, the weight of his pain surfacing again, mingling with his anger. "It's not my fault!"

Valerie, sensing the tension, hurried over. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice calm but firm.

"Xander hurt Xavier!" Colby explained, still cradling Xavier close.

"Xavier was bothering me!" Xander retorted, his defiance ringing in the air.

Valerie knelt beside Xander, her eyes filled with concern. "Xander, hurting your brother isn't the answer. You need to learn to express your feelings without violence."

Xander scoffed, refusing to meet her gaze. "I don't care what you say!"

With that, he turned away, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt a surge of frustration and isolation, as if no one understood him. The pain from his arm was nothing compared to the turmoil inside him, and he didn't know how to express it without lashing out.

As the day wore on, Xander built another tower, but this time it felt hollow. He glanced at Xavier, who was still crying in their father's arms, and for a brief moment, he wondered if he had gone too far. But the thought quickly faded, overshadowed by his anger and hurt.

Xander wanted to be left alone, but deep down, he also wanted connection. As he sat there, surrounded by blocks, he realized he was building walls instead of bridges—walls that might keep others out but also left him feeling empty and alone.