Right But Wrong

others don't.

                                                                                       Miles:

                                                                               **13 years ago**

My eyes landed on her, a small smile spreading across my lips. It was only a few seconds until i caught up to her, scooping her up in my arms and instantly attacking her. She arupted into laughter, my hands continuing to tickle her, her laughter sounding like music to my ears. 

"bubby! stop!" She giggled, trying to grasp my hands away from her. Finally giving in i placed a kiss on her head and pulled her into my arms, her big eyes looking up at me. Her grey eyes matched my mothers but instead of being harsh and cruel with clear intentions behind them, they were soft and loving. She always looked up at me like i was her saviour, her guardian angel that would do anything to keep her safe. Although i was hardly a year older than her, i always felt some sort of protection towards her. 

The first thing i ever noticed about her was her freckles, she had my freckles. The freckles mum hated me for and everyone else thought made me look adorable, i didn't know whether mum hated me for it because everyone else thought it made me cuter or because she didn't. But either way it was one of the things she would pick on me for, for a while she didn't even touch me because of them, saying it was the devils handiwork and i wasn't her child but a curse put on her by satan. 

I could never understand why someone would hate another person simply because they looked different but apparently it was one of the reasons why she hated me. A part of me felt guilty that I was hurt so much by it, after all my brother's had things much worse than I did. My mother refused to touch me so at least I was more abandoned than harmed physically, of course there were the few moments of being burnt and the odd slap here and there but it wasn't as bad as them.

Maybe I should be more grateful that I had it less than they did, maybe I should be grateful that they protected me and went through things so me and Avery didn't have to. But as much as part of me was grateful, a second part of me wished that our mother would know how to truly look after us and wanted to look after us. Maybe she did know how, maybe she simply decided not to. I wouldn't put it past her, after all she hated us so why would she want to look after us.

"Milo, wanna come play with us?" Realising I had zoned out once again, I found JJ stood in front of me with a grin on his face. Somehow he always seemed to get himself into mischief and for whatever reason I always agreed to play, with Avery always tagging along.

JJ only came around 3 days a week but those 3 days were the ones I always looked forward to, the days where life managed to seem brighter and have some sort of fun to it. The other 4 days he was with his mum, apparently she treated him and his brothers like they were angels sent to her. A part of me felt jealous but overall I was simply happy for them, happy that they had somewhere safe and were treated well.

Finally nodding along, I picked up Avery and followed JJ out to the backyard. At first glance the backyard seemed like a normal garden with overgrown grass and some deck chairs out that was only used once or twice in the summer. But behind the grass, far to the corner layed a few toys and a play house. Zandros had managed to convince dad to set it up for us, using Avery as the excuse. Avery always seemed to be everyone's weakness, even mum seemed to like her a little. As much as i should be upset by it, i was simply happy that she could have at least somewhat of a normal childhood.

"You be the child, I'll be the dad and Avery can be the mum" JJ ordered, pointing to where we should be positioned for the game. House was the main game we would play when JJ was around, Avery would always be the mum but me and JJ would switch roles depending on what he preferred to be that day. I didn't mind that JJ always picked our roles, truthfully it felt more caring than anything, he always knew the right thing to do and that included the games we would play.

The game lasted for hours as it felt more normal to play than anything else, it was as if it was an escape from the world we had. Perfection is the word JJ would always use, our simple perfection. 

"And then the mum and dad kiss, that's what i see my friend's parents do anyway" JJ said, a small hole of jealousy being in my heart at the mention of him having friends. JJ was old enough to go to school and apparently along with school came friends, i however wasn't old enough yet, i still had a year until i could go to proper school. I wanted to be able to have my own friends but mum wouldn't let us go to nursery because she thought it was a waste of money and we rarely went out either because she thought it would be too much of a bother to do so. So me and Avery had to stay home whilst the others would rant on about learning or making friends, at least it gave me more time with Avery though. I loved the moments when it was just me and her almost as much as i loved playing as us three, i could look after her more when no one else was around and it meant she would be reliant on me.

"Like this?" Avery asked, kissing JJ's cheek softly. But instead of it making him happy he shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him. He stroked his hand softly against her eyes as if to indicate that she was to close them, before doing so himself and softly pressed his lips against hers. The gesture only lasted for a few brief moments before he pulled away and smiled softly. 

"Like that" he finally said "that's how true parents kiss". I wondered if what he said was right, if parents kissed like that and if most of them did so in front of their children. Mum and Dad never really kissed each other but then again all they ever really did was shout at each other, Zandros says it wasn't always like this but it's hard to believe so when i've never seen any different. At least not that i can remember. 

"JJ, it's time to go!" Hearing dad's voice in the distance, JJ unwrapped his arms from Avery and gave me a look that told me this was to be another one of our secrets. My eyes seemed to light up at the thought, our secrets was one of the things that held us together. We had many secrets that only the three of us knew and this would only be one of them. "JJ!" Dad called a little louder, making JJ run off to him.

Seeing that Avery's eyes were becoming heavy, i instinctively picked her up and carried her to the room we shared with Zake, placing her on her bed and covering her up with the thin blanket that layed on it. Zake got the duvet because he was the eldest and me and Avery got blankets but when it got too cold Zake would secretly have me and Avery sleep in the same bed and share the duvet whilst he layered the blankets on top of each other to keep himself warm. Aeson and Xaden shared the smallest room in the house and Zandros slept in the original storage room, yet neither of them complained so i didn't either. 

"I love you bubba" Avery mumbled before falling asleep.

"I love you too Avie" I whispered.