Helping 11

14

Nora

The bell ringing echos around the halls. Students rush out of their class and groups of people talking line the halls. I stand next to my locker watching the people live their lives. I would kill to be one of those happy people, someone who has nothing to worry about. Who can go home at night and smile. Like Tilly. She walking towards me right now with the biggest smile on her face. She always seems so happy like nothing in the world can dim her light.

"Hey Noah how was classes." Her bright tone fills a little part of my broken heart.

"They were fine." Everything these days are fine. No goods or greats just fine.

"Me and mickey were just wondering if you wanted to go down to the shops."

"Nah I'm fine, I have to get home and look after meabh anyway." Lies, all of it's lies. I just don't know if I can fake a smile for much longer. "You two go and have fun though."

She bites her bottom lip, looking suspicious. "If you're sure you're fine with it."

"100%, I want you two to have fun." I smile at her. Hopefully it shows her Im fine.

"Okay then. See you later." She blows a kiss in my  direction and then she off, running to Mickey.

I grab my bag and walk down the steps to the front of the school. Someone calling my name turns my head in their direction. It's Joey. Tadghs brother. Hes walking towards me. Tadghs brother. Oh shit.

"Hey kid, what up." He asks me.

"Um not much."

"How are you?"

"Fine." I replay.

"Fine. You're really fine because it dosen't look like your fine." His words hit hard because for once someone see through me. It must be something with the family because tadgh does it too.

I just shrug, not really knowing what to say.

"Right so I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner." I panic.

"Ahh I can't sorry."

"You can't or someones telling you, you can't."

"I can't." I snap at him. " And if you have nothing else to say I need to go home."

I turn to leave but his words stop me. "Me and my sibling all grew up in an abuse household. Our dad use to hit us and our mum would watch."

I'm horrified. They've gone through this. Tadgh, oh my sweet tadgh went through that.

"Let us help, all you need to do is just come home and talk to us." He holds his hands out to me.

"And I can leave at anytime?" I question

He nods his head. "Anytime."

...

The whole walk home he told me what it was like for them, or atleast him. He told me about how it started, how he become relaying on drugs, how aoife saved him and how it ended with a house fire and two dead preants.

They also lost their dad but for them it's different. For them it set them free, for me it caged me. I don't think they were ever happy about losing him but it took the person that was hurting them. My dad dying made my brother hurt me. The thing is I don't deserve the help. It's my fault he's dead. I can still remember the day they told us.

There's flashing lights flowing throught the curtain. Meabh and Ciarain are waiting on the couch for dad to come home. There's three sharp knock on the door. Mum yells out that she's coming. I wonder why dad isn't using his set of keys. My mum pulls open the door.