Bullied and Broken

Chapter 7 ~

Samanatha's POV

I flicked my slightly curly, wavy brown ponytail over my shoulder again, and narrowed my eyes at my brother who had the ball.

The football.

Me, my oldest brother Liam, and Owen who's in grade ten, were against my dad a college professor, my younger twin Alex, and Ethan my bro that's graduating from high school this year. 

You know when families have those "friendly" games? Yeah, our games usually end up with a trip to the ER (Emergency Room). Don't believe me? It's happened seven times. 

I set myself to receive the pass from Liam, and run with the ball, while he and Owen were going to clear my way of bodies, aka Alex, Ethan and Henry, my dad.

Ready, I nodded at Liam, and braced myself.

"And set... Hut!"

At that I sprinted forwards, hands reaching out to catch the ball. I was about to cradle it against my chest when my mom's shrill call came out.

"Dinner!"

Just that one word makes us all freeze where we are for a split second, then run towards the house like our lives depended on it. My mom, Audrey, made her "famous" hamburgers. Even if they weren't famous they were amazing, but my brothers, and me, were bottomless pits that we needed to try to fill at all opportunities. That would explain the running, wouldn't it? 

Just as I dropped my shoes on the back porch and ran inside, Alex was coming up the stairs onto the porch, with Ethan and Owen close behind him. Liam and my dad were slowly jogging in, probably talking about responsible people stuff, like bills and politics. 

Having run inside, I sat in my seat half way around the table, waiting anxiously for the rest of the family so we could start eating. 

As everyone filed in, I saw Alex frown and scrunch his eyebrows together. Those were clear signs he was thinking. I looked at him with a questioning look on my face. I thought he hadn't seen the look I sent him, but obviously he did because he started to say something shocking. 

"Our family has seven people, but mom set eight places and chairs." 

Alex's comment was heard by everyone except my mom. She was in the kitchen getting more salad dressing. We all sent each other puzzled looks, wondering who this 'person' is.

Mom returned with the salad dressing. She sat, then nodded to signify that we could start eating. I grabbed a hamburger bun and loaded it up with ALL THE CONDIMENTS [A/N: Sorry, couldn't resist. Cake.] and a hamburger patty. 

We were all munching on our food, when I noticed a strange person awkwardly standing in the doorway from the hallway.

My eyes widened, and I turned to Alex to see him staring at the person, or should I say girl, cause she was a girl for sure, wearing a semi-fancy sundress. I looked around and everyone was staring at her. Alex, Owen, Ethan, Liam, Dad, only me and mom weren't staring.

My mom, noticing the awkward tension, jumped up to lead the girl to the only empty place setting and chair. The girl had her face towards her feet the entire time, so I couldn't see much of her face only glimpses behind shoulder length, wavy sandy-brown hair. Other than that, she was petite. Petite, not just short, she just also had small hands, proportions, and was generally built on a smaller scale than average. Plus, she was skinny. Not anorexic skinny, but a natural, I-watch-what-I-eat skinny. 

After pulling in her chair, the girl looked up, and met my eyes for a split second. A split second isn't very long to look at something, but I could see quite a lot. First, the girl had pretty, delicate features, and big eyes. Secondly, I saw deep, deep sadness in her eyes. The same eyes that also held pain, and lots of it. Usually were people have this thing called the 'spark' of life in your eyes there was none. This spark shows quite a few of your emotions and personality traits, like happiness, mischievousness, creativity, hope, strength, caring and many more. In her eyes there was nothing, like all she has known has been pain, hopelessness and sadness. There was no spark. How did she get so... Broken? 

As if noticing me for the first time, a flash of recognition crossed her features, but she did a good job of hidng it from everyone else. Why would she recognise me? Why does she bring more questions than answers? 

My brothers introduced themselves to her, for she hasn't said a word. 

"Hello, I'm Liam. I'm the oldest and in my first year of university, UVic."

"Hi, I'm known as Ethan. I'm the oldest middle child, and in grade twelve at Handsworth Secondary."

"So we're going by age now?" Owen said grinning, then elbowing Ethan in the ribs "S'up, so I'm called Owen. I'm smack dab in the middle, grade ten, Handsworth too" 

I cleared my throat, then said "I'm Samantha, but you can call me Sam or Sammy though. I'm ten minutes older than this dufous over here." I give Alex a noogie, then continue talking. "I'm at Handsworth too, in grade eight"

I let go of Alex, and he sent me a death glare for messing up his hair. 

"Hey, I'm Alex, the baby of the family. Grade eight at Handsworth Secondary School"

The girl lifted her head up from where her eyes were boring through her plate, and through that, her shoes. Her eyes met mine again, then in a really sweet and soft voice she introduced herself. 

"Hello. I'm Madeline James."

She fixed her face towards her plate again. 

Mom sent us all a glace that said Don't bother her!

~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~

So sorryyy for the late update I'm in a softball tournement for the weekend where you play three or four games, depending on how far you get, and I had to get up early, so no late night on friday, and I was out all day from early in the morning to about six at night. Im really tired. my team has won the two games we've played, so we have the finals at three tomorrow. If we'd lost we had a game at NINE IN THE MORNING!!!?!?!?!!? who scheduals games for nine in the freakin' morning? on a WEEKEND@!!!! sorry mini rant. You are lucky that I aurgued with my mom about staying up late finishing my chapter, so here it is!! If You cannot tell, Sammy is the same Sam from the first chapter. Thats why Maddy realized who she was, but sammy didn't, cause it wasn't a big deal for her. it was for madddy though one person standign up for her? Thats priceless!!!

See ya soon!!!

~~~~~LilFunny~~~~~

Look up and not down; look forward and not back; look out and not in; and lend a hand. 

~E. E. Hale