Stories from the Famoux

Chapter 5 of The Famoux

Hello! So I read the Parvenu family and had a lightbulb moment.

Well, probably not the greatest, but let's give it a shot! (and no, I'm not throwing it away, if you're wondering.)

If you saw the Hamilton GIF coming, PM me and we can have an all caps conversation about Hamilton's fabulousness!

brandyce

That creek is probably the most consistent thing in my whole life.

My jacket stretches too tight over my thick sweater. Probably because Dad hasn't bothered to give me a break to get us new clothes. Not that I blame him, though. Of course, as usual, I'm the only one suffering. Dad hasn't gained much weight, so his fits, and Dalton and Emilee wear coats, either from me or Father.

Dalton "helped" father navigate to the fishbowl. If we led, it would've saved us a couple hours. But none of us talk. We're all better off when he's satisfied. I tune them out, listening to my thoughts.

Why don't you have a husband?

You have to take care of them.

You should be a successful businesswoman by now! What are you doing with your life?!

I know.

Just run away already! You know you want to.

I know. I do, but . . .

I can't.

I can't.

"I can't."

Dalton turned back to me. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied frankly as I pulled the flashlight from my bag.

xxx

The fishbowl hurt my eyes at first. When I was younger, I thought it was the members that gave the house its light. I thought they actually glowed.

Boy was I wrong.

"Perfect. This will be perfect. Quick, let's go and scope out a good spot by one of those fires before they're all gone. Dalton, son, we'll assemble the tent when we get there."

"Okay dad," Dalton said, making eye contact with me. There was a twinkle in his eye. He was amused by the fact that they were leaving me alone with her. He turned to Emilee. "Give me the tarp."

She handed it to him as if it were contaminated. That's another thing about her. She would get her own brother sick if it saved her own, miserable life. She's just so self centered, just like Mom.

Just like me.

I shove the thought out of my head as I look at some of my old friends from school. They're easy to recognize, because it's like looking at myself. I'm looking at what I could've been.

Bronwyn, my best friend, saw me. I know she saw me.I saw her just before the Darkening, and we were perfectly normal together, but now she won't make eye contact. She won't look at me me because of the little freak standing next to me.

"That should be me out there with them. I should be doing that."

"You will. Someday." I look over at Emilee to find she's been staring at me this whole time. I scowl.

"Yeah? It's always gonna be someday, isn't it?" I sigh and run my hand through my thin hair. "Look, Em, I know you think I'm being dramatic, but I think you'll understand how I feel right now, someday."

Someday, huh? when's that, Brandyce? When you run away and leave me to take care of dad?"

I shrug. I won't let her sass get to me. I have too many things on my mind to think about it, anyway. "Hurts to be the baby of the family, huh?" She stares at me like I've just lit the fuse of a stick of dynamite. "Look, I know it sucks, but come on, it's the truth."

"You need to help the family out, Brandyce," she snaps. It's as if she hasn't noticed that I basically do everything for them. "You can't just run off just because mom decided to do the same. You have to--"

"Well I'm gone. Unlike some people, I have actual friends outside of the family. If dad gets all mental when he sees I'm not there, just tell him I'll be back soon. Or something like that."

What I don't tell her is that I'll probably not talk to any of my few friends left. They're too busy with their families, and they wouldn't want to talk to me anyway, not when the glitch is wandering around somewhere. I left because I didn't want Emilee to see me cry.

xxx

WOW! I feel all sassy and sarcastic now.

So what did you think of my interpretation of Brandyce? It was short, but one of the only Brandyce moments I could think of, and I really wanted to do her, so here we are, on a Wednesday night (at least for me xD).