Stuck With Bullies (SITM Short Story)

Stuck with Bullies

Again, I do not own anything from Stuck in the Middle

Ethan Diaz heard someone sobbing in the bathroom as he headed towards the stairs. He stopped his tracks and walked to the bathroom and placed his head on the door to listen who it was in the bathroom.

"I don't belong here ... I don't belong anywhere." A female voice whimpered. Ethan immediately recognized that voice. His BFTF/little sister Harley Diaz. The teen tried to open the door, but Harley had locked it.

"Harley! Are you ok in there?" Ethan asked pounding on the door.

"Y-y-yeah I-I'm fine." Harley said between sobs. But she wasn't. Ethan knew she was lying.

"Quit stalling and open the door!" Ethan shouted in worry. The boy heard his sister rummaging through somethings and Harley opened the door. Ethan noticed some blood stains on his sister's shirt and tear stains on her face.

"Harley, are you bleeding?" Ethan asked worryingly. Harley looked at her brother them at her arm.

"I...I..." Harley began but could not say anything and broke down sobbing again.

"Harley, what's wrong? And please don't lie to me again." Harley sighed and tried her best to avoid eye contact with her brother.

"For the last few weeks, people at school have been making fun of me for my inventions." Ethan was shocked when those words came out of his sister's mouth. Why would someone torture Harley and her inventions?

"They said things like 'your ideas are the worst' or 'you and your brain don't belong in this world', "Harley continued, "but the worst one was 'go invent the world's most violent weapon and kill yourself.' " Harley cried even harder after saying that last threat. As for Ethan, he felt his drop and crouched down to Harley's level pulling her into a hug.

"Harley, don't listen to them. They're just jealous of how great you are." Ethan said rubbing his little sister's back. Harley lifted her head and looked at Ethan.

"No Ethan, they're right. I don't belong here in this world. I don't matter in this family. If people are not gonna accept me, then maybe I should kill myself."

"Stop! Don't talk like that. Look, you are the most important person in this family. You keep our entire family on schedule. Plus this family loves and cares about you. Thus, you don't have to have other people like you. And without you, then this whole family would be a big mess. Plus everyone needs you, sis ..... I need you."

Ethan's words made Harley smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks bro. I'm glad to have a brother like you."

"No problem. But hey," the siblings pulled away from the hug and faced each other. "if you ever need anything, anything at all, just remember you can always come to me." Ethan said placing his hands on Harley's shoulders.

"Ok, I promise." Harley crossed her heart and went back inside the bathroom with her brother behind her. Ethan took Harley's bloody arm and placed bandages around it.

"Promise me you won't cut yourself again?" Ethan asked very serious. Harley nodded and said goodnight to her brother. Ethan watched his little sister leave going into her bedroom.