* trigger warning*
~
"I have brothers. I have two brothers, Michael." I repeated again.
"That's two more than I have." He replied.
I frowned, "I don't count?"
"You're not my brother, Luke."
It stung a bit, the way he said that. I knew what he meant though. I wasn't his brother and he would never be mine.
"You've hated me like a brother would." I tried.
He shook his head, staring at the pavement as we walked. I kept my fingers intertwined with his as we headed to our apartment.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
I waited about two minutes for his response. Then another two minutes...and another.
"You-"
"What if they're like your father?" Michael demanded, staring at his ripped converse as his words snapped in the wind.
"You say that like my dad is a bad person."
"He's in jail Luke! He tried to kill you!"
"My mom tried to kill me!" I shout back. "My dad tried to help her but she couldn't stand it."
"What!? Couldn't stand what!?" He yelled. "Couldn't provide for you!? I give everything for you. I work and go to college so that we can just live in some crappy apartment over food restaurants and pay for bills. Food and clothes! And she couldn't even try?"
"I never asked for that! I can provide for myself! I can get a job and help. I can pay for myself. You treat me like a baby!" I rage, tossing my hands around as I yelled.
"I'm the man of the house! I provide for you! I'm the one that's suppose to treat you like royalty and now you're just acting like a dick!" Michael exclaimed.
"Me? Me!? I'm acting like a-you're the one calling me a baby. Saying I can't do anything without you!? Watch me Michael. I don't need this! I don't need my dead mother and I certainly don't need you!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
I pushed him away from me, not daring to look into those soft green eyes that drew me in every second. I ran all the way to our apartment, stomping up the stairs and slamming the door as loud as I could. No one was there to hear the slam but no one was there to listen to me sob either.
I fell on the floor and sobbed my heart out. I cried for my mother, who I'd never get to see. I cried for my dad that was stuck in jail for a crime he didn't commit.
I wanted my older brothers. The ones that were truly related to me and could hold me tight. They'd make fun of me but they'd still love me still the same.
I even cried for Michael because he was stuck sleeping on some park bench or maybe even the college library. He didn't even pass my mind but somehow, I still cried for him.
