Wounded

Chapter 4

"Jaidon Brooks, would you like to explain to me what I heard from your older brother earlier?!" My Mum seethed, angrily. I gulped. I knew this was coming. If I only I had stood up for myself for once in my life, then this wouldn't have happened.

"W-What exactly did he tell you?" I asked, trying to act innocently. I had obviously failed, if the look on her face told me anything. My Mum took a seat on the couch next to me, so I dropped my gaze down to my hands in fear of what was to come.

"Let me ask you this, Jai. Were you trying to get detention?" She sighed. I felt bad for her. She was always putting up with us and I know we didn't exactly make it easy. I know I was really making it hard for her this time. She had to work, so she couldn't deal with any meetings of I had gotten in trouble.

"No." I answered simply, and she let out another sigh in relief. Her relief turned into frustration as she furrowed her eyebrows after a moment.

"What's going on with you, Jai? You're too sweet to be causing all of this trouble. I would expect this behavior from your brothers, but never you." She questioned.

"You wouldn't have gotten mad at them." I mumbled to myself, but she had heard it anyway.

"Jai, you know that's not true!" She scolded.

"Yeah, well maybe I'm sick of being nice all of the time! Luke does what he wants and that works out just fine for him!" I yelled, causing her to glare at me.

"You're not Luke, and Luke wouldn't yell like that at his mother anyways. You're grounded until further notice. "

"Mum..."

"I don't want to hear it Jai! Just go to your room."

Mum just didn't understand. I felt tears sting at my eyes as I made my way to my room. Luke wasn't home yet, so I had at least a few minutes to cry in peace.

I crawled into my bunk and thought hard about the day.  I was getting bullied at school, but no one noticed. My own family didn't even seem to notice something was wrong and honestly, that killed me on the inside. How much did I have to suffer before I someone noticed? At this point, I hated my life and just wanted to leave. After all, if everyone hated me, what was the point?

"Jai?" Luke's voice rang out, waking me from my sleep. That was weird. I guess I had cried myself to sleep without realizing it. "Mum, told me to tell you dinner's ready."

"I don't want any." I mumbled, throwing my blanket over my head. I thought he had left for a minute, but then I felt my bed dip down and my blanket was ripped off of me.

"Why are you hiding?" Luke asked, incredulously.

"M'not hiding." I mumbled. "I just want to be left alone."

"What's even your deal?" Luke's confusion turned into anger. "I swear I don't even know you anymore! All's you ever do is sulk and everyone is sick of it. Just do us all a favor and get over yourself already!"

"Whatever you say, Luke!" I chuckled with false-enthusiasm, causing him to lunge at me in anger.  He tackled me to my bed before pushing me off. I landed on the floor with a hiss. I placed a hand to my stomach as a reflex when the bruises I had received  earlier were jarred in the process.

"What's wrong with your stomach?" Luke asked, still angry. He was starting to calm down, but i had still set off his short temper.

"Nothing." I replied, sitting up. I forced myself not to show the agony I was feeling on my face.

"It's not nothing, Jai." Luke argued. "You have a huge bruise on your stomach. I could see it when your shirt rode up."

"I fell down the stairs at school." I lied.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Luke deadpanned. "That's the biggest excuse in the book."

"It's the truth." I kept eye contact, knowing that if I dropped it, he would know it was a lie.

"Whatever." Luke sighed, dropping the subject. "Hurry and come downstairs for dinner."

"I already told you I'm not hungry." I insisted. Luke furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"But, you're always hungry." He said slowly. I stared at him. Usually, he didn't care whether I ate dinner or not, so I really had no idea what this was all about.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I groaned.

"Because you're being weird." Luke stated, his brown eyes studying my face.

"Maybe I just want to be left alone instead of harassed by my annoying twin brother." I snarked. Luke looked like I had slapped him, and I might as well have.

"You know what, Jai? I'm sick of your lies and abuse when all I ever do is try to help you. I'm done!" Luke yelled, before walking out of the room. I pulled at my hair in frustration. I had made my family hate me even more, if that was even possible. It's my own fault, though. I'm only a mistake that ruins everything.