Lemme Use You To Love You ~ Halren

(5): She Hates Me

I stand from the couch as my mother approaches me slowly. "Hey, Ma," I say awkwardly. She stops a few feet in front of me before looking over at my brothers.

"Abel, take the boys to the backyard." Abel goes to protest, but Ma gives him a look. He sighs before taking them outside. As soon as we hear the back door close, I'm met with a sting on my left cheek. I keep my head turned, because if I look at her, I'd wanna kill her.

"Is this why you wanted me to rush here? To slap me? Call me out my name?" I turn my head then. She points in my face, "You make me sick." I laugh, "Throw up then." I cross my arms over my chest challengingly. She blows air out in frustration. Just then, the front door opens. "Honey? I'm h-Cub!" My dad rushes over to me, hugging me, picking me up, and spinning me around.

"I've missed you so much!" I look over his shoulder at my mother angrily. He sets me down, furrowing his eyebrows. "Cub, why is your face red?" I raise an eyebrow at her, "Ask your wife." He looks over at her, "What happened?" Her and I have an intense stare down, neither of us giving up in the slightest. "Ashley, what's going on?" I glance at him before returning my attention to my birth giver.

"She hates me." She scoffs, shaking her head. "Oh my God. Do you believe this?" she chuckles. My dad gives her a hard look. "Actually, I do," my birth giver's demeanor changes, "What? Why?" He looks over at me, examining my face. "You slapped her, didn't you?" Silence. He looks over his shoulder while I look pass him. "She did, Bear. She hates me," I say. He scoffs, "The fact I believe you is sad. Why do you hate your own flesh and blood?"

Again, silence. "Because I like girls. Ever since I came out, she's been a bitch to me. And don't even front like you know that's the truth," I flare my nostrils at her. My dad shakes his head, "Where are the boys?" I run a hand through my hair, "Backyard."

"Get 'em," he says, looking at her. I nod wordlessly before making my way to the back door. I look through the glass door at Abel wrestling with Dante and Sevian jumping on his back. I smile. Despite the huge age gap, he still manages to always be up to play with them. I push the door open and shout, "GET 'EM, SEVI!!!" They all look up at me and all charge towards me as I walk down the steps. Abel grabs me and pretends to slam me in the grass.

"Hey! Leave my sister alone!!" Sevian shouts. Dante slaps him upside his head, "She's our sister, you dingaling." I just laugh as Abel continues to assault me. He picks me up again and I fall limp, "Have mercy!" I say dramatically. He looks at me with a serious look, "The Weeknd shows no mercy." I quirk an eyebrow and wiggle out of his grasp.

"The Weeknd?" He nods, "Yeah, that's my wrestler name when I'm with them." He points to our brothers having a match of their own. I chuckle at the sight; it looks like Dante is winning. "So, what happened in there? Your cheek looks kinda blushed." I reach up to touch my cheek and sigh, "Birth Giver slapped me. Dad's talking to her now, I assume." He shakes his head, "This has been going on for how long?" I shrug, "'Bout 7 years?" He looks at me sadly.

He gestures for me to hug him and I do. Before I knew it, hot tears were running down my face onto his grey hoodie. The tears sting my cheek and I bury my face into his chest. I haven't cried this hard since the day she basically disowned me. I was only 15 at the time.

"Ashley, what's wrong?" I hear Dante say. I remove myself from Abel for a second to look at my younger brothers through teary eyes. I shake my head and Dante gives me a disapproving look. I look up at Abel and I sigh. "Remember when I told y'all that I liked girls and then y'all didn't see me for a few weeks?" The boys nod, so I continue. "I was gone because she disowned me. Ma kicked me out and I went to be with Melanie."

They attach themselves onto me, rubbing my back. I swear, I fucking love my brothers. I love how they're not afraid to show their love to me. I wonder why it's the men in my family who support me 100%. My maternal grandmother doesn't talk to me anymore either. I don't care, I have my dad and brothers. I know who truly love me.

We break our bond and I see Sevian has tears in his eyes. "No, Sevi, don't cry." He wipes his eyes. He has always been the most sensitive one of all of us. Dante puts his arm around him, "Yeah, don't cry. We gotta be tough." Abel nods, "Right. I know y'all were real young when it first happened. But y'all experienced it once Ash graduated high school."

Dante then pipes up, "It doesn't have to be this way, though. We can talk to Ma." I laugh bitterly, "Good luck." Abel shifts, "Let's talk to her now."

*Welp.... That happened