Keep Holding On

Chapter Four

Chapter 4

Suddenly, my door flew open and I jumped.

"So you think you are too good to come down and eat with us?" Tyler demanded. I gritted my teeth to refrain from saying anything that would push him over the edge. I wasn't in the mood to deal with his crap.

"I stayed up here because I wanted time to think about my parents. Of course it isn't like you care." I rolled over onto my side, facing the wall opposite from him.

"You're exactly right. Now come down and eat with us."

"Wanna know what I don't get, Tyler?" I asked him as I jumped off of the bed. "I don't get why you are so cold and heartless as to not feel bad for me. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that I want you to feel bad for me because I couldn't care less about your opinion, but try imagining your parents being dead. What would happen to you and your brothers? Sure you and Mason would be fine because you are over 18, but what about little Collin? Or Asher? What do you think it would be like for them? It is unbearable and I have to live with that sorrow everyday. All you do is add more pain. You may be trying to come off as the tough guy who doesn't have any emotions and I try and ignore you, Tyler, but your snide comments and hurtful words are killing me. Everytime I talk to you I just want to crawl in a hole and be left for dead. I know that I don't have anyone or anything, so I don't need you constantly reminding me!" I was rendurred breathless after my little rant, and Tyler shifted uncomfortably. "So please, just leave me alone."

"I don't hate you," he said so quietly that I barely heard it.

"Yeah right," I scoffed. "Then explain why you treated me like dirt." I crossed my arms waiting for his answer.

"Didn't you hear what I told Kaden? I'm jealous of you. You have pretty much everyone in this family wrapped around your finger and it hasn't even been 2 days that you've been here. I'm jealous of all of the attention that you're getting. Especially around school. All everyone talked about today was you. Which bothered me, because if you haven't noticed, I am an attention hog."

"You, you're je-jealous of m-me?" I stammered, my words seeming slightly incoherent. Tyler rolled his eyes.

"I'm going downstairs to eat," he sighed. "Just come down if you want." He put his hands in his pockets and strutted out.

I noticed that my jaw was still dropped, so I quickly closed it. What just happened? I thought to myself. Did Tyler just apologize to me? I shook my head, not wanting to think about it any further.

I walked into the bathroom and straightened my self up to go down to eat. I quickly restraightened my hair and reapplied my make-up. Once I thought I was presentable enough, I went downstairs to eat.

"Oh there you are!" Mrs. Owens exclaimed. "Come and sit. We have a plate ready for you." She escorted me to my chair and pushed it in once I was seated.

"Thak you," I said quietly. I looked acrossed the table at Tyler and caught him staring at me. Quickly I turned my head back towards my plate and I started to push my potatoes around with my fork.

"So tell me about your day, kids," Mr. Owens announced.

Collin was the first one to speak. "Today our teacher gave us a new pack if crayons and I colored Caylin a picture." My head snapped up at the sound of my name and I started to smile.

"How about you, Asher?" Mr. Owens asked.

"It was fine," he said merely. I raised my eyebrows at how much he resembled Tyler. He already had that careless attitude towards everything.