Haunted

December 31st

I was prepared to leave behind the worst two months of my life and the whole year in general which had been a whirlwind from start to finish. Christmas Day had tired me out. It was emotional having Jack there but having to deal with James as well was even more painful. Here I was though, single for the first time in three years. It was a strange feeling but I was definitely going to take Emma's advice and put myself first for once. Dad and Tina were hosting a family party and seeing as I now lived back home I had no other option but to attend and socialise with all of their party guests. Hopefully I wouldn't have to relay the details of my disastrous life to anyone.

10:00am
We were all sat around the breakfast table for our annual New Year's Eve cooked breakfast. Joe shuffled across the dining room floor before pulling out the chair next to me and sitting down. It felt as if we had formed a United Single Front as everyone else was sat smiling into someone's eyes while Joe and I smiled down at the bacon, sausage and beans that lay on the top of our plate.

"Charlie, Tom. I was thinking we could go catch that film today and then we'll have watched it before we go back to school next week."
I smiled. It was nice that they had a good friendship. I caught Dad smiling in my direction.
"Uh well I'm busy today Joe, sorry." Charlie said darting his eyes around the room before they rested on Sally and then Joe.
"Whatever, you're always busy now." Joe said pushing his chair back.

Standing up he headed for the kitchen. There was noise and then silence. Moments later a bedroom door slammed shut with great force. I saw the glint in Sally's eye. Her and Joe had once been the greatest tag team long before the days of her and Charlie. It enraged me that all of my siblings had dropped each other for someone else, for someone who wasn't guaranteed to be around for the rest of their life.

"Sally, you don't need to be unkind."
"What are you on about Lola?"
"Can you both not spare your boyfriends for a day? One day is seriously not going to affect your relationship."
"We have today planned for months."
"I had my life planned out and that hasn't gone to course, so can't you veer from yours?"
"You just don't get it!" Sally cried.
"Don't get it? Sal, I was once sixteen you know. Have any of you even spoken to Joe lately because he's hurt. He's not looking for attention, he's actually hurt by your actions."
I pushed back my chair and stood up. I bent down and picked Shannon up from the floor.
"Come on darling." I said as I held her to my shoulder.

I headed for the corridor and walked up the stairs. I reached Joe's bedroom door and hovered outside. I wanted to talk to him but I didn't want him to be angry with me for bothering him when he was upset. I decided I also needed to put Joe first as he was not in a good place at the moment.

 I knocked gently on the door and waited for it to open. Seconds past and I heard no movement. I knocked again, harder this time. Minutes passed and yet still no movement. I placed my hand on the handle and pulled it down. All of sudden there was a rush of noise and the door was pulled open.

"I thought you would just go away eventually." Joe said, opening the door wider and letting me in. He shut the door behind me.
"No, babe I want to help you. It's not fair of them to treat you like that."
"They can do whatever they want. They do no wrong in anyone else's eyes." Joe said shrugging and he laid back down on his bed. 

I sat down at the desk and placed Shannon on the floor. She made the short way to Joe's bed and hit him with her hand. Joe leaned over and picked her up.
"Joe I know this sounds like shit advice but you need to talk to them. You need to tell them the truth."
"It sounds so pathetic that I can't handle my two best mates getting girlfriends."
"But is it though? They're going out with your sisters and they live with you. It's not a normal situation Joe."
"You can say that again. I just want what you had."