My Other Half

53

"Explain this shit." Johnathan spat at me from across the table. He thrusted a social studies test with a fat red 53 mark onto my dinner plate.

I stared at it, not particularly surprised. I knew I had gotten a 53. What I didn't know was that Johnathan had fished it out of the trash.

"I tried," I spoke lowly. "I just didn't do good."

"That's no f-cking excuse." he growled.

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair under his lethal stare. He began to lean closer to me over the table, eyes angrily twitching and nails dragging along the wood. He was so close, I could smell the alcohol on his breath. Hmm...what was it this time? Jack Daniels? Or perhaps some Captain Morgan mixed with a little Coke? Yeah, that seemed to be his favorite. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Aaliyah watching protectively and positioning her wheelchair in case she needed to rush to my assistance. Jake continued playing with his food and singing softly to himself, completely oblivious.

I can't exactly explain what happened next. I guess it was just an instinct that not only me, but Aaliyah and Jake as well, had to learn over the years of living with Johnathan. Flight or fight response. Basically, if you thought Johnathan was going to hurt you: (A) he most certainly was, and (B) the only thing left to do was to get the hell out. Within a second, I shot up from my seat and began to sprint. However, Johnathan was too fast to outrun. He leapt over the table and caught me around my legs, bringing me to the floor with a loud thump.

"IF YOU F-CKING FAIL A GRADE ONE MORE TIME--" he grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. Jake was screaming, and Aaliyah was nowhere in sight. "YOU DISRESPECTFUL GOOD-FOR-NOTHING BITCH! YOU'RE A F-CKING DISGRACE AND W-ORE, JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER!"

I was sure that in about an instant he would smack me. His hollering and cursing echoed in my mind and kind of distracted me. I didn't know what to do in that instant, and if something like that ever occurred again, I still wouldn't know. But my sister is different. She's good at making quick decisions...

With the lightning whir of Transformer-speckled wheels, Aaliyah had rammed into Johnathan's rear end, causing him to tumble over me and hit his head on the nearby countertop. While he was moaning in pain, Aaliyah yelled for me to grab Jake so we could ditch his drunken ass.

We had run away to our favorite place to go while Johnathan was a drunk, abusive slob. Avallone Park. It was only right down the road from our place, so it wasn't a very long walk at all. Highly convenient, for we needed to get out of the house as much as possible. Good ol' Avallone Park was pretty basic-but in a nice way. It only had a few swings, and old-fashioned merry-go-round that I've witnessed a number of stupid teenagers attempt to spin and stay on at unfathomable speeds, benches scattered with the typical bird shit, and a single rickety slide capable of falling down at any moment. I know. Kinda horror movie-ish. But, we made it ours pretty easily.

It was around 5:30pm, so barely anyone was there. It was quiet, peaceful, and slow-moving. The swings rocked steadily in the fall wind, the merry-go-round moved in slow circles, and the cars from the highway beyond continued to fly past- despite the tranquility before them. The rickety slide remained still.

Immediately, Johnathan wanted to go down the slide. Just like every other single freaking time. He jumped around Aaliyah and I and tugged at my oversized Panic! at the Disco shirt. "Okaaay, Bud. Chill. I'll take you to the shitty slide."

Aaliyah grunted in distaste at my swearing in front of Jake. "Si, he's eventually gonna pick up on it. Just like you and I." She didn't condone of any cussing in any form. Of course, her and I had learned everything from Good Ole Johnny Boy and his fits. I had started cursing thereafter, but she never had. She believed we should try to keep Jake's innocence for as long as possible.

"Fine, Ms. High-And-Mighty. I'll shut up." I smiled slyly as Jake practically dragged me to the slide. I hoisted him up to the top, and gave him a slight push. He went flying downwards with a whoosh. He laughed and kicked even more when Aaliyah wheeled over, ticking him and attempting to hoist him up on her lap.

"Liyah, stop," I rushed over and took him from her. "You'll hurt yourself. He's too much on your legs."

"I know," she sighed and stared at her feet. "I just...wanted to see if I..."

I immediately felt like shit. I knew how much she wished she could pick Jake up, but she couldn't. She was always confined to that damn wheelchair, and would be for the remainder of her life. We both knew this, but we tried our hardest to never mention it.

"Hey, you were a boss back there. Y'now..saving my ass from Ole Johnny Boy." I cracked to cheer her up. It worked, somehow. She looked up and smiled like she was expecting something. "What?"

"Saving my bum from Johnny Boy. And say it. Say Aaliyah Rose Muller is a boss."

I sigh with a smirk on my face and inhale, preparing for this shameful crap. "Thanks for saving my bum from Johnathan. Also, Aaliyah Rose Muller is a BOSS!"

I pull Jake up on my shoulders and we chase Aaliyah around the playground the rest of the evening, laughing our hearts out and shouting our battle-cry for all to hear. We eventually return home a little after 8:00pm, finding a snoring Johnathan sprawled out on the couch, a crumpled test with a 53 on it in his hand.

----

Sorry about the profanities in this one: there were slightly more than usual because it's just Johnathan's rude diction. That's just how he's meant to talk and be presented-I should probably put it up in the warnings but all truly bad words will be blanked out from now on.

As always, thanks for reading. Hope you can make it back soon ;)

Also, I'd like to give a shoutout to Maddie, if you're reading! :D

Hiiiiii Maddie!!!!!!!!!