Trophy Child (On Hold)

Chapter 17

I'd like to say that that one night fixed everything. That suddenly Andy and I went from being at odds to being the kind of siblings you saw on those cheesy sitcoms. The kind that are always looking out for each other and hanging out like they're friends instead of brothers.

But it didn't really happen like that.

Mostly, it just made us stay away from each other. We each knew secrets now that the other didn't want broadcasted, but the thing that really kept us apart was the fact that we had said them. We had spoken to each other more honestly and openly than we ever had before. There was something terrifying about that uncharted territory we had stumbled into. Something fragile that we didn't want broken just yet.

And while avoiding each other probably wasn't anyone's idea of a good, healthy relationship, it was still better than the way we'd been before. It meant that we were trying.

And I was okay with that.

But day that really changed things was when he knocked on my bedroom door, three days later.

It was just after dinner, and I was sitting at my desk. I had unfinished homework in front of me, and my cell phone in my hand. I noticed him right away, but I didn't say anything.

For a while, he didn't say anything either. He just stood there and waited for me to talk to him. When I didn't, he finally worked up the courage to do it himself.

"Hi, Casey," he said.

I knew that he was stalling. He wanted to say something else, but he didn't know how.

"Hey. What's up?" I asked, without looking up from my phone.

"Nothing. Just wanted to say hi to you," he said.

I was pretty convinced that he was lying, but I let him take his time. If it was important, I figured he'd get to it eventually. If it wasn't, then I wasn't going to bother.

"Casey?" He called after another long silence, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What's up?" I asked again.

"Are you busy right now?"

"No, not really, why? What did you want?"

"Mom and dad are both home, so I'm going to go and tell them now. You know, about those big kids at school, I mean," he said.

"Okay. Cool," I replied.

I went back to texting Benny and figured that Andy would just take the hint and leave. When I looked back up though, he was still there, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" I asked," go do it. They're probably in the living room watching TV."

"I will, but..." he trailed off.

"But what?" I prompted.

"Can you come?"

I'll admit that I was pretty thrown off by that one.

"What?"

"Can you come with me? While I tell them," Andy asked, tone soft and hesitant.

I wasn't really sure where the request had come from, or why, but I figured it might be the only time that he could force himself to at least try.

I didn't want to be the one to ruin that for him. Which meant that I needed to drag myself up and try to show my support.

Still not my strongest suit, but I think I was getting there. At least with him.

"Yeah, sure," I agreed before I set my phone down on my desk and stood up.

And if the lights had gone out right then, I was sure that his smile would have been enough to see by.

***

After he broke the news, I stood there in the doorway and watched the three of them. Mom crying into Andy's hair and dad rubbing his back to calm him down. He looked happy, relishing in the warmth of their love.

Usually, that would have felt like a betrayal. A jab at all the times they didn't hold and comfort me like that. It would have normally brought out that awful, teeth grinding anger that I was known for, and I would have said something terrible to all of them.

This time, that didn't happen.

Because for once, I guess I didn't really mind the attention they were giving him. I think it's because I realized that he needed it more than I did and, if I was being honest, it was kind of sweet to see. Even if I wasn't really a part of it.

It made my parents seem almost human. My family almost normal.

So I let them have their moment and I went back to my room alone. It was a long time before I heard them go their separate ways and my patents' door shut for the night.

I didn't really expect for Andy to come and find me again.

But he did.

And I didn't yell at him to leave or close my door.

I guess that was when it really clicked that things were different between us. That we could actually manage to talk to each other without shouting or glaring.

"I did it," he finally told me proudly.

"You did," I agreed. "Good job."

I figured that that was all that he was looking for. A little bit of paise. A gold sticker for work well done.

But Andy wasn't finished with me just yet.

"Now you can do it too," he said with a wide smile.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You were scared to tell someone about what happened, but now that you saw it's not so bad, you can do it too. You don't need to be afraid," he assured me confidently.

I didn't want to tell him that when you got older, that kind of thing could actually make it worse. Especially when the one you're turning in is your cousin with a great scholarship on the line.

"It's not that simple, Andy," I said instead.

"Sure it is," he stated, with that elementary school innocence," you just go and say it. Mom and dad will know what to do. It's hard at first, but you'll get it, I promise."

"Yeah? What did they tell you they're going to do about it?" I asked.

"They told me they're going to talk to my teacher and the kids that hurt me. Then it won't happen anymore," he explained.

"That's good, Andy."

"Yup! They can do something like that for you too."

"Hey, Andy?"

"Yeah?" He responded.

"How's that new video game you got? Any good?" I asked him.

If he were older, he would have understood the evasive subject change. Probably wouldn't have let me get away with it either.

Andy though, was only ten. So he was easily distracted. His eyes lit up and he jumped right into an excited explanation of the first few levels of the game.

It was horrible and overly detailed, with plenty of unrelated tangents thrown in. I actually couldn't listen to it all, and zoned out maybe a couple of minutes into his rambling. Of course, he didn't notice and kept right on going.

As it turned out, us being okay didn't make me wish any less that he had an off button somewhere.