My Brother's Keeper

Chapter One

I will remember this day for the rest of my life. My brother cried out to my mother as the the police officers started taking him away. I looked over at my mother. Tears running down her face.

"Daniel, I promise. I'll get you out. Even if die trying." my mother cried. That's when the tears started flowing down my face. I looked over at my brother.

"I love you Danny." I said. He looked over at us one last time.

"I love you too." As soon as he finished the sentence, the police officers pulled him into the hall to escort him to prison.

I sat back down in the seat that I've been sitting in for the past 5 days when his trial was going on. I cried my little heart out. My life is ruined. Not even just my life, my brother's life is ruined. My whole family's lives are ruined.

It's just a horrible day. And that's what it's going to be like for the next 10 years.

2 years later

I was counting my drawer at my new job. I had just started a couple of months ago and I was doing pretty well. I mean, I guess I am. No one told me I was horrible at it. So, I took it as a positive sign.

My boss walked up to me. "You ready?" he asked.

"Yeah. You can say that." I said. He looked at me and smiled.

"How was your weekend?" he asked. I looked over at the doors where I saw a couple of customers waiting.

"Honestly, it wasn't the worst." I admitted. "How was yours?" He chuckled.

"Let's just say, it was crazy."

"That sounds, fun. I guess."

"Yeah, loads of fun." he put my drawer in the register in. "You'll be up here by yourself until 7:30. Kiiara is supposed to come in at 7:20. If she doesn't bother to show up, I'll come up here and help when we get busy. Does that sound fine to you?"

"Sounds perfect." I replied sarcastically.

"Alright, I have to go do inventory. Call me when you need me."

"Yeah, ok." the customers walked inside and looked around for the things they needed.

I was on register for about 5 hours until, Drew, my boss, decided that I needed a break. I tried my hardest to convince him otherwise but, you know, he made me take a break.

I walked outside to where I usually sit when I'm forced to take a break. It was a bench between the store and the ice cream parlor beside us. And no one usually sits there because it's right in the sun. But, I always have an umbrella with me so the sun doesn't really phase me.

I opened the umbrella and unlocked my phone and read some texts that I missed while I was at work.

I responded to most of them as someone sat next to me. I naturally ignored them because, I don't usually talk to people I don't know. Unless I have to. I mean, I do work at a grocery store.

"Hey, how you doing?" the boy asked. I glanced over at him. He was staring at me.

"I'm good." I replied. I'm not even trying to be rude. I just wasn't in the mood to talk at the moment. I just wanted to relax on my break. I looked back down at my phone.

"I see you work at Fresh's Groceries. What's good over there?" he asked. I looked back over at him for a moment and shrugged.

"I guess we have great fruit." I replied.

"I know, you're probably wondering why I'm bothering you."

"Not really." I said. He chuckled.

"Aren't you Daniel's sister?' he asked. I stared at him for a second.

"And if I was, who wants to know?"

"Well, I know your brother. I was in the same jail cell as him. He told me to keep an eye on you."

"That's not telling me who you are." I said. He laughed a little.

"My name is Jermaine."

"Well, Jermaine, I don't know you. And I don't have a brother named Daniel." I stood up. "I have no idea what you're talking about. But, I gotta go. I hope I don't see you around." I walked away.

"Have a great day, Victoria." he said as I walked away. I bit my lip and walked back inside the store.

I walked to the crew room and sat down at the closest table to the door. "What you doing in here? You're never in here." Drew asked. I looked over at him.

"Some guy was bothering me."
"What? Want me to beat someone up?" he asked. Drew is overprotective of me. I mean, he's known me since I was like 14. He only wants the best for me. Like my family.

"No thank you." I said laughing.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive, Drew." He looked at me for a second and then nodded.

"Alright, your break will be up in like 15 minutes." He walked out of the crew room. I looked down at my phone and then tuned the background noises out.