Here Goes Nothing!

CHAPTER 2: Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can also hurt me

Over the horrendous noise of mum and I tidying up the kitchen, I could hear loud but short wails from upstairs, only assuming it was my brother. When I finally caught mum's eye, she gave me a stern, but surprisingly gentle, look as to say 'Now's the perfect time to talk to him.' I gave her a very uneasy look. I didn't want to face him. Not now. I hate it when he's like this. Mum straightened up her back, put her hands on her hips and frowned at me. Since dad left us, our household had become very quiet so we learned to communicate through actions. Now and again we would talk but not really that much anymore.

I nodded to my mum and slowly made my way up the stairs. I was halfway up the stairs when a loud thud caught my attention coming from Jack's bedroom. I felt my heart suddenly leap from my chest to my mouth and my pulse started racing. I just stood there, in the middle of the staircase, completely stunned; paralysed, even. I looked behind me to see mum rushing up the stairs. Shoving me aside, she sped up the stairs and crashed into Jack's room. I awoke from my paralysation-world and ran to catch up with my mother screaming "JACK!" as I went. When I got to the top, of what seemed like Mount Everest, facing the door to Jack's room, I bound in taking in every aspect of his establishment, trying to find the source of the thump. It was only until I saw my brother with his fist stuck in the wall did I realise I was holding my breath. I leered over to my mother who had squeezed her eyes shut, clearly holding back tears; tears of anger and sadness. She walked out of the room with her face firmly locked to the floor. Gazing up at my brother, I had noticed his eyes were blotchy, bloodshot and red. He let out a loud sniff before removing his fist from the wall, letting some dust and brick fall flat to the floor. Jack looked down at the floor like nothing else was more important than that floor. All I felt was pain and anguish as I gazed at my brother. Before I knew it, I had rushed over to his side and wrapped my arms around his skinny frame. He uncomfortably put his arms around me, embracing me further. The tears that had formed in my eyes were released and I let out the despair that had built up inside of me during the last few weeks. It felt good to cuddle up to someone who was in the same boat as me. I loved my brother, more than you'd expect after everything that's happened. I wanted to bring myself back to the real world but something happened that I wasn't expecting. Jack rested his chin on my shoulder and patted my back. My shoulder was wet so I could tell he was crying too. This, of course, only made me cry more. We stood there for a few minutes enjoying each other's embrace.

He pulled away and put his hands on my shoulders, steadying me and preventing me from collapsing in front of him. Jack smiled weakly at me and handed me a soft tissue. I took it and wiped away my tears. The tissue was enough to take away my tears but not enough to take about my confused emotions. I blew my noise, making a sort of elephant sound making Jack laugh. I laughed too. In that one moment it felt like time had frozen between us. He ran his fingers through his short, dark hair and sat on his bed. He patted a space on his bed next to him but I shook my head and retired to the tatty, old chair in the corner. It was blue, my favourite colour. Jack's frown from before had found its way back to his face which wasn't good. I wanted to say something but I just didn't know what! So many things were rushing through my head, my brain actually hurt!

I shut my eyes and let out a long breath. "Jack," I finally said, "I know it's hard, you know, not having dad around anymore but we have to learn to deal with it. Dad wouldn't want us to worry about him. That's probably why he didn't want us to know about his heart..." Jack whipped his head up so quickly, I was surprised he hadn't broken his neck! His expression towards me had suddenly changed and I knew this wasn't going to end well. "You know, Agnes, dad didn't you about his heart because he knew you'd overreact. He thought he'd come back home and answer all your questions! I knew exactly what was happening and I stayed with you all this time, fighting for you, caring for you. I was always there for you when you needed someone but were you ever there for me when I needed someone?!" His face had turned so red that I was actually expecting steam to come out of his ears! All I could do was stare at him with big eyes. I bit my lip and looked down, hanging my head in shame while the tears started to form at the back of my eyes. "ANSWER ME, AGNES!" Jack shouted with force. Not up for speaking, I shook my head and let a tear fall to the floor. I didn't want to hear anymore so I lifted my head up and started for the exit before he grabbed my arm. Frantically, I tried to break free from his grip but didn't succeed. Anger was now rushing through my body and I felt my veins pumping blood around my fuming figure. I looked up at him with such anger for not letting me go. Before he tried to speak, I furiously whipped my palm in the air, catching his cheek and slapping him across the face. I couldn't take it anymore. Jack looked at me in a completely horrific way that my vocabulary could not describe. He released his grip on my arm, leaving a red bruise, and sprinted out of the door and before I knew it, I heard the front door slam shut. I sat down on his bed, curled up in a little ball and shut my eyes closed.

A frightening squeal of tyres and a loud crash made me open my eyes in a flash. My first thought was Jack. I jumped off the bed and loped down the stairs to get outside, not even looking through the window first. The cool air hit my olive skin as I arrived outside. My eyes scanned the area looking for, what was obviously a crashed car hoping that I wouldn't find Jack underneath. I matched my eyes on a tall, brown haired boy wearing a green plaid long sleeve shirt, dark blue jeans and a pair of black Converse standing by the side of a car which had dug itself into a tree, with his head in his hands. First, I looked around for Jack. I couldn't see him around so I let out a breath of relief. My next thought was helping out was helping out this guy. On my way out of the house, I had forgotten to put shoes on. No matter. I hurried across the street to where the boy was standing. He must've heard my large flipper feet slapping the tarmac as I ran because he turned around. His face was perfectly created, godlike, even! His blue, jewel-incrusted eyes followed me as I attempted to aid him. "Hey! Are you okay?!" I said as I finally managed to accompany him by the car. "Err... Yeah, I think I'm okay, but clearly my car isn't!" I could see he was trying to smile so I smiled back. "Look, your face is covered in cuts and bruises. I'll have my mum look you over. She was a nurse." This time he did smile and it wasn't a forced one either! I know a forced smile when I see one. "I'm Agnes, by the way." I said, holding out my hand for him to shake. "Chris. Chris Walker." He replied, shaking my hand. So that was his name...