My Step-Brothers

Chapter 2: It's Going To Be Alright

E V A N N A

Something was wrong. I haven't had a panic attack in a long time. This was so sudden that I was trembling, scared from what just happened. I slowly went to the cafeteria where my best friend, Claire was.

I felt drained from the sudden overwhelming feeling that filled my entire body.

"Hey Ev. You're not eating?" She asked. Claire looked slightly pale and out of it, but my head was in too much pain to notice anything.

"Nope. Not hungry."

It's good that you're not eating. You need to lose weight.

I groaned and rubbed my temples. I have to stop thinking these things, but I can't. Part of me thinks it's the truth.

"Are you alright?" Claire asked, biting into her pizza.

"Yeah. Headache."

A really annoying headache, I thought.

I put my head down on my arms and thought about what was going on. It's just voices. Nothing to worry about. I have to stop worrying so much!

"I..." Claire trailed off. "Ev, something bad happened."

I looked up. "What? What happened? Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "Well..."

"My brother... he k-killed h-himself," Claire said, as I looked up to see tear rolling down her cheek.

Claire's brother, Collin, was 17 and was like a brother to me. I never had a brother but from all the time I was around Collin, he made me feel like I was his younger sister. He was one of the kindest person I've met.

When she told me, I was shaken up. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Collin was always happy around everybody.

I went over to her side and hugged Claire, who was starting to sob. No one payed attention to us, except two people- Cathryn and Owen.

Cathryn and Owen were probably the worst people in this entire school. Cathryn was stupid but she had a terrible attitude. Owen would do anything to make fun of someone or annoy them.

"Your brother killed himself? Maybe because he didn't want to stay with you," Cathryn said, walking up to our table.

Anger boiled inside me. How can someone say things like that? I turned and faced her. "What?"

"He killed himself because of her," Cathryn said, looking at Claire. "Don't you think that? I mean, it's her brother. What more could I expect if somebody had to spend their life with her?"

Claire started crying even more, burying her face in her hands.

My jaw hung open in shock from what she was saying. I couldn't believe someone was ignorant and inconsiderate enough to say those things to somebody.

I got up, taking a step to her. I shoved her, and she fell onto the lunch table behind her. "Say that again. Does saying those things make you feel better about yourself?"