Always

You and Me Forever

She layed there curled up in a ball on her bed, not really wanting to speak to anyone, especially him. She loved her brother dearly. He was her go to person when she was little until he left for college. That was nearly 10 years ago. She was six almost seven at the time. Now she was 16, bullied, depressed, anorexic, and self harmed like there was no tomorrow. She layed there blankly staring out the window, thinking. She was so deep in thought, she never heard her bedroom door open and close and her brother walk in. After her little outburst at her mother's remark to be decent and act normal for once like the good little girl she once was, to which she responded to with some yelling, swearing, and being mad at her brother for leaving, before storming off to her room, she wasn't ready to face him.

Earlier that day

Ding dong the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" She spoke excited to see her brother.

"Mickey!"

"Izzy!"

"I missed you so much. Why didn't you call?"

"Sorry got busy. I missed you too."

"That why you've been gone for nearly a decade." She shot back, getting serious and less excited.

"Hey, I did come, you were just always at summer camp and as time went on I got busy. You know I would have come by more if I could."

"Yeah whatever. I'm over it." She said being more passive agressive.

"Come on Izzy. Don't be like that. Where's the happy ball of sunshine we all know and love?"

"She's gone."

"Isabella Rose! Behave yourself!" Her mother scolded her.

"Mom it's okay let her. Clearly something's bothering her."

"What? It's true. That little hopeful 'ray if sunshine' saw darkness and left long ago. She was sad when the one person who truly had her back left. She thought said person would come home soon. She waited and waited, every break, year after year until one day she realized he wasn't coming back. Lets not forget about all the shit our good for nothing father did."

"Isabella Rose! Stop this ridiculous childishness."

"Childish? That really what your going with mom? He abused me both physically and mentally."

"He did not. Your just being an ungrateful brat all he ever did was love and care for you. For all of us."

"No he didn't mom. You know what he did to you I know what he did and how he as you say 'loved' me. Why the fuck shouldn't he know?"

"Know what? What don't I know?"

"Dad was abusive. He left because he mom threatened to call the cops if he didn't."

"What do u mean he was abusive?"

"He'd come home drunk of his ass and hurt mom. And when she was at work and I was home he'd touch me in ways no father should ever touch his daughter."

"Oh Izzy... I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you," he said holding her close as she finally broke. Letting her walls down for the first time. Once she regained her composure, she went right back to the emotionless being she had become.

"Isabelle. A word in the kitchen please," her mother requested.

"Yeah sure." she mumbled as she made her way to the kitchen.

"What'd you want?"

"I ask you to behave for one day Izzy. One day. And you pull a stunt like this. God is it too much to ask that you just listen for once and stop being so over dramatic and selfish. Just once I'd like to have a normal day in this house. "

"Us, normal mom? Nothing about us is normal. We have never been normal and never will be. When are you going to stop pretending like everything's fine and we're a perfect family mom? We're not!" She shouted before running of to her room, locking herself in before falling apart once again and letting out every emotion she had been hiding for so long. Eventually she tired herself out and blankly stared out the window.
########################

After hearing his mother and sister's very loud disagreement in the kitchen, Mickey decided to have a word with his mother.

"Mom. What exactly happened to Izzy while I was gone?"

"It's a long story. Yes your father was abusive in every aspect of the word, but I never realized how out of hand things had gotten until I came home from work early one day and saw the horrible things he would do to her. He treated us like dirt and that night I had it with him when I saw that. So I told him to get out or I'd call the cops. So he left. Izzy never quite got over it and started shutting out the world. She never leaves her room anymore. Never wants to do anything. I had to practically drag her out of bed this morning. I know what I said to her was out of line, but lately she's gone from depressed to straight up rebel. She's not the same girl you once knew Mikey she's changed and not for the best."

"I'm gonna go check on her."

"Okay."

With that, he made his way up to his sister's bedroom and knocked on the door. When he got no response he tried again. Once again, no response.

"Hey mom, where's the spare key to Izzy's room?"

"On top of her doorframe like always!"

With that he grabbed the key and slowly opened the door. He was shocked by the sight in front of him to say the least. The pastel pink and green walls with baby blue and violet curtains and bedding were now replaced with dark purple and gray walls and black, teal, and white furniture, curtains, and bedding. Not to mention the unmade bed, food on the floor, and piles of clean and dirty laundry. After taking in the sight in front of him, he noticed his sister curled up in a ball staring out the window, unaware of his presence.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Kind of. Hey! Why'd you ask if you weren't going to listen?" She pouted, turning away from him as he layed down beside her and pulled her close to him.

"Because you're my little sister, its my job not to listen to you."

"So if I ask you to stay will you leave?"

"No. Because as your big brother its my job to be there for you when you need me the most."

"What if I tell you to, oh I don't know, maybe GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM?"

"No because I know you're either hiding something or pushing me away and it my job to protect you no matter what."

"I missed you," she mumbled into his chest.

"I know. I missed you too," he replied holding her closer, almost afraid to let go.

"Please don't leave me," she spoke, as a new wave of tears took over.

"Never. Remember what I told you when I left for college?"

"Yeah..."

"You and me," he started.

"To the end," she continued.

"Forever." They finished in unison, soon falling asleep in each other's embrace.