Hydrophobia

Chapter 1

I wake up to the blasting, annoying sound of my alarm. I turn over, trying to ignore it, but it continues to scream at me. Frustrated, I slap it to the ground. I sigh.

I slip out of bed and drop my feet to the floor, touching the soft carpet that covers my room. I grab my glasses from my drawer nearby and slide them on. Yawning, I stretch my arms and back, walk out of my room and downstairs. My pajamas were kinda of long, I pray not to slip and fall. I'm so clumsy.

In the kitchen, my oldest brother Raphael, was cooking breakfast. Raphael is twenty-five now. It's been eight years already. He stays with me and my other brother Gabriel; making sure we are safe and we graduate high school. Raphael was adopted. That's why he has darker skin than Gabriel and I.  The doctor told my mother she couldn't have children. That turned out to be complete bullshit when she had Gabriel. I never met my mother. She died a little after I was born.

"Good morning, Castiel." Raphael greets, his voice mellow and sweet. He didn't acknowledge me, he kept his eyes on the stove.

"Good morning Raph." I yawn, as I sit on a stool at the bar, that separated the kitchen from the living room. Finally, he looks up to me and chuckles.

"Go and wake up Gabriel please, bed head?" He asks, jokingly. I turn my head to look into the mirror that was hanging nearby. I couldn't help but giggle at how incredibly messy my hair gets when I wake up in the morning.

"Okay," I reply, smiling. I hop off the stool and quickly drag my feet across the glossy wooden floor that covers the kitchen and partial of the living room. The rest was carpet.

I run up the stairs quickly and up to Gabriel's door. I knock that same knock I have since I was little.

"Gabriel?" I seemed to sing and giggle. "Do you want to come outside? Breakfast is ready!"

"Go away Cassie." I could hear. Apparently my nickname was always morphed to him.

"But Gabe--" I persisted, but he cut me off with one of his annoyed groans, as he yelled, "Go AWAY, Cassie!"

"Fine then!" I replied, my eyes beginning to water. Gabriel changed. He was always stubborn, but now he must seemed to shut me out. He doesn't talk to me, and if he does it's an insult. We don't play together anymore, and he's always in his room.

I run down the stairs crying tears and stumbling over myself. "Raph!"  I cried.

Okay, I will admit. I am a major crybaby. I don't like getting yelled at or getting hurt. Gabriel calls me weak and pathetic over the fact I cry over any little thing.

I run up to the bar, tears already covering my face. "Raph, Gabriel w-won't listen to me! A-And he's he's being mean!" I stuttered. Raphael solids the pot to the back of the stove, and looks up to me with a sympathetic look.

"Oh Castiel..." He sighed pitifully. He walks around the bar, places a hand on my cheek, and rubs my tears away. He gives me a poor smile and then stomps up the stairs, his face clear of emotion. I sit back down on my stool, letting my feet dangle of the seat. I wait and listen.

Upstairs, I can hear Raphael barging into Gabriel's door, with him yelling "What The Hell", and Raph telling him to get up, then Gabe complains, and a smack on the head following after it.

I kick my feet. 

Gabriel then remarks that Raph likes me more than him and the Raph says that I'm delicate and sensitive as he compare me to a candle fire. Gabriel calls me a cunt, and Raph smacks him again telling him to shut up and come downstairs.

I roll my eyes and smile as Gabriel stomps down the stairs, with Raphael following behind. Gabriel plops down next to me, giving me a death stare as he mouths, "You're dead!"

I can't blame Gabriel for acting this way. He's seventeen and he thinks he's the top of the world. While I'm fifteen, he still considers me the useless worm in the dirt.

Raphael places plates in front of each of us that carries eggs, toast, and bacon. I lean over the bar to grab a sink on the opposite side, and start eating. Gabriel makes a silent sound of disgust, and pushes the plate away. Then he pulls out a chocolate bar out of his pants.

Yes. The inside of his pants.

"Ah, ah, ah. Uh-uh." Raphael exclaims as he swipes it away from him. "Breakfast, not Sugar Fest."

"Awe what?! Common Raph!" Gabriel complains, almost throwing a tantrum.

"Carbohydrates and protein beat sugar, Gabriel."

"But I don't want to eat that!"

"Don't be like that.... Grow up dude. Eat."

"No." Gabriel kept his stubborn attitude. He folded his arms. Raphael slammed his hand on the bar, making the dishes rattle, and causing me to jump.

"Look here you arrogant, prideful, selfish, idiot." Raphael started coldly. "I work my ass off putting food on your plate. Our father works hard putting food on your plate and a roof over our head. You don't want to eat? Fine. Then you get out of this house, get a job, buy your own food that you want to eat, and save me and Dad here a couple of valuable bucks, and you go do whatever he hell you want. How's that?"

Gabriel licked his lips and turned to the side. His expression was an obvious answer.

"Ohhhh, that's right. You can't. Because you're lazy, and immature. So for now, when you're under this house, you follow my rules and you eat what I  freakin' serve you. Do you understand?" Raphael finished, looking Gabriel straight in the eyes.

"Yes." He replied, barely above a whisper.

"Yes what?" Raphael asked again, for a more specific answer. He always wanted us to answer like that.

"Yes sir." Gabriel spoke louder this time, swallowing his anger. Raphael stood up straight satisfied, and threw the chocolate bar in the trashcan.

"Now get out of here. You don't get to eat at all now. Get dressed for school." He ordered. As soon as he finished, Gabriel jumped off his stool and ran up the stairs quickly. His eyes not coming off the floor. I looked back to Raphael. He gave me a distinct look.

"You not gonna eat either?" He asked me. I immediately nodded my head and put the toast in my mouth. He chuckled, amused. "You both drive me insane."

I smiled and giggled softly. Biting on the strip of bacon, and finishing up the eggs. I loved Raph. He was one of the best brothers to have. He sacrificed everything for us. And the best part was: He's not even blood.

"Hurry up Castiel, you need to get dressed too." Raphael smiled.

"I know...." I swallowed hard.

"What's the matter? You nervous?" He turned to me, resting against the counter.

"No, I'm scared." I reply, already bringing to tremble. "I'm so small and weak and pathetic... What if they beat me up?" My eyes started to water again, as I continued to over think things.

"Awwe, Cas..." Raphael  walked over the counter and gave me an embrace. "Don't worry about it. As long as you're nice, get good grades, and smile, you'll be just fine." His hugs were amazing. They were warm and loving, and he smelled like wood and coffee.

"Thanks Raph..." I rubbed my eyes underneath my glasses and smiled. He returned the action.

"See? Best two out of three." He chuckled. "Now go get dressed. You're practically late already."  I jumped off my stool, but before I went to my room, I turned back to him.

"Can I wear my coat to school?"

"Yes, Castiel, you can wear your trenchcoat to school." He smiled, as he shook his head, thinking of how typical I am. I squealed softly, and ran up the stairs full of a new excitement.

Look out world, here comes a brand new freshman, with a brand new personality.