I Am Unstoppable (Book 2)

Chapter Six: F is for Family

They say "family is forever".

I highly disagree with that.

Family can stab you in the back, disrespect you, and can even make you want to end your life. Take a look at Ethan, for example. He's my demonic little brother, who clearly hates my guts.

You can't choose your family, but I wish I could. Ethan wouldn't be in mine, that's for sure.

I pledged to my mother that I would help change his behavior. She thinks I can do it, and so do I... kind of. To be honest with you, I'm a little nervous. I've tried to do this in the past, but all of my attempts have failed me. He just gets worse whenever I try.

After my mother and I finish talking about him, we go downstairs and continue to eat. It feels weird sitting back down at the table, since Tyler, Dad, and Ethan are silent. They weren't even talking to each other while Mom and I were gone. All I notice out of the corner of my eye is Ethan staring at me. He keeps on rolling his eyes when we make eye contact. I haven't said a word, since I definitely don't need the trouble right now. Instead, I ask him how his day was at school.

"It was fine," he says in a rude tone. "Why do you even care?"

"You're my little brother, and I care about you," I calmly answer, trying to hold my anger in.

"Stop lying, Richard. You hate me."

"No, I don't."

My father sighs loudly, showing a slight feeling of frustration. "Ethan, really? He's trying to be nice to you, and you're being rude."

"He was being mean to me earlier, so why should I forgive him?" Ethan picks up his fork and pulls up a clump of spaghetti, twirling his fork around in circles. He then takes a bite out of his spaghetti.

My mother stands up suddenly. "That's it. Ethan, you need to drop your attitude. NOW. Richard is trying to be nice to you. He cares about you, but you're being too goddamn ignorant to give him a chance."

Oh crap, she's pissed. Definitely. She never uses that language. She'll only use that language when she's mad at either Tyler or me, but not Ethan, since he's only nine. Clearly, she doesn't care right now.

Tyler glares at Ethan. "Why the hell do you hate Richard so much? Like, seriously, he's the coolest person I know. You're just a little brat who can't give him a chance, like what Mom said."

"Guys..." I mumble. Neither of them listen to me, since they are too absorbed into yelling at Ethan. He deserves to be yelled at, though.

"Richard is such a jerk to me! He thinks he can take all of his anger out on me, and not on anyone else! He loves Hayden and Tyler, but he hates me! It's like he doesn't even want me to exist!"

This little bastard.

I keep my calm, patiently saying, "It's because Hayden doesn't make fun of me, and Tyler actually gave me a second chance."

Ethan stands up, looking me right in the eyes. "I wish you would just commit suicide."

He did NOT just say that.

Everyone gets dead silent. I stand up too, with tears in my eyes. "WHAT THE"-(swear)-"IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" I scream off the top of my lungs, losing all of the patience I was really trying to have with him. "YOU'RE A SICK BASTARD!" I bolt out of the house and slam the door shut behind me. I run to the back yard and sit down underneath the giant maple tree in the righthand corner of the yard. I begin to uncontrollably cry my eyes out all alone.

I can't believe he said that. I knew he hated my guts, but I didn't think he hated me to the point where he wanted me to kill myself. He's only nine. I never thought he would say that to me.

Tyler walks around to the back of the house. The instant he sees me, he runs to the tree and sits down to my left, hugging me tightly. I wrap my arms around him, place my head on his chest, and cry on him. I'm practically sitting on his lap, but he clearly doesn't care, since that isn't the biggest problem right now.

He doesn't say a word.

He begins to gently rub my back. I clench onto him harder and mutter, "Why does this all happen to me?"

"Richard," he kisses my forehead, "ignore him."

"How can I ignore him?! My own brother just told me that he wants me to kill myself!" I holler, crying even more.

"He probably doesn't even know what the phrase 'commiting suicide' even means."

"Then why would he say it?" I pause. Tyler remains silent. I continue to cry. "Maybe I should-"

"No," Tyler sternly interrupts. His voice begins to sound a little shaky. "Don't think about suicide. You don't deserve it. People would miss you."

"Like who?" I blurt without thinking, looking directly at him.

"Mom. Dad. Me. Rebecca. Brandon. Lively. Alia. Staci. Kyle. Jake. I could name more people, if you want."

"And you didn't even say Ethan's name." I wipe my eyes with my navy blue sleeve.

If this doesn't prove that I am unwanted in the world, then I don't know what does.

"Why should I even live if I'm just being a pain to everyone? All I'm doing is causing aggravation, which no one needs," I add.

Tyler looks right at me, his deep brown eyes staring right into my bright green eyes. Unexpectedly, he bursts into tears. His face is red, his nose is stuffy, and for some reason, it seems like he's crying harder than I am. "Don't say that, Richard. People love you. I do. Even if the whole world was against you, I would still love you. If you're making someone happy, then you deserve to live." He tightly hugs me, then stands up, picking me up and carrying me. He walks to the front of the house, goes up the stairs, and opens the door.

Mom is standing up, crying. Dad's face is red, which is a clear sign that he was most likely flipping out on Ethan (he seldom cries). Ethan was sitting down still, looking completely unaffected with what just happened.

We made eye contact. Looking at Ethan caused me to cry even harder.

Tyler stops walking. He turns towards Mom, Dad, and Ethan. "You little"-(swear)-"asshole. Now he wants to kill himself. Congratulations." He takes me with him upstairs.

We enter my room. He gently places me on my bed, where I just bury my face into the pillow and continue to cry my eyes out.

Out of nowhere, I hear my father scream, "Go to your room!"

Ethan hollers back, "I didn't mean to say that!"

"Do you even know what you said?!" my mother screams with anger. "You told Richard that you wish he would just kill himself!"

Ethan bursts into tears. "I didn't mean it, I swear!"

I'm sure you didn't.

I just remain laying down on my bed, hoping that soon, my life will end.