Not So Average Life

16- Chloe Carter

Emma's point of view-
As I was helping Rose do some cleaning around the house, I found a picture taken few years ago. There was their dad and, another girl. Their dad was undeniably really good looking. The girl was also very pretty. She was about the age of Jay. She had a fluffy golden brown hair and hazel eyes. All the brothers were smiling so happy in the picture that I've never seen them in real life before. My curiosity fires up and I just had to ask Rose about them.

"Well, I knew you'll ask me one day or another. Come sit down, I'll tell you about about Chloe." Rose gently sat me down and made me some tea. She let out a deep sigh.

"So, I had a daughter. I adopted Chloe when she was two. I've always wanted a daughter, but I don't know if it's the genes in our family or what, we rarely have girls. Just like in the only girl in my family too with three brothers. I'm not implying I didn't like boys, I love them. Each one of them of course. But I wanted a daughter as well. Jay was also two years old when I adopted her."

She chuckled. "I'll always remember how Sean and Blake's eyes lit up when I showed them their new sister. They swore they would protect her with their life. They got along really well. Chloe was bullied during her middle school. I remembered how furious the brothers were when they found out and how they wanted to 'kill the bully'. They are violent, yep. But in a good way."

Rose was looking at the picture while smiling. I saw tears starting to well up. "Everything was going so great, until one and a half year ago, she got into a car accident when she was coming home from school with her friend."

She took a deep breath trying to keep her tears in. "That was when everything changed. Believe me or not the boys were way affected than me. They all had a special bond. All of us were crushed when we heard the news."

"It's hard to believe it isn't it, they were all  kind and well-mannered. They were always helpful to anyone. But this really changed all of them. They became rude; ignorant; hateful to the world." She gently stroke my hair. "If they did anything bad or are rude to you, I'm really sorry about that and do tell me. Let's hope you can help them open up again."

"That is very unlikely. They all hate me." I awkwardly say.

"Just give it time. They're really affected by the incident, so they choose not to open up to people because they're afraid what happened to Chloe may happen again. From what I know about them, they'll get used to you." Rose reassured me. "So, just hang in there."

Finally figuring out why they hated me so much this explains a lot. They felt like I was replacing her.

"What about their dad?" I asked wondering why he was not mentioned.

"Oh..." she smiled awkwardly. "I divorced him about seven or eight years ago. He became abusive towards me and I didn't want the boys to grow up with him."

"I'm... I'm sorry." I realised what a stupid question I asked.

"No, don't be." She gently stroke my hair. "Now I've met your dad. Anyways we need to go to New York later. You take care of yourself and the boys for me alright?" She chuckled a little then walked away.

I was still sitting there processing everything Rose just told me. I never thought they had another side to them. A warm, big brother protective side. My thought got interrupted quickly when Jay slapped me in the face.

"Get out of the way."

"I'm, I'm not in your way." I carefully said hand holding my burning cheek.

"Ya I know." He smirked and trotted away.

I still couldn't imagine when they were kind.

Sean's point of view-
"Bro, honestly why do you hate Emma so much?" I asked Blake.

"You mean 'we', and, I don't know. She's just so annoying." Blake answered still scrolling through his phone.

I sighed "I hated her because I felt like she was replacing.... Chloe."

Blake paused for a moment, "don't talk about her."

"I'm sure she wouldn't want us to be like this would she?" I sank back into my seat. "Remember what she always tell us? She always asked us to be nice. Even to the people who bullied her."

"I said don't fucking talk about her." Blake yelled.

"Don't fucking yell at me. Whatever, I'm not in the mood to fight you." I walked away, giving up.

I stopped at the stairs, turned and saw Blake putting his phone down and stared into the ceiling with his hand covering his face. I'm sure he misses her as much as I do, but Chloe wouldn't want us to be treating Emma like this right? I thought to myself.

Emma's point of view-
"Why are you even still here, idiot?" Kathy yanks my hair and throws me to the ground.

Everything was getting worse. Now and then I may think to myself what was the point of me living. Everyone wants me dead. Will everything end if I had just kill myself? The world be a better place?

Suddenly Ryan pushed through the crowds and reached out his hands towards me. "Come on, get up."

But before I could take his hand I was grabbed by Jace. "Don't you touch her." He said to Ryan.

"No, he was just trying to help-" I tried to defend Ryan.

"Oh he's not. He's definitely up to something. I can tell." He narrowed his eyes at Ryan.

Ryan returned his dirty look. "Fine. Since your 'boyfriend' here don't allow me to touch you." He raised both his hands indication defeat and walked away.

"Ugh Jace your way better than this." Kathy bitched.

"And you're way worse than I thought." Jace walked away while pulling my hand.

"Ugh." Kathy flipped her hair and sashayed down the opposite hallway with her minions.

Ryan tried to help me again. Maybe he really like me? Maybe everything's not that bad. Jace cares about me, but for how long? Until when will he start to get tired of always dealing with this?

Honestly I feel so useless always having to need someone to save me from these kinds of situations.

"Emma, I... I don't know how to tell you this." Mia suddenly approached me.

"Oh Mia, you haven't talk to me since... it's been so long." I said awkwardly.

"N.. no, I'm here to confront you." She said in an angry manner. "I... I know what you did."

I looked at her confused.

"They've told me the things you said about me." She snapped. I stared at her shocked. "You're fake. All you do is act pathetic then you talk behind people's back!"

"I- I do not." I defended but didn't seem useful.

"I'm sure that is not true." Jace cut in.

"She talks about you too Jace, can't you see?" Mia yelled. "Ugh I can't do this right now. I thought you were my friend." She stormed off.

"Jace, Jace you believe me right?" I asked desperately.

"Don't worry, I know what the bullies do." He reassured me. "They make all your friends turn on you so you won't have any. Typical."

Jace made me feel safe. Finally feeling like there's someone I could trust. Someone who won't turn on me and that was a really great feeling, that didn't last.....