I'm Not An Angel

01

I walk into school. Just a normal day at Jefferson High. Nothing out of the ordinary is gonna happen today. I'm gonna make sure of it. I'll keep control of my anger, nothing will happen. I can promise you that today. I'll make sure no new kid thinks I'm a freak. I'll make sure I don't get another detention. I can do this.

I open my locker, placing my old books in and taking the books I need out and putting them in my backpack. I smile to myself in the mirror, before closing my locker and letting out a mild scream. I bend down to catch my breath, before kicking him.

"What the fuck Owen?!" I push my brother and follow him as he starts walking down the hall laughing.

"Oh come on that was funny." He insists.

"No, it wasn't." I roll my eyes, continuing to walk towards my class. He runs up and puts his arm around my shoulder.

"Sis, you gotta learn how to take a joke." I shrug his arm off.

"It's not a joke if people think I'm gonna 'freak' out over it."

"They don't think you're a freak Av."

"You sure about that?"

"Definitely." I nod and turn around to look at a group of freshmen. When they notice me looking they scream and run away.

"I scare everyone, including our sister. My only friend is my twin brother, which is kinda weird and some people are even avoiding you cause they think I'm giving the freakness to you."

"Av it's just mental health issues you aren't a fucking freak!"

"Mental health made the chemistry room set on fire?"

"Av-"

"Mental health made our sister fly out of her chair and sprain her ankle?!"

"Aven, don't do that to yourself."

"THIS ISN'T FUCKING MENTAL HEALTH!" I don't care if everyone in the world hears. The entire town knows I'm a freak. No job will hire me. I'm not allowed to eat in any restaurants in town anymore. I've been kicked out of 4 schools, this is the last one that will take me and I have 3 out of the 5 warnings already. I'm a freak. Everyone knows it.

"Now Owen please step away before I hurt you, I'm getting worked up and you're the only person I care about that I haven't hurt." He steps closer trying to grab my arms. "Owen stop. I..I don't want to hurt you."

"Aven I don't care if you hurt me, I want to keep you safe."

"Owen please stop, I can't hurt you."

"Av-" My hands start shaking and my face turns bright red. I feel the tears start to well up in my eyes. I look up at him, before sprinting out of the school and running down the street to the park. I can hear him running after me, but I can't yell at him to go away. I won't be able to breathe. I feel around my pocket for my inhaler, making sure I have it just in case. I continue running until I lock my eyes on the tree I always go to. I jump up into it and climb to the highest steady branch before taking my inhaler out and taking a breath of the medicated air.

I sigh and lean back into the trunk of the tree, pulling my knees to my chest. I look down and see Owen sitting at the base of the tree in the same position. He looks up and we make eye contact. I almost immediately pull away. What's wrong with me? Why can't I just be normal for once? I let out a large sigh before being the first to speak.

"Why do you always follow me? Even when I'm getting mad at you. When I can hurt you, you still follow. Why?"

"Cause you're my sister."