I can still recall how Jake used to frighten away boys whenever they even glanced in my direction; all it took was one glare from him for boys to flee.

I found it annoying and sad that almost all of my friends had boyfriends whereas I didn't, and that I always felt excluded whenever they talked about their partners.

However, just like he always does, my brother was only trying to protect me. And he would immediately get rid of his girlfriends if I had complained about how they kept giving me dirty looks.

Even though my brother is a jerk like that, he would still believe me without question when they told him I was lying.

Which I was certainly not. I wasn't a huge fan of my brother's girlfriends when I was younger. I always stayed away from them because they were always rude and fake.

Thank god, Olivia's different.

And when they would place false accusations on me, my brother used to respond angrily, "My sister doesn't fucking lie to me."

He was probably hurt and disappointed today because he realized I had learned to tell him lies.

That I could lie to him.

"Ells, where on the fucking earth were you?" He snarled.

"She was with me," Seb said calmly, but I could hear the rage in his voice, challenging him.

My body was still upright, and my brother was breathing rapidly while holding his hands in fists against his sides.

"Why?" He didn't look in my direction and asked rather calmly.

My lips trembled, and I could feel my vision blur and eyes water.

I didn't want it come out like this.

"Jake, I'm dating your sister," Sebastian said quietly. Although I couldn't see his face from where I was standing, I could tell he thought he had betrayed his best friend.

A second later Jake growled and punched Sebastian in the jaw with force.

"You fucking bastard. I fucking trusted you! How dare you" He growled and launched another blow.

"Jake, stop!" I yelled and shoved him aside.

He immediately launched another punch without even turning to face me.

As blood trickled from his nose, Seb muttered "Fuck" and touched his jaws.

"Jake!" Along with the cries, I screamed.

"Babe, move aside you'll hurt yourself" Sebastian groaned.

"How the fuck dare you touch my sister, you motherfucking asshole!" He swung once more, but Seb grabbed his hands and twisted them.

"I don't wanna fight, Jake. Just hear us out" Sebastian breathed.

Jake punched the nearest wall, his eyes turning red with tears.

"You fucking asshole. I asked you for one fucking thing. One fucking thing, Seb! which was, please protect my sister and don't fucking use her as one of your conquests. I fucking trusted you!" Jake growled.

"She is a not a fucking conquest to me, Jake. You don't know what she means to me" Sebastian gritted his teeth.

In the background, Theo walked sluggishly as mum and dad approached us with frowns.

Theo raised an eyebrow at me while my lips wobbled again. He sighed and came to my side burying my face in his chest.

"It's going to be alright" he murmured.

I sniffled.

"What's going on?" Dad asked, frowning and looking between the three of us.

Mum clutched her forehead and sighed. Confirming what she had suspected.

"Why don't you ask your most beloved daughter?" Jake said while feigning a smile,

"Adjust your tone when you speak to me," Dad warned.

Jake gave a mocking head shake before clenching his teeth and hitting Sebastian once more.

Sebastian did not retreat and struck him directly in the nose. My head started aching.

Theo left my side and went to separate the two as they were fighting like zoo animals.

"That's enough!" Dad yelled.

Theo separated them and firmly held Jake as they both stopped and breathed heavily, staring at each other.

"Fucking stop brother." Theo muttered under his breath.

"What's wrong, honey?" Dad turned and looked at me with softened eyes.

"Dad" I whispered, "I can explain-"

Jake interrupted me,

"What's there to explain? You're dating the person who was my fucking best friend "He barked.

Was.

My eyes shifted to Seb's, and while his eyes didn't reveal anything, I saw the way he fisted his hands and looked down and closed his eyes.

Was this a mistake? Did I ruin their friendship?

Sebastian raised his eyes and stared at me, a tick in his jaw, and he tightly shook his head at me as if to say, "Don't even think about it," almost as if he understood my terror.

Dad rubbed his forehead and sighed.

Looking at me and he said, "Ells honey, go to your room. We will talk about this tomorrow."

I nodded because I no longer had the strength to fight inside me.

But before I left, I turned in the direction of my older brother as rage coursed through me.

I hissed, "Don't even dare touch him," and saw him clenching his jaw in retaliation.

I turned in Sebastian's direction and just tightly smiled and nodded.

"Are you going to be okay?" I mouthed,

He grinned. Although his face was covered in blood and bruises, he still managed to look mesmerizing as he nodded and smiled softly. I smiled back at him while having tears in my eyes.

I made the decision to sneak outside and treat his wounds.

Dad would talk to them, and I was prepared for it. Later, I'll ask Seb to fill me in.

"Olivia fell asleep in your room, so please try to be quiet." Mum said softly,

Without musing, I nodded.

I climbed upstairs after giving them one final glance.

Why couldn't my brother just be happy for us? For me.

My brother was acting in a way that I didn't want to understand, but I did. If he had been dating my best friend, I would have acted exactly like him. I would have puked on their faces.

But still my anger had taken over my sanity. I was angry, I was so damn angry that I decided I will go and cut some of his t-shirts.

It will lighten my anger, hopefully.

The way he hit Seb made my blood boil. There were so many emotions swirling inside me; anger, frustration, sadness but most of all hurt.

I didn't want to cry, but I hated it that I needed to. I needed to pour it all out.

And just like that, I cursed my brother and entered his room, running straight towards his closet.

I opened it and pulled out all his clothes. And decided that along with cutting his t-shirts I will also ruin his clean room.

I had officially lost it.

I was acting like a child but so was he.

When I opened the top drawer, I noticed something.

Jake Oliver Brown's file, specifically.

But that wasn't what surprised me; instead, it was where the file came from.

I calmed myself down despite having storm raging inside me. Frowning, I opened the file. I skimmed every report, and as I read, my heart broke more and more.

When I at last got all my answers, I gasped and tears rolled down my cheeks.

A loud sob came tore from my throat, and I bit my hand stop it. I sobbed until my chest stopped hurting while leaning against the closet's door.

Why did they not inform me?

Why was it always me?

I wiped my tears and hurried downstairs. Everyone had their backs to me. Mum was the first to see me, and when she saw the file in my hand, she sighed and closed her eyes.

"I am sorry" she whispered.

I was sorry too, mum.

I was sorry, too.

Jake was forced to turn around after I grabbed him by the shirt. When he saw me, he appeared irritated, and anger erupted in his eyes. I fixed my gaze on the eyes that mirrored mine.

I gritted my teeth and pushed the file in his face, demanding,

"Explain this."

As he saw the file, his face had lost all of its color. When his eyes met mine, I noticed that they were clouded with fear.

"What's this?" I screamed, as a sob tore from my throat,

Jake whispered, "Ells-."

"Were you aware of this?" Turning to Sebastain, I questioned while wiping away my tears.

I couldn't handle another secret.

"What are you talking about?" Seb asked with a frown. His irises flashed with concern.

"That if he hadn't been taken to the hospital right then, my drug-addicted brother would have overdosed and died?" I bit out my words.

Sebastian looked shocked as if I shot him a bullet. He looked at Jake and turned to me.

"I didn't, babe. He never told me"

I closed my eyes.

"Theo, did you know about this?" I looked up at my younger brother and questioned.

He sighed, "We were trying to protect you-"

Protect.

Protect.

Protect.

"Protect me from what?" I lashed out.

"It was not our place to say" he replied, quietly.

I looked in my parents direction; mum was wiping her tears while Dad just stood there helplessly.

"That's why Jake was so ashamed to stand in front of you in the hospital." I whispered, as realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

"All my life, you have saved me from everything. And I am very grateful for that. But you didn't let me learn how cruel the world can be. Why do you guys assume me to be so delicate that you couldn't even let me know about my brother's condition when he was suffering. You guys didn't even let me know that he woke up from death bed" I sobbed.

"My entire life, I lived under Jake's shadow. As Jake Oliver Brown's sister. And for one moment, for the first time in my life when someone finally wants me for myself, you guys have problem with that as well"

"I could have never been able to make people love you, Ells. It was always you. You could never live in the shadows, Ells. You're my fucking sunshine. I am so sorry, you felt that way" Jake whispered, as tears rolled down from his eyes.

"The sunshine you couldn't trust enough to let her know about your condition. The fucking sunshine who is the most delicate person in your eyes. Well, guess what Jake, I don't want to be that Sunshine."

"Ells-" I retreated when he approached me.

Hurt flashed in his eyes.

"When you do something that's justified. When I do something it's a sin. You got your girlfriend pregnant, Jake. What if it was me who was carrying my boyfriend's child? Would the situations have been the same? What if it was I standing in your place?" I asked,

"I would have fucking killed him" Jake hissed.

I chuckled.

"See, that's the difference"

"Honey, you're misunderstanding," Mum said, approaching me.

I ignored her statement,

"I need time to process everything" I said looking outside.

Thunder rumbled in the sky.

"That's alright, we can talk about this in the morning, '' Dad said, from where he was standing.

I shook my head.

"I need to be away. I am leaving" I muttered, heading towards Sebastian.

Dad sighed, "Honey, you're not thinking clearly."

"Dad, I can't stay here. I can't. I feel like I'm being eaten alive by all these lies and secrets" I cried.

Mum whispered, "It's going to rain really hard."

"Sebastian, we can drive right?" Looking at him, I questioned.

For a moment I believed he would ask me to stay, but then he quickly nodded and took my hand.

"We can drive; everything will be okay," he assured.

I tightly smiled.

Jake gritted his teeth and uttered,

"You're not going anywhere."

"Big Brother, it seems like you lost your right to say that." I gritted my teeth.

He looked away, clenching his jaws.

Theo walked toward me and said,

"I'll come along."

I shook my head, "I am leaving because I need to process everything, alone"

Theo raised his eyebrows and glanced at Sebastian's direction.

"Without my family members" I clarified.

"Go tomorrow then" he reasoned.

I shook my head,

"I am leaving right now"

With that I went to hug my parents who were pleading me to stay. I felt like a bitch but I needed space at least for my mental health.

"I am sorry for hurting you" I had murmured, as I hugged them.

Both of them looked like they were about to break down any moment but remained silent.

"I will call you guys when I get there," I said as they both nodded.

No matter how much they have hurt me, I don't think I will ever be able to hate my brothers, so I turned towards them.

I embraced Theo.

He leaned closer to me and whispered, "I'm sorry.

I remained silent and said nothing.

I looked at my older brother, my shield, as I backed away from him. He was not someone I ever imagined being among those who would hurt me.

I wanted to talk to him, ask him how he was doing, was he still on drugs? Or did he quit? There were so many questions I wanted to ask him but resisted from doing so.

I didn't hug, and I could tell it hurt him.

"Please let me know when Liv gives birth. I hope that is not too delicate for me to know."

Jake flinched.

I turned around and moved in the direction of Sebastian, who was waiting by the door.

Dad grumbled, "Take care of her."

He replied, "With my entire life."

"Take your meds properly, Dad. I will see you soon" I murmured as I hugged and kissed his chest one last time before exiting the house.

Jake yelled, "Dad, stop them!"

"Enough, Jake." Mum scolded.

"Ells, he'll hurt you. I'm so sorry, little one; I didn't mean to hurt you."

I briefly considered turning around and hugging him after hearing him speak with such a broken voice. After all these years, hearing that nickname brought tears to my eyes.

I continued on my way without turning around. When we got to the car, Seb helped me into the passenger seat by picking me up and opening the door for me.

I didn't argue and kept quiet.

The car's engine began to turn over as more thunder rumbled in the sky.

Sebastain started the car while holding my hands in his. My family members all came outside while I kept my eyes fixed on the wing mirror, watching them. I sighed and closed my eyes as we drove away.

How did such a lovely day come to such a painful end?

We did not speak once during the hour-long drive. Despite having closed eyes, I was awake.

The car abruptly stopped, I looked up,

"What happened?" I asked with a frown.

He typed into his phone, "There's a big storm coming, we need to find a shelter, It's dangerous to stay in the car."

My massaged my forehead.

"Talk about the worst night of the year." I muttered under my breath,

Sebastian chuckled.

"Baby, everything will be fine; they will all come along." He reassured her.

I muttered, "I certainly hope so."

He had his eyes glued to the phone as I turned to face him. The bruises on him were still new despite the dried blood.

He said, looking at me, "There's an inn close by, guess we'll have to spend the night there."

I nodded while sighing.

"I don't mind at all. I appreciate you coming with me" As I stared at him, I mumbled.

He smirked, turning to face me.

"I told you, I am never leaving you alone"

.

Author's note.

I had intended to divide this entire chapter into two parts but didn't.

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think about this chapter.

As always, stay safe and hydrated!