Family

people you can always count on

to hold you up

when things get tough

and you have no hope

To keep you laughing

until your sides ache

Even if they drive you nuts

when you need them the most

and even if you think you don't

they'll come barging in

saying to stay strong

when things go wrong

and pull you up

to keep moving on.

"Emma, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?" My brother, Ben, asks. He stands behind me, arms full of books. He squints his eyes with suspicion. I point down at the table, where my English book is sitting.

"I'm studying for a quiz for English. What are you doing?" I ask and Ben shrugs, then a brown headed girl comes from around the book shelf, standing beside my brother. Ben smiles at her.

"Emma, this is Tammy. Tammy, meet my kid sister," Ben says, introducing us, and I smile politely at her. "Well, we should go study. Later, Em."

Ben and Tammy leave, going to another table. I wonder if Ben likes her, or if Tammy likes Ben? Ben is naive, and although he may be smart in school, but when it comes to girls, he's completely oblivious.

"Hey Emma."

I look up from my book and see Austin coming in my direction. He comes to a stop and eyed the chair across from me. "Mind if I sit down?" He sits down anyway, and he leans his elbows on table, placing his head in his hands.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, raising my eyebrow. We are just in Chemistry together, I didn't know that he had a free scheduled at the same time I do.

Austin grins.

"You didn't miss me?"

"We just saw each other. So not really." I smile smugly, and Austin gasps, his hand flying over his heart, pretending as if I've wounded it.

"That is very offensive. I cant believe you just said that." I roll my eyes, trying to focus on my English text, but Austin reaches over the table and flicks my hair. I narrow my eyes, and Austin smiles deviously.

"So, I hear you're going to the carnival tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We've gone every year since it came. Joey loves the clowns, I don't know why. He's fascinated by them." I shudder. "It creeps me out."

"Let's hope he doesn't grow up to be one then." I laugh out loud as I imagine Joey all grown up in a clown suit.

"Oh God. What if he does? You know he wants to be a clown for Halloween."

"As if all kids who were dressed for Halloween grew up into what they wore." Austin laughs, shaking his head.

"Wasn't you a nerd for Halloween when you were ten? And you didn't turn into one...oh sorry I guess you did." I stick my tongue out childishly. Austin narrows his eyes at me and leans across the table into my face.

"I am not a nerd. I'm a geek, there is a difference." He says, matter of factly.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. A nerd is usually a person who excels at everything, like science, English, and math, whereas a geek is very knowledgeable about a specific thing, such as Star Wars, and Chemistry...or poetry." Austin says, shrugging his shoulders. I nod. It is very logical.

"The Theory of a Geek."

"That's a good one. Maybe we should ask Ben on the Theory of a Nerd."

Austin and I laugh, but we're interrupted when someone clears their throat.

"What are you guys going on about now?" Ben asks, looking between Austin and I. And then he points at Austin, a serious look on his face. "And I am not a nerd."

"Sure," Austin and I say, simultaneously, making Ben roll his eyes. Ben is definitely a nerd, because he is smart in everything, and there is a bet going around with the seniors who is going to be Valedictorian and most are putting their money on Ben.

"So, how did your tutoring go?" Austin asks Ben, wiggling his eyebrows. Ben's cheeks flush pink, totally embarrassed.

"Shut up." Ben hisses, eyes narrowing at Austin, who laughs. "Come on, Em. I'm ready to go."

"That's great, Ben. But I'm not a senior, I can't just go home." He rolls his eyes, and grabs my arm, hauling me out of my chair.

"So? I am, and we can just sign you out," Aidan says, coming up behind Ben with his backpack. Did they ever do school work? Austin stands up too, smiling.

"So, I'll see you guys tomorrow?" My brothers nods and Austin walks by, close enough that I feel him rub up against my arm. "See you tomorrow," he whispers, his breath tickling my neck.

When we get home, no one else is here. In this rare moment of peace, I go up stairs to change into sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt, forgetting about school and watch more reruns Friends.

A quarter after five, Joey skips through the front door, happily singing Call Me Maybe.

I stand up from the sofa, meeting him in the kitchen. My mom follows him in, smiling when she sees me, though she looks shocked and glances at the clock.

"What are you doing home so early? Are the boys downstairs?"

"Yeah, they're playing video games."

Mom rolls her eyes as she gets a bowl of ice cream for Joey. "You want some?" I shake my head no. Then all of a sudden, the front door slams shut and Quinn storms in the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Mom asks, stopping in front of Quinn, who face was red in anger. He narrows his eyes at me, and then back at Mom.

"What's wrong? What's wrong is that I didn't have a drive home! I had to walk, because those idiots decided to ditch me!" Quinn yells, throwing his hands up in the air. I wince, realizing that we had forgotten Quinn at school. Mom is about to say something, maybe yell for Ben and Aidan, when she sighs.

"We'll talk about this at supper, alright? Why don't you go up stairs, wash up and change." Quinn huffs, shooting one last glare at me then stomping up the stairs.

"What's an idiot?" Joey blurts while shoving a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth. Mom slaps a hand over her mouth to hide her smile and I chuckle.

"It's what your brother's can be sometimes." Mom explains, kissing Joey on the forehead.

"Hey, we aren't idiots. Mom, that hurts."

Jude stands with his hand over his heart, just as Austin did earlier. Logan and Owen come in too. Mom smiles, hugging them all, asking about their week.

"Owen, do you like the apprenticeship?" Dad asks. Owen nods. Owen is in a mechanics program at the community college.

"Its great. Do you know Mr. Peterson is the professor?"

"Really? You should invite him over sometime." Mr. Peterson is an old friend of Dad's and they went to high school together.

"Logan, did your supervisor give you that reference you needed?" Mom asks Logan. Logan is in University for a degree in Counselling Psychology, and he needed practicum hours.

"Yeah. She gave it to me no problem, but since I'll need to have early hours, Jude and I have worked it out and I'm going to move in with him."

Everyone is silent for a second.

"You're an idiot!" Joey shouts angrily. I look at Joey in shock and struggle not to laugh at the face he is giving Logan. "You can't leave! I wont let you!" Logan smiles and ruffles Joeys hair.

"I'll come and visit all the time. I promise." Logan glances at Quinn and I as he says it, because everyone knows how hard it is when a family member moves out. I smile and after some talk, Mom clears her throat, eyeing Ben and Aidan.

"Speaking of idiots, who leaves their brother at school with no ride home?" All eyes zero in on Ben and Aidan, who shrink in their seats. Quinn looks down at his plate.

"We forgot. We're not used to him being in high school," Aidan says, giving an apologetic stare at Quinn. "We're sorry."

Quinn nods, accepting his apology but he still looks a upset.

After supper, Mom and Dad leave for their meeting, leaving Jude, Logan and Owen in charge of all of us minors. It isn't fair really, we could all look after ourselves, well except Joey of course. But they are gone for the weekend and Mom and Dad are scared we might burn down the house of something.

"So, what do you have planned for tonight?" Jude asks Quinn, the twins, and I.

"Ben and I are going out with some friends. We'll be back around curfew." Aidan says, twirling their car keys in hand.

"Alright be safe." Jude turns to Quinn and I. "Want to watch a movie?"

Joey is already in bed, since it's almost nine.

"Sure, which movie?" Jude brought some of our favourite movies to watch, like , and we settle down in the living room to watch Home Alone for the thousandth time. About three quarters into the movie, the lights suddenly go out.

"What the fuck?" I hear Quinn mutter from beside me. The room is so dark, I can't see my hand in front of my face. "What the hell is going on?" When no one answers, that's when I realize Jude, Owen, or Logan are no where near us. What are they up to? I feel Quinn stand up, making his way over to the light switch. I follow quickly, and when Quinn turns on the lights, Jude, Owen and Logan jump out from behind the island in the kitchen, spray cans in hand. Owen holds a camera in hand, grinning devilishly.

"We told you we would get you back." Jude and Logan advance toward us, and I look in all directions for escape. Ben comes down the stairs, with spray can also. Quinn and I turn but Aidan comes in the front door, and I realize they have us cornered.

There is no escape.

"You'll pay for this." Quinn growls, but our brothers just laugh and before I know it, gooey green stuff covers me from head to toe.

Once they finish, in retaliation, Quinn and I charge after them.

"Let me hug you." Quinn screams, running after Logan and Jude. They drop their cans and scramble to stay out of Quinn's gooey grasp.

"Stay where you are." Aidan warns, pointing to me. I grin and step forward him slowly, Aidan backing back away. Finally, he runs in the direction of the kitchen, past the couch. But I'm ready, and take a leaping jump over the couch, tackling my older brother to the ground.

"Dammit, Em!" Aidan shouts into the carpet as I rub the green goo in his hair, evilly cackling. "Hey, not the hair, not the hair!"

"You need to learn not to mess with me!"

Washing the goo from my hair is harder than I thought it would be. It takes me three rinses to get everything out.

Quinn had come through and had gotten Logan cover in goo but didn't get Jude or Ben. Logan and Aidan were the unlucky ones.

As I walk to my room from the bathroom, I notice Tyler's bedroom door is open. Usually it's shut because no one can handle going in. Mom and Dad haven't even taken any of his things out yet.

The door is only open ajar, and the light is off but I could hear someone breathing. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before walking in. I turn on the light and I'm surprised to see Quinn laying on Tyler's bed, facing the wall.

Tyler's room is smaller than mine, but still has a closet and dresser. A desk is beside his bed, books open, and the chair is pulled out. Clothes are strewn around the floor and pouring out from the dresser draws. There is a few Eminem posters up on his wall, and a piano on the other side of the room.

It's as if the room is still being used. As if nothing has happened and my little brother is still living. I breath in and focus on Quinn, who was still lying on the unmade bed.

"Quinn? What are you doing in here?" Quinn jumps a little and sits up. He shrugs, and closes his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine." Quinn fakes a smile, and I roll my eyes.

"I'm sorry that we forgot you at school." Quinn snorts, and shakes his head.

"It's no big deal." It is a big deal though. Something could have happened. We stay silent for a minute, then Quinn sighs. "I miss him so much." He sniffs, and it dawns on me that he is crying.

"Me too." I mumble, and I want to hug my brother, but I don't want him to push me away. "This is the first time I've been in here since, well, you know." I say quietly, and Quinn nods silently.

"Why do you hate me so much?" I ask, and Quinn glances up at me but looks away.

"You were the last one with him. You should have looked after him better." I look down, trying to hide the tears that are forming in my eyes.

"Well, I'm going to bed. Night." Quinn gets up and walks past me but stops just before he leaves the room. "That goo took me ten minutes to get off. I want revenge." A small part of me smiles, but Quinn's words are still getting to me.

"Em?" On my way to my room, Jude stops me. "Don't listen to him, okay? It is not your fault. Tyler would never want you to think that, and you know it." I swallow a lump in my throat and am squished into Jude's chest as he gives me a bear hug.

"Now get some sleep. We're going to the carnival tomorrow."