Chapter 26

If you don’t know how to be scared, you’ll never really learn how to be brave.

I kept this in mind as I stood shaking in ridiculous amounts. I was literally holding my arms, trying to pull myself together. ‘Be brave Katie,’ I spoke to myself trying desperately to control my fear or even exchange it with bravery. I just had no idea what was on the other side of the door. I couldn’t know and I was petrified.

The doors swung open as if they would on a famous movie like Cinderella. In a way I felt like a princess. I was in a mansion, dressed like a million dollars, and being escorted by a man as handsome as anything. Just take away the fear I was currently drenched in and I could possibly be quite happy.

When the doors opened, instead of following Aaron through the doors and into the ball room, I stopped in my tracks. Aaron was nudging me along but I was using vampire strength to stand very still.

“Well don’t just stand there.” Aaron hissed, glaring at me. All handsomeness swept from his face as it was replaced with rage.

“I can’t.” This time I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t even that scared. I was confused.

When the doors opened, instead of seeing a beautiful party as any other normal girl would see. My eyes had immediately landing upon the wavy brown hair of someone way too familiar. Someone I didn’t want to see now or ever.

My brother, Michael.

I swiftly changed my direction and headed back up the stairs hoping to god he didn’t see me. Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.

I may have escaped my brothers eyes but Aaron was right in front of me before I had a chance to blink my eyes.

“I don’t think so.” He whispered smirking, “I was ordered to take you to the ball, and that my lady is what I plan on doing.” He smiled and looped my arm into his and began walking towards the open doors as if he was the best in the world. I prepared myself for the grand entrance and breathed in and out one more time before coming face to face with my brother.

He just looked at me. His expression didn’t change a bit. In fact he didn’t look surprised at all. I growled to myself. Ah, I bet he is the reason I am in this mess. He just can’t get enough. Ruining my life once didn’t seem to suit him.

I pinched myself really hard trying desperately to wake myself up from this terrible dream.

I could handle anything but this. Anything but being confronted my the one person I hate more that anything.

You see I didn’t always hate him. It wasn’t always like this. In fact once upon a time, I loved him just like a sister would love her older brother.

But that my friends, was quite a long time ago.

5 Years ago

My Ipod was sitting on my lap as I sit on my bed crossed legged humming to the tunes of my favourite music. The cool breeze swished in through my open bedroom window and I was suddenly engulfed by the precious smell of my mother’s perennial garden. I sighed in completeness. I had everything I had ever wanted. Friends and family.

I had it all.

I was filled with anticipation. My parents had been holidaying out on some amazing island and they were due to be arriving at any time now.

I couldn’t wait to see both there familiar faces again.

I stood up and sat on the day bed next to my large window and stared out onto the road where my older brother sat anxiously waiting there arrival.

They had been gone two months, so you can understand why we were excited. I had spoken to dad 10 minutes ago and asked him to pick up milk on there way through, so I knew they weren’t far away. I decided to go sit with my brother outside.

I scruffled his hair as I sat down and he engulfed me in a hug stealing my ipod away to see who I was listening to.

“James Blunt? Ha, lameeeee!” He pronounced rolling over in laughter.

I just shoved him ignoring his comment.

I loved my brother. I guess when you only have one sibling you grow pretty close to them.

We sat for another 10 minutes. Then 30 minutes had passed and we began to get worried.

Michael was pacing along our front lawn, ignoring anything I was saying.

I felt sorry for him. He had anxiety that wasn’t too crash hot. Of course, I was worried too, so I could just imagine how he was feeling.

I lay down on the grass and closed my eyes trying to control my ragged breathing when I heard a car pull up in the driveway. A smile made its way onto my tired face and I jumped up with so much excitement. The excitement however was stolen from me as fast as it came.

I stared in astonishment as Tom Heffner, our local policemen, stood out of his car. He walked slowly towards me and Michael, who were standing side my side hand in hand.

“How are you kids going?” He asked trying to lighten our mood, but there was no use in trying to calm us down, something had happened and we wanted to know what.

We stayed silent staring at him, dreading the words to come out of his mouth. He could say anything. Anything could have happened. That was the scary thing. Whatever it was, it was definitely bad.

“Look kids, come inside you need to sit down.”

We followed the man into our large family home and sat at the dining room table. Glancing at Michael I noticed a few tears escaping his eyes.

“There was an accident,” Tom mentioned looking into both our eyes, holding my hand across the table. “I'm very sorry to say your parents didn’t make it.”

That was it.

I had never felt so lost in my entire life. Never. I didn’t even know what to do.

I didn’t cry. Well not at the start. That came later.

Four days had passed and I had been grieving on my own. Michael locked himself in his room rarely coming out and never speaking to me.

The funeral was today.

Although the church was packed, no one I knew was there. Only my parents friends.

The funeral was difficult, but I just kept to myself, head down, eyes closed, most of the time.

I cried a lot.

Nearing the end of the ceremony, most people were just standing around the cemetery paying their respects and I stood away watching as tears fell freely.

Suddenly out of nowhere Michael came up to me. I was surprised as I hadn’t spoken to him since we found out the terrible news.

“You selfish little bitch.” He growled in my face. “It’s all your fault.” He was now screaming, and I stood petrified.

There were many people standing around watching the commotion but no one stood in to help me.

“If you hadn’t been so selfish and asked them to get your stupid milk then maybe, just maybe, we wouldn’t be here today.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My own beloved brother acting like this?

I stood straight trying not to buckle under grief. “Don’t ever speak to me again or come any where near me again.” He yelled and before leaving, his hand made real contact with my face as he punched me right in the cheek.

I fell to the ground in defeat and screamed in pain and grief. I couldn’t hold it in.

Four days later Michael had kicked me out of the house and changed the locks.

That’s how I ended up with no one living on the streets.

Living a cold, miserable life.

My brother had made a fool of myself, and of my family and for that will never forgive him.

He left me homeless. For that, he is dead to me.