Her sandals crunched the pebbles under her feet. The sound made her wince. The pitch-black darkness of the night made her only slightly self-conscious, especially in the outfit she was wearing. A red dress that, in some people’s eyes, might show a little too much skin. The guys at the party definitely thought it, but for a far different reason.
An owl hooted in a tree she was passing by. She smiled and laughed a little. Nice try, owl. But you don’t scare me.
She definitely knew the risks of walking this late at night. Someone could mug her, rape her, kill her, etc. The thought made her arms break out in goosebumps.
She smiled at the memory of the past few hours. All the booze. All the boys. All the dancing to trashy music. All this made her suddenly think of how much her parents would kill her if they found out.
Oh well. She smiled as she thought this. They can go screw themselves.
She heard a cat meow as she turned the street corner. She looked to the side and found two yellow eyes staring at her. She narrowed her eyes. “Stupid cat.”
There was a street light up ahead. It illuminated the street full of old houses, the paint worn with age. It also illuminated a tall figure in the distance. As she got closer, she could see the outlines of thick, short hair. She could eventually see the jawline of a girl’s best dream.
As she grew closer, she started to run. As she ran, the light further illuminated the man she knew best. She smiled, panting as her sandals clipped against the sidewalk.
As the dude turned her way, he smiled, his vibrant, blue eyes hitting the light. He started slowly walking towards her.
As soon as she reached him, she threw herself into his arms. She giggled as he squeezed her back. He pulled her to arm’s length. “Damn, Justina. Nice outfit,” he said, smiling as he traced the triangular cutout on the stomach of her dress. He eventually moved to trace her bellybutton.
She lowered her lashes, looking at his lips through them. She moved her hand to his face, tracing the outline of his jaw. “Kayden?”
He looked up, a delirious smile on his face. “Yeah?”
“Aren’t you gonna show me how much you love me?” she said, smiling mischievously.
Kayden smiled before leaning in. Justina moved forward enough to feel the breath on her lips before pausing for a minute. She smiled a moment before grabbing the front of his shirt. She forcefully pulled him into her. In return, he grabbed her hips, pulling her into his body. They hungrily kissed each other, their hands thirsting for more.
Kayden reached down to her legs, pulling her up. Justina wrapped her legs around his waist, squeezing her thighs to keep in place. She continued to hungrily kiss him, her tongue caressing the inside of his mouth.
Justina pulled away, letting herself slide back to the ground.
“What’s up?” Kayden asked, slightly disappointed.
Justina smiled. “What if we finished this at home, where we’ll be more comfortable.” She lowered her eyes to his pants, before slowly bringing her eyes back to his.
Kayden smiled. “I think that’s a good idea.”

Justina opened the door to her house, trying to not let it squeak. She looked behind her as Kayden slipped in behind her. The floor squeaked as Kayden stepped in.
Justina hushed him. “We don’t need my parents waking up.”
Suddenly, the light turned on. A man in the living room cleared his throat.
Justina stopped, staring at the two people on the couch. Kayden bumped into Justina, almost knocking her to the floor.
“Where the hell have you been!” the woman asked, her voice slightly raised. "It's 2:00 am."
Justina froze, unable to say anything.
“And who’s he?” asked the man.
The woman furrowed her brow. “That’s her boyfriend, honey.”
“Really?” He looked at the woman, motioning towards Kayden. “Then why’s he sneaking off with her in the night, rather than respecting the rules of her parent’s household? That doesn’t sound like a boyfriend to me. No, that sounds like a pedophile.”
“Dad!” Justina yelled.
“It’s the truth,” said her dad. “A real boyfriend would respect the rules.”
“Well, what if the girlfriend doesn’t give a crap about the rules. Then what’s he to do?” snapped Justina, trying her hardest to defend Kayden.
Her dad inhaled deeply. “First of all, we are gonna fix your need to break our rules, one way or another.”
Justina gulped.
"Second of all, a real boyfriend would keep his girlfriend accountable for her parent's rules."
Justina looked at Kayden, sorrowful.
“I’m sorry Mr. Louine,” said Kayden. “I understand that you’ve never liked me as her boyfriend, but I can promise to be better if I get to stay with her.”
Justina’s mother nodded. “Thank you, Kayden.”
The dad scowled. “Obviously, you should know by now that you won’t be screwing my daughter tonight.”
Kayden lowered his head. "Yes, sir."
“Then I think you know where the exit is.” He pointed to the door behind him.
Kayden looked at Justina, his eyes sad. Justina mouthed ‘love you’ before he opened the door. He smiled, giving her shoulder a squeeze before he was gone.
“OOOO,” said a voice behind her parents.
Justina looked up to the noise. Her brother and sister were peaking their heads out of the hall entrance. The brother was grinning, devilishly. The sister was smiling, sorrowfully.
“Yo, Niles, Cat. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” Justina yelled to them.
Niles laughed. “What about you?”
Their dad turned his head toward them. “Cat, why aren’t you sleeping?”
Cat winced. “We heard Justina being yelled at. We wanted to see what was going on.”
Their mom took a deep breath. “Cat, you and your brother need to be to bed.”
Niles threw his arms to the side, his face contorted with anger. “I’m right here, Mom.”
“Quiet, boy,” said their dad, already angry.
Cat sighed. “Let’s go, Niles.” She tugged at his arm.
Niles glared at Justina as he walked with Cat into their room.
“Now,” said their dad, looking at Justina. “Where do we start with you?” He slowly stood up.
Justina winced, slowly walking backward.
“Don’t you dare,” mumbled her dad.
Her mom covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes squeezing shut.
Justina froze, watching as her dad’s eyes morphed into a state of angry delirium.

Cat winced as she heard her sister yelp from outside. She and Niles both knew how much pleasure their father got from their misery.
“Don’t worry about it too much, Cat,” Niles said, looking toward the door. “We all know that Justina is their favorite.”
Cat stared at Niles, shocked. “I’m not sure what make’s you think that. They’re literally beating the crap out of her right now.”
“Exactly,” said Niles, looking at Cat. “When was the last time he beat either one of us.”
Cat looked at him, aghast. She pushed up her sleeve, showing a massive, purple bruise on her arm.
Niles’s eyes widened.
“He did this two days ago.” Cat began to tear up, so she looked away.
Niles shook his head. “Catherine Louine. What did you do?”
Cat pulled her sleeve back down. “I came home with a D on a math paper.” She looked back at Niles. “You know how dad is with his math standards.”
Niles lowered his eyes.
Cat sighed. “I’m lucky this is all he gave me.”
A short scream pierced through the house.
Cat put her hand over her mouth, attempting to contain a wave of tears.
Niles looked at the door, angry. “See, that’s what I’m talking about though. When's the last time he hit me or even talked to me for that matter?"
Cat pursed her lips. “Wouldn’t that be good though? If he’s not hitting you, maybe you’re the favorite.”
Niles shook his head. “But see, that’s the thing. At least you get some attention. You know when the last time I got a D on a math assignment was?”
Cat shook her head.
Niles rolled his eyes. “Yesterday. And last week. And the week before that.” He fell back onto his bed. “And I got nothing. The only time I even get spoken to is when Mom asks if I screwed Lucy at lunch today.”
Cat wrinkled her nose. “That’s it? Damn, I guess she really cares about your sex life.”
Niles sighed. "But Justina," he paused. "She get's everything. She get's the praise for her good grades. Her raises at work. Her doing her chores."
“Yeah, those are the good things,” said Cat, growing more and more confused.
“But she also gets the most bruises. Her bad grades. Her sneaking out. Her screwing Kayden in the family car.”
“Um, yeah. I’d yell at her for that too.” Cat shivered at the thought of the seats being contaminated with Kayden slime.
Niles shook his head. “But you get yelled at too. Maybe not as much, but you at least get yelled at. It’s like I’m invisible or something, like he doesn’t even realize he has a son.”
Cat hopped off her bed. “Don’t say that, Niles.” She sat down on his bed, putting her hands on his shoulders. “I mean, he was there when you were born. So, he has to know you exist.”
“No.” Niles looked up. “He wasn’t there. Mom told me a few years back. He was on a business trip, doing God knows what. He came home to a lovely wife and a doting daughter, not giving a damn about what happens to me.”
Cat leaned back, shocked. “Oh my god.”
Niles looked at her. “Now do you get it? No matter what I do, good or bad, I’m not loved.”
“Oh, Niles.” She got up and wrapped her arms around him. “I love you. And Justina does too.”
Niles glared at the floor. “Justina had to practically raise me when Mom was off pleasuring herself with some jackass at the diner. And when Dad was spending long hours at his job. She had to feed us. She had to get us to the doctor the time you stabbed your arm with the knife in the kitchen.” He looked up at Cat. “Must I continue?”
Cat sighed and let Niles go. “I know our parents suck. I would give anything to trade them out. But we both know we can't do that. As soon as we clue CPS in on anything, they separate us. The best option we have is to wait eight more months until Justina turns eighteen. Then she and Kayden can take care of us."
Niles sighed. “You should go to sleep. We’re supposed to meet Lucy and Kayden at the park tomorrow.”
Cat smiled. “I suppose you’re right.” She yawned as she climbed back into her own bed. “Goodnight, Niles.”
Niles pulled the covers over his head, feeling slightly like a little kid. “Night sis.” He turned the light off, watching as Cat faded off to sleep.
Niles buried his face into his pillow, still burning with rage.
Not if she’s gone first. With that thought, Niles drifted off to sleep.

Justina slammed the door shut as she entered her room. She wanted to scream so bad but thought better of it. She plopped onto her bed, crossing her arms.
Her body began to shudder, hot tears threatening to leave her eyes. She uncrossed her arms and moved them to the outsides of her arms, hugging herself. Eventually, the shaking got the best of her. A tsunami of cries echoed in her lungs, pouring out in violent shakes. Her cries eventually became uncontrollable. She was unable to stop, no matter how hard she tried.
She got up out of the bed and walked over to her standing mirror. She pulled her dress off, letting it drop to the floor. She stared into the mirror, horrified at her reflection. Her ribs looked like a tiger’s back, except purple. Her right arm had them too.
She wanted to cry even more, but the shaking was beginning to make her bruises feel worse.
She touched the biggest one, pressing it gently. She winced at the sting. It was the size of her fist, just under her left breast.
She took a deep breath, slowly ceasing the crying. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her cheeks were stained with her tears, her mascara leaving black streaks.
She grabbed her robe from the hook by her closet, covering the shameful marks on her body. She rubbed the fluffy, red sleeves, trying desperately to calm herself. She laid down on her bed, curling into the fetal position.
She closed her eyes, trying to remember the good parts of these last few hours. The lights. The music. The boys trying desperately to touch her exposed skin. The constant thought that Kayden should have been there to sneak her off into a dark room somewhere to treat her like a princess.
The fantasy made her smile.
Suddenly, there was a knock at her window. The sound made Justina jump a little. There was another knock. She saw the silhouette of a tall, muscular figure through the curtains.
She wrapped the robe around her tighter, tying the cord around her waist. She walked over to the window, trying to walk softly. She slowly, carefully opened the window, feeling a cold breeze enter her room.
Justina gasped. “Kayden!”
Kayden smiled, teeth glistening in the moonlight. “Surprise,” he said, his eyes screaming lust.
Justina giggled while shushing him. “You gotta be quiet. We don’t need my parents knowing you’re here.”
Kayden shrugged. “Fair enough.” He motioned to her floor. “Can I come in?”
Justina’s eyes widened, suddenly feeling bad about leaving him out in the cold. “Oh, yeah, sorry.”
Kayden shook his head while stepping into her room. He circled his head around, taking note of all the posters.
Justina slid the window shut, making a soft thud. She turned around to find Kayden looking at her.
“You definitely like red, don’t you?”
Justina chuckled. “Yeah. It’s been my favorite color for as long as I remember.”
Kayden suddenly furrowed his brows. He walked to Justina, cupping her face in his hands. He traced the black streaks on her cheeks with his thumb.
Justina looked away, not looking forward to what was to come next.
“Were you crying?” asked Kayden, voice filled with concern.
Justina breathed in deep, trying not to cry again. “Yeah.”
“Why? What happened?”
Justina left Kayden's grip, turning away from him. The right shoulder of her robe slipped down.
Kayden gasped. Justina winced, knowing exactly what he just saw. She suddenly felt his warm fingers on her shoulder, feeling his gaze burn into her shoulder.
“He did it again, didn’t he?”
Justina took a deep breath. “Yeah. After you left, he wanted to make sure he knew I was not to do that again.”
Kayden turned her around to face him. After looking at her for a beat, he pulled her into a deep hug. After a breath, Justina pulled the hug even deeper. Kayden slid his hands around her back, making Justina’s skin shiver. Justina kissed his chest, showing her appreciation.
They eventually pulled apart to arm’s length, allowing Kayden to gaze into Justina’s still swollen eyes. Justina smiled a little, her love for Kayden overflowing her brain. She leaned into him, kissing him gently. He kissed her back, letting their lips press even deeper into each other. They held it there for a few beats, begging to not let go.
Eventually, Kayden released them from the kiss, pressing his forehead into hers. Justina smiled a real, genuine smile. He did it again. In the worst of circumstances, he made her feel better. Her father was wrong about him. He was a real boyfriend, and hopefully, someone to be there for her forever.
Kayden took a deep breath. “Well, I should probably go. We don’t need your dad walking in and killing us both.”
Justina sighed. “You’re probably right.”
She kissed him quickly before walking over to the window. She slowly slid it open, allowing the cool breeze in again. Kayden swung his legs over, landing softly on the grass outside her window.
“I love you,” said Kayden, smiling softly at Justina.
She smiled back. “I love you, too.”
Kayden waved as he walked away, making soft clips on the sidewalk with his shoes.
Justina shut the window, feeling a sense of finality to it. This horrendous night was over. Kayden made it better, as he always did. Justina felt like the luckiest girl in the world for having him.
She slowly walked over to her bed, slipping out of her robe. She climbed onto the bed, sliding under the covers. She breathed a calming breath, making her tired. She pulled the covers close to her, imagining that it was Kayden keeping her warm. She smiled as she closed her eyes, already knowing that good dreams were on the way.

The sun was shining bright the next afternoon, evidence of previous incidents wiped away.
Justina, Kayden, Niles, Cat, and Lucy were all sitting on a blanket in the grass. They were sharing school horror stories over PB&J’s and sparkling cider.
“So, Niles says that he needed a template for his art project. Cause apparently they were in the nude art unit,” said Lucy.
Justina and Kayden started laughing, while Cat shook her head.
“The teacher totally bought it too. He just said to not ‘get templates’ in the parking lot.” Lucy started to laugh. “I still can’t believe that happened.”
“That just shows how much of an evil genius I am,” bragged Niles as he put his arm around Lucy.
Kayden laughed even harder, making him fall into Justina. Justina cringed.
“How about you, Justina?”
Justina looked up. Lucy was looking at her.
“What?”
“Do you have any sex in the parking lot horror stories?”
Justina thought for a moment. “No. Just a trying to sneak Kayden into my house and my parents catching us story.”
Lucy gasped. “Omg, when was that?”
Justina lowered her eyes, suddenly back to last night. She pulled her sleeve up, showing the series of bruises.
Lucy gasped again. “Those weren’t there yesterday.”
Justina sighed. “No, they were not.”
“Dad got super pissed at her last night,” said Niles.
Cat groaned. “Our parents suck.”
“You can say that again,” mumbled Justina.
It was silent for quite some time. Only the sounds of birds and chewing were there. Awkward glances were made often, trying to figure out who should break the silence first.
Lucy inhaled. “Hey, did you hear about old man Clement Obadiah?”
“No. What happened?” asked Kayden.
"Well," started Lucy. She leaned in closer to the circle. "he recently just passed away. The poor man was eighty-eight when he died. He doesn't have an heir to the giant mansion he left. There's a lock on the door now, but it's been left alone. Perfect for us to have a night out. No parents. No teachers. Just us five.
The group looked at each other, trying to decide whether this was a good idea or not. There were smiles traded among all of them, silent approvals made.
“So, it’s settled. When we wanna go?” asked Lucy, eager to do some bad.
“Tonight,” said Justina immediately.
Everyone looked at her.
“You sure that’s a good idea?” asked Kayden. “How will you get out?”
Justina smiled. “My parents generally go to sleep around 6:00 pm. So, if we all wait in my room, we can hop out my window around 6:45."
It was silent for a moment, letting it sink into everyone.
“I like it,” said Lucy, smiling. “I guess it’s settled, then.”
“Yeah,” said Niles. “What do you think, Cat?”
Cat thought for a moment. “I like it. Screw our parents. They can go suck a fat one for all I care.”
Everyone laughed, a general hatred for their parents appreciated.
“Can’t wait,” mumbled Niles, smiling evilly at Justina.

They kept the light dim in Justina’s room. Due to her parent’s being in the room right next to hers, they had to keep quiet. It remained an awkward silence for quite some time, barely a whisper spoken.
Justina and Kayden were sitting on her bed. Niles and Lucy were lying on the ground, spooned. Cat was sitting by the door, keeping an ear out for the adults.
“What time is it,” asked Lucy, a whine painted in her voice.
Justina looked at her watch. “It’s 6:35. We can leave in about ten minutes, assuming nothing goes wrong.”
“Nice,” said Lucy, relieved.
“Ugh, finally.”
Everyone looked at Cat. Her head was craned backward in relief.
“What’s up?” asked Niles.
"I can hear Dad snoring through the wall. They're asleep."
“Oh, good,” said Justina. “We should still wait till 6:45, but at least we shouldn’t have any problems now.”
Everyone remained in silent relief for quite some time, afraid to jinx their one opportunity. It was almost as if all their breaths were on hold. Bated.
Niles looked down at his watch.
Kayden yawned.
“Hey, I’mma get something from my room real quick,” whispered Niles, pointing at the door.
Lucy thrust her arms in the air. “Do you wanna blow our cover?”
Niles scrunched his face up, offended. “No! I just need something.” He walked to the door and put his hand on the doorknob. “But I’ll be right back.”
With that, he opened the door and slipped through the small crack.

Niles shifted the mattress to the side, revealing the box underneath. He moved the bed skirt away from the bottom revealing a small hole.
Niles smiled a little, price etched in his face.
He reached his hand into the hole, feeling around. He eventually felt what he was looking for and pulled his hand out.
Niles winced, grasping his wrist. There was a small cut on his wrist from the sharp edge of the hole.
“Holy Jesus fudge,” Niles mumbled to himself.
He shook his wrist, trying to make the pain stop.
Niles sighed. “No matter.”
He stared at his hand and the object within. Within his hand was an obsidian black gun. The metal glimmered in the light.
“With this gun, I shall make all my suffering worth it. No longer will I be the forgotten child. No longer will I be the child who isn’t loved. No longer will my accomplishments be overlooked.”
He squeezed the handle, strangling it. He breathed happily as he released it.
“After tonight, Justina will no longer be here.”
He spun the gun in his hand.
Niles suddenly looked up. “Oh, almost forgot.” He reached into his closet, fiddling with a pair of pants. After fixing it, he pulled out a red-handled knife that had been recently sharpened. “Just in case.”
He shoved the knife into his back pocket, buttoning it shut. He shoved the pistol into his back waistband, covering it up with his shirt.
Niles sighed happily, looking forward to the next morning. A morning of freedom and love. A morning where he is the oldest child.
He opened his bedroom door, peaking through slightly to check for his parents. After deeming it safe, he slipped through his door and tiptoed across the hall.

Everyone held their breath as Niles entered the room.
“Omg,” mumbled Lucy. She fell forward, her head landing in her crossed legs. “I thought you were Mr. and Mrs. Louine.”
Niles smirked. “Well, if Mr. Louine is a sexier title to you, you can call me Mr. Louine whenever you like.” He winked at Lucy.
Lucy pulled him onto the floor. Niles landed with a grunt. Lucy kissed him hard, pressing herself into Niles’s chest.
Lucy pulled away slightly. “Mr. Louine,” she whispered in his ear.
Niles jolted his eyebrows up and down before running his fingers through Lucy’s hair.
“Oh, barf,” mumbled Cat. “Get a room you two.”
Niles and Lucy glared at Cat.
“Get a boyfriend before you can talk,” spat Niles.
Lucy flipped Cat off.
Cat’s eyes widened.
Justina looked at her watch. “Hey, you guys,” she said slowly to break up the inevitable fight. “It’s 6:47. We should get out of here.”
Kayden squeezed Justina’s hand. “You sure you wanna do this?”
Justina smiled at Kayden. “I’m sure.” She kissed Kayden on the cheek. “As the great artist, Grace, once sang.” She paused, looking around the room. “You don’t own me. I’m not just one of your many toys. You don’t own me. Don’t say I can’t go with other boys.” She giggled slightly as she ended the lyric.
Everyone laughed, trying not to cringe at Justina’s cringy singing.
“If you are singing of our parent’s, hell yeah,” said Cat.
Justina smiled. “Hell yeah.” She looked around the room, making eye contact with everyone. “Well, should we get out of here.”
“Hell yeah,” said Lucy. “Let rebel our way out of this joint.”
Everyone laughed.
Justina tiptoed over to her window, pushing aside the red, silk curtain. She unlatched the window, cringing as it made a rather loud click. After pausing for a moment to make sure her parents didn’t wake up, she pushed the window up with a quiet whoosh. A cool breeze entered the room, making the curtains billow.
Justina motioned for everyone to hop out the window.
One at a time, they swung their legs over the edge, landing softly in the grass beneath the window.
Justina hesitated before hopping out. She took a moment to consider her options. Once she was out, she could be free forever. If she could hide for eight months, she wouldn’t have to go back home.
The fantasy was crushed almost as soon as it came. She couldn’t leave her siblings. Niles seemed so depressed, and Cat was abused as well. She just couldn’t leave them.
Justina sighed. “See ya soon,” she mumbled to the air.
With that final thought, she climbed over the window and slid the window shut.

The five of them stared up, captivated by the size of the mansion. The highest window was broken in, leaving little, white pieces of cloth to be tossed around by the wind.
Kayden walked to the door, yanking on the padlocked chain on the door. It wouldn’t budge. “Great. How do we get in now?” he asked, frustrated.
Niles walked over to the door. He placed his hands on the door, feeling the wood. Suddenly, Niles kicked at the door. Splinters flying, he created a hole in the door. He took a deep breath, happy with his work.
He turned around to everyone staring at him.
“What,” said Niles. “I could tell it was old wood. Easily breakable.”
Justina shook her head. “You really are something.”
Niles smirked.
One at a time, they entered through the hole. They entered the main parlor with a grand staircase to the second and third floors. The kitchen was to the left. The furniture was covered in white plastic, dust plaguing the carpet.
Lucy sneezed.
“Having issues?” teased Niles, slapping her butt.
Lucy giggled.
Cat groaned. “Please, get a room you two.” She walked into the kitchen.
Niles looked up the staircase. “Maybe later. I’ve heard there are about 12 spare bedrooms, plus a grand master bedroom suite.”
Kayden poked Justina in the arm. As she looked at him, he raised his eyebrows at her. Justina smiled, getting the message.
“Yo!”
Everyone turned to the kitchen to find Cat walking towards them with bottles in her hand.
“I found beer! And liquor! And wine! He left behind a full cabinet.”
“Are you serious?” Kayden ran to Cat, grabbing a beer bottle. “We wanted a night away from parents, right?”
Lucy quirked her eyebrow. “Yeah.”
Kayden lifted his beer bottle above his head. “Then let’s really enjoy ourselves before the night is over.” He ran into the kitchen and came back with two wine bottles. “Let’s get wasted!”
Niles walked over to Kayden and took a beer bottle out of his hand. “Hell yeah, dude! Let’s party!”
Lucy let out a woot, clapping her hands together.
Justina took a step forward, just a few inches from Kayden’s face. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. She could feel his breath as she was kissing him. She let him go but kept staring into his eyes.
“What was that for?” asked Kayden, smiling.
Justina smiled. “That was for your brilliant ideas.”

Lucy’s Bluetooth speaker blared in the main living room, playing club dance music. The glass figures on the shelf were vibrating with the music.
Lucy had taken her shirt off and was dancing like a stripper in front of Niles. Niles was grabbing her, enjoying himself quite a bit.
Cat cringed, wrinkling her nose at Lucy.
Kayden and Justina were on the opposite side of the room dancing. They were doing a jerky form of swing, heavily influenced by the alcohol.
There was spilled beer on the floor. Lucy’s shirt was in one of the puddles. There were multiple beer bottles on the ground, plus a smashed wine bottle under the coffee table.
A slow song came on, and everyone froze.
“What happened to our club music?” asked Niles.
“Technically, it’s my high school dance playlist, so slow songs were bound to come up,” said Lucy, shrugging her shoulders.
Justina and Kayden started basic freshman slow dancing in the living room, not paying any attention to their surroundings. Kayden pulled Justina into his chest, letting her head rest on his shoulder.
Justina closed her eyes, allowing herself to try and memorize the moment. She began to picture them in a fancy hotel, making love in red, satin sheets. His hands in her hair. His lips on her body. Him whispering her favorite words.
She opened her eyes, suddenly remembering where she was. “Hey, Kayden?”
Kayden tilted his head towards her. “Yeah?”
“You know that grand master suite Niles was talking about?”
Kayden smiled, mischievously. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
“You know I am.” Justina winked.
They stopped dancing to look at the other three who ended up sprawled out on the three couches, breathing heavily from all the dancing.
“Hey, guys. We’re gonna go upstairs,” said Kayden, his hand resting on the small of Justina’s back.
Cat looked up and smiled at them. “Finally, someone listens to me and gets a room.”
Justina laughed. “When do I not listen to you?”
Cat sneered.
Kayden and Justina began to climb the grand staircase. There was a large picture of Clement Obadiah at the landing of the second floor. There was a large grease stain under it from age.
The master suite was easy to find. It had the initials C.O. engraved in the door.
Kayden pushed open the door. The hinges squeaked.
There was a king-sized bed with brown bedding. The desk had a large office chair in front of it. There was a large mirror on the closet door. A small sofa sat on the wall opposite the bed, the pink fabric worn with age. There was a poster on the wall above the window with a red flower on it.
Kayden sat on the bed, looking at Justina with hungry eyes. His hands were shaking from both the alcohol and hormones.
Justina walked over to him, sitting on his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Her hands made their way up his chest and into his hair.
Kayden started gently kissing Justina’s neck, allowing each one to linger a little while longer. His hands burned into the fabric of the front of Justina’s shirt. He felt around her back where her red, lacey bra resided underneath her shirt.
Justina started kissing Kayden, her tongue hungry for him. She pulled Kayden’s shirt up, showing his abs. She pressed herself into him, trying to fulfill both of their hunger. They kissed like that for a while, their tongues hungrily caressing the inside of both of their mouths.
Kayden pulled Justina down on the bed, rolling on top of her.
Justina pulled away. She slowly, sexily crawled under the covers.
Kayden watched as her finger slowly motioned for him to come to her. He smiled and crawled under the covers with her, laying there next to her.

“And that’s why you should never mix a bipolar math teacher with the AP exam. He literally can’t handle the pressure.” Lucy started hysterically laughing, almost collapsing onto the floor.
Niles was kissing her neck, and with her laughing, he accidentally left a few hickies on her neck.
Cat even laughed, being heavily compromised.
"You see, teachers just can't handle the awesomeness of us teens. We probably know more than them." Lucy burst up laughing again.
This time, Cat just shook her head. She tipped the bottle to her lips. Some of it dribbled down her chin.
Niles stopped kissing Lucy’s neck and pulled her to his chest, his arm around her. Lucy sighed as she melted into him.
“You know who really isn’t cool,” said Niles, trying not to slur his words.
Lucy and Cat just stared at him, too heavily compromised to understand.
“Justina.” He shook his head. “She’s such a stuck-up bitch, is she not?”
Cat leaned over to Niles. She struck him across the face, hearing the slap echo across the house. “How much did you drink, Niles?”
He quickly shook off the stinging sensation on his cheek. “Just enough, sis. But seriously, she’s always getting the attention. And I get nothing. Even Cat gets something.”
“Niles stop!” yelled Cat. “We’ve had this conversation already. You’re just drunk, leave it alone.”
Niles stood up. “No, I won’t! And you know what, life would be way better if she wasn’t around! If she were never here, I would be loved!”
Lucy stood up next to him, her face contorted with concern. “Babe? What are you saying?” She wrapped her arms around Niles’s neck. “You don’t really mean this, do you?”
Niles pulled her arms off him. He looked directly into Lucy’s eyes. “I do mean it. I mean it so much that I’m willing to do it myself.”
Lucy backed away from him. She stopped when she was next to Cat.
“Niles, you need to stop this,” said Cat, her voice shaking.
“No!” He looked at both Cat and Lucy, pure hatred filling his eyes. “I won’t stop until it’s done.”
Lucy looked at Cat. With that one look, Cat knew exactly what to do.
Lucy walked over to Niles. She cupped Niles’s face in her hands. She stared at him a bit before kissing him.
Cat took the opportunity to slip away. She quickly tiptoed to the staircase, trying not to make a sound. She soon found the master bedroom. She sighed as she saw it.
She reached for the doorknob but stopped when she heard the noises.
She puked a little in her mouth, knowing exactly what was going on in there.
Oh, man. Is that what alcohol puke tastes like? She shuddered from the taste.
She sat down outside the door. One more thing between Niles and Justina. One last line of defense.
She was trying her hardest to stay awake, but she could feel the alcohol taking its toll. She urged her brain to stay awake. To stay alert.
To rest.
To sleep.
No!
Rest.

Niles pulled away from Lucy, staring into her eyes. He felt sorry for her. How could she understand? She had wonderful parents who loved her and her sister equally. Nothing like what his life was.
Lucy was looking at him with desperate eyes. Eyes that were begging him to reconsider. But his mind was made up. He was going to kill Justina, with or without his girlfriend’s permission.
Lucy took his hands into hers, tracing his knuckles with her thumb. "Niles," she breathed. "You can't do this. Not only is it illegal, it's just wrong. You have a terrible home life, I can see that. But taking it out on your sister is just wrong. She did nothing to deserve your parents so-called ‘attention'. She doesn't need yours too."
Niles frowned. He remembered the killer mentality from the movies. If someone is in your way, dispose of them. He didn’t want to kill Lucy, but he would if he had to.
Niles looked over Lucy’s shoulder. His eyes filled with rage.
Niles pulled the gun out of his waistband. He pointed it at Lucy’s throat.
Lucy gasped, horror filling her every move, or lack thereof. She held perfectly still, not wanting to aggravate him. She began hyperventilating, her face turning pale.
“Where’s Cat?”
Lucy was shaking so much, her words were just sounds. Niles couldn’t understand her. He pushed the gun into her throat, causing Lucy to wince. “Where is she?”
Her arm shaking, Lucy pointed up the stairs.
Niles let her go, letting her fall to the ground. She was gasping for air.
Damn, this really is like a movie.
Niles grabbed Lucy’s arm, yanking her up again.
Lucy screamed.
Niles marched Lucy up the stairs. He looked straight ahead, not even acknowledging Lucy’s discomfort.
As soon as he got to the top, he saw Cat sitting outside the master bedroom, passed out. Next to it, was the guest bathroom. He dragged Lucy over to it, pushing her inside.
Lucy stumbled into the sink before turning around to look at Niles. Fear. Pure fear was stained on her face.
Niles internally shuddered.
Niles held onto the doorknob. “I don’t want to have to hurt you, Lucy. As much as it doesn’t seem like it right now, I do love you.”
With that he shut the door, locking the door behind him.
He turned his attention towards Cat. He almost pitied her. He couldn’t really blame her for her sisterly devotion towards Justina. Justina was her big sister and she looked up to her. But she had to understand what Niles was saying.
Niles walked swiftly towards Cat, his steps echoing in the hall. As he got to her, he reached for the front of her shirt. He yanked her upward, lifting her off the ground.
Cat woke up with a jolt. She looked into Niles's eyes and saw nothing but pure hatred and rage. Apparently, he had figured out her and Lucy's plan. As she comprehended what was happening, she lifted her knee between Niles' legs.
Niles dropped her, doubling over as shots of pain jolted through his crotch.
Cat opened the master door screaming.
Justina and Kayden were asleep, spooning under the covers. They both had peaceful smiles painted on their faces.
Cat cringed as she hopped on the bed. “Justina!” She began to shake them, urging them to wake up.
Justina and Kayden stirred awake, groaning.
“Is it morning?” asked Justina. She gazed into Cat’s eyes, seeing the distress. Justina’s eyes widened. “Oh, dear god, are the cops here?”
Cat shook her head violently. She tried to talk, but only blubbering noises could escape her mouth.
Justina quirked her eyebrow. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong?”
Cat opened her mouth just as a clicking noise sounded behind them. Cat’s face fell, suddenly going pale. She turned around.
Justina moved to look around Cat, and her face too fell.
Niles was standing in the doorway, both hands gripping the small, black pistol. His eyes spoke everything. Hatred. Rage. Jealously. The need to spill blood.

Lucy was leaning over the sink, trying her hardest not to heave up all the alcohol on her stomach. Her eyes were bloodshot from all her crying.
She looked up into the dusty mirror. She saw a sobbing mess who did practically nothing to stop her manic boyfriend. She felt the shame building in her gut, making her want to puke even more.
She took a deep breath, letting the rank smell of old bathroom fill her lungs. She looked in the mirror again, trying to morph her face into a new look. It might not work, but she had to try. Justina was counting on her. The only one out there who might be able to take Niles alone was Kayden, and he was currently drunk and hormonal. They were going to need all the hands they could get.
Finally, her face looked just slightly braver. She might just be able to help them, but she had to get out of the bathroom first. She looked around for anything that could get her out. There was no plunger she could use to bust open the door, so she was going to have to improvise. She looked along the walls, finding nothing. Finally, she spotted the showerhead. It was rusty and fraying off the walls. She shrugged, figuring there was nothing better.
She grasped the showerhead, willing it to come off the wall. She pulled hard, listening for it to snap off. After a few good heaves, it finally snapped off the wall. She stumbled back from all the potential energy.
She walked over to the door. It was a relatively weak door, but it was still a door.
Lucy took a deep breath. This better freaking work!
She positioned herself to swing at the door, moving all her weight to her back foot. She swung at the door with all her might, smiling at the sound of a small hole being made in the door. She smiled again at the second and third and fourth.

Before Justina could comprehend what she was seeing, Kayden and Cat had positioned themselves in front of Justina, blocking the gun’s path. With Kayden being so tall, she couldn’t see Niles’s face, but she could imagine what he looked like. She imagined rage and annoyance. Niles had a mission, and now that Kayden and Cat were in the way, she imagined that he was hoping to find a way to dispose of them.
“Get out of the way, Cat. I don’t want to have to hurt you,” Niles said, stiffly.
Cat did not budge.
Justina began to shiver, being only in her bra and shorts.
“I mean it Cat. Get out of the way.” Niles was beginning to sound panicked. He was clearly only intending to kill one of his sisters tonight, not both.
Justina saw Cat’s shoulders begin to tense, flexing her hands. Justina widened her eyes.
Cat suddenly ran forward, charging at Niles. She let out a war cry, trying to keep herself brave. Her arms were pumping to help her go faster.
Niles pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger.
Cat’s shoulder spirted blood, staining her blue shirt red. She screamed so loud, her voice began to quiver. She doubled over, pressing her shoulder into the ground.
Niles’s eyes widened so wide, it seemed as they could pop out of his head. He stepped back, almost tripping over his own feet. He stared at the gun, clearly not believing how much power his tiny little finger held.
Niles looked up, just as Kayden impacted into him. Kayden grabbed the gun out of Niles’s hand, tossing it across the room.
Kayden sighed. “I guess you’re done then.”
Niles smirked, reaching behind him. “No, I don’t think so.”
Niles swung the knife at Kayden, nearly cutting his nose. He swung again, aiming for his throat. Kayden used his forearm to block the knife, receiving small cuts on his arm as punishment. Kayden swung his fist at Niles, feeling the impact of fist to eye. Niles sneered at Kayden, reaching his hands for his throat. Kayden reached for the front of Niles’s shirt, pushing him against the wall. Niles swung his leg under Kayden’s foot, knocking them both over. They fell on the floor, rolling into the nightstand by the bed. Kayden ended up on top of Niles, taking swing after swing at his face. Niles managed to block some of them and take swings of his own. Both had black eyes and multiple bruises on their cheekbones. The both had faces of determination and rage. One enraged at a brother, one enraged at a sister’s lover, both wanting their own way with Justina.
Justina couldn’t help but think that this was her fault. The two most important men in her life were fighting over her life. One of them had some reason for wanting her dead that she did not understand. What exactly had she done to make Niles mad? And then there was Kayden. The most important man in her life was taking hits to protect her. He even stood with her own sister to protect her from bullet fire. She had to do something.
Suddenly, her eye caught on something black and shiny in the corner of her eye. She turned her head, her eyes widening. The gun was resting by the bedpost, slightly tucked under the covers. She glanced at the fight to see if Niles was looking. Thankfully, Niles was busy trying to break holes in Kayden’s skull.
Oh, dear god, help us now.
She picked up the gun. Her hand shook as she looked for the safety trigger. She pointed the gun at Niles and Kayden, clicking off the safety.
Niles and Kayden suddenly stopped. They simultaneously looked at Justina, their eyes widening. Both of their eyes looked from the gun to Justina.
Her face was contorted with concentration and fear. It was clear she didn’t want to shoot anyone, but she would if she had to. Everyone’s lives were at stake.
Niles began to smile, seeing her discomfort. “You can’t do it, can you?”
Justina stayed quiet.
Niles laughed. “I knew it. You don’t have the guts to kill me, even if your life depended on it.”
Justina took a deep breath. Decided. “No, I’m not going to kill you.”
Niles smirked.
Justina pointed the gun down and fired.
Niles screamed out, pressing his hand against his thigh. The blood was spilling fast, quick to stain his pants and the carpet. He groaned, trying to ease the pain with his hands, but the blood just kept coming. Niles began to understand just how Cat felt when he shot her, and he felt sorry for the first time in the last ten minutes.
Suddenly, there was screaming in the hall. It grew closer. They looked to the doorway just in time to see Lucy burst in, showerhead in hand. Her face was painted with determination, the bravest they had all seen her all night. She looked at Justina, then Kayden, then Cat, then Niles. Her eyes widened as her face grew pale. She put her hand over her mouth as she ran back to the bathroom. The sounds of heaving could be heard from the bedroom.
Kayden sat up, looking at Justina. For the first time since this all happened, his face softened. He smiled at Justina.
Justina smiled back, showing her appreciation for saving her life.
Kayden was about to get up when he suddenly gasped.
Niles was holding the handle end of the forgotten knife as the knife end was plunged into Kayden’s stomach. Niles twisted the knife as it was inside Kayden.
Kayden howled in pain.
Niles had begun to laugh when he suddenly was knocked unconscious.
Cat had a pillow pressing into her shoulder with one hand and was holding a beer bottle with the other. She was shaking all over, tears running down her face. She fell on her knees, weeping.
Kayden fell to the floor on his back, clutching his stomach with one of his hands. Justina collapsed on top of Kayden, her face hovering next to him. Kayden's other hand was lying face up on the ground. Justina placed her hand over the top of his, intertwining her fingers with his.
Justina looked at his wound, seeing the stream of blood flowing down his body. The blood was staining his skin and shirt red.
Kayden looked into Justina’s eyes, knowing what was to come. He laughed a little. “Red, your favorite color.”
Justina shook her head. “Stop it. This isn’t the end.” Her body began to shake with undeniable tears. “It can’t be.” She placed her other hand on his face. “We still need to move in together. Take care of Cat as we raise our own children…and…and…” Her voice shook too much to keep talking. Her eyes began to stream tears down her cheeks.
Kayden smiled as he gazed into the love of his life’s eyes. He squeezed her hand softly. “Listen to me, Justina. You’ll be okay eventually. But you were always going to be my only one. I love you. Even up in Heaven, you will always be my only one.” He chuckled slightly as he leaned into her ear to whisper, “My naughty girl.”
Justina had to chuckle a little bit. He always called her his naughty girl when they were having the most fun. But mostly when they were doing something stupid.
Justina leaned into him even more. “I love you, Kayden. I will always love you.” She leaned in to kiss him. She let it linger for as long as she dared, her lips pressing against his dying embrace.
When she pulled away, Kayden’s eyes were closed, and they never opened again. His grip on her hand loosened, showing no sign of resistance. His chest was no longer rising or falling. His heart no longer gave off its strength that always appealed to Justina.
Justina looked deep into his face, wanting, praying for a smile. A laugh. Anything. But nothing came.
Justina doubled over, pressing her forehead into his chest. Her body began to uncontrollably shake. She gave out a loud, shrill wail. A cry that could only go with a breaking heart. A heart that had shattered and could never be fully repaired. A tsunami of broken pieces flowing through her veins.
“Hello? Yes, we need help.”
Justina looked up to see Cat hovering over her phone.
“There are multiple gun wounds and a man that is dead. We need immediate assistance.”
Brave, stable Cat. Justina took a shaky, deep, breath before continuing her crying. She wished to wake up. She pinched herself multiple times, wishing it were true. But the reality never ceased. The nightmare never ended. This was her reality. This was her fate. Her love was gone. Her brother wanted her dead. Her sister and Lucy the only sane ones here.
She pounded the ground out of anger for Kayden’s dead, cold body. Her voice wished to stop screaming, but it couldn’t.
Justina never let go of Kayden’s hand until the cops forced him from her arms and into the ambulance.

Cat was sitting on the couch opposite her parents. She could see the tenseness of her parent’s muscles, showing subtle anger. The silence was beginning to become awkward, both sides waiting for the other to speak first. But no one wanted to.
Cat took a deep breath but winced when the stitches in her shoulder shot pain through her.
Finally, her father spoke first. “So, do you want to explain to me why one child is in the slammer and the other is bunkered in her room and hasn’t come out since last night when cops drug you girls home?”
Cat took another deep breath, trying to stabilize her voice. “Justina was still bitter about the night she came home late. She wanted a night out with me, her, Niles, Kayden, and Lucy, and there was Mr. Obadiah’s abandoned mansion. So, we snuck out of Justina’s window after we were sure you guys were asleep.” Cat put up her hands before continuing. “Now, we didn’t bring any of the alcohol we consumed last night. It was left in Mr. Obadiah’s liquor cabinet. Although it also happened to have beer and wine in it.”
Her father nodded his head slowly, his jaw working. Her mother had her head resting in her hand, trying to mask the tears streaming down her face.
Cat continued. “Niles…uh…he seemed to have it in his head that, um, you two don’t love him like you love me and Justina.”
Her father quirked his eyebrow.
“He claims you two almost never acknowledge his presence and that father’s quote, ‘affection’ is a sign of favoritism.”
Her mother looked up to glare at her father. “You see, darling. I told you that you were too rough with the girls.” Her mother looked at Cat. “And what made him think that we didn’t love him.”
Cat looked down. “Because,” Cat hesitated. She looked up to her father, glaring hard. “Because you don’t beat him, father. You don’t beat him like you beat me and Justina. He has it twisted in his head that you beating us is a sign of love. I’ve tried to tell him that if anything, he’s the favorite since you don’t beat him.”
Her father stiffened. He was looking down. Cat thought that maybe, for once in his life, he was feeling remorse for all these years of abuse.
But then he stood up. He walked to Cat, staring into her fear-ridden eyes. He brought his arm up to strike her.
Cat flinched, closing her eyes.
Luckily, the doorbell rang before her father could hit her.
Her father groaned, putting his arm down. He walked over to the door.
Cat let out a long exhale, some of the tension leaving her body.
“Oh, hello, Lucy.”
Cat turned around, looking into a clearly upset Lucy. Her eyes were red and bloated and her cheeks were still stained from the tears. She clearly took the whole situation hard. Lucy sat next to Cat on the sofa.
Cat’s mother looked at Lucy with soft eyes. “How are you, dear.”
Lucy shook her head, starting to cry again. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Louine.” Lucy’s whole body shuddered from the blubbering. “I should have done more to stop Niles. After all, I was his girlfriend. But he wouldn’t listen to me when I told him that killing Justina was wrong.” She cried for a few beats before continuing. “And now Kayden is dead. And where was I? I was back in the bathroom that I had just escaped from because I can’t stand blood. But if I had stayed and held Niles, Kayden might still be alive.”
Lucy started uncontrollably crying. After a minute, Lucy gladly accepted a tissue from Mrs. Louine.
They all sat there, no one wishing to speak. Even Mr. Louine looked mournful. The boy that he had yelled at just two nights ago was dead. And it might have even been his fault. If he hadn’t been so rough on him and Justina, they might not have snuck out and gotten drunk.
Cat could see the war in her father’s eyes, and it made her think. Maybe he did have a soul after all. Maybe he can see his fault in this.
It was Cat’s father that offered Lucy the next tissue.
Eventually, Lucy stopped crying. “I’m so sorry,” she muttered one last time.
Cat hugged Lucy, trying to stop another wave of tears.
The room remained silent for quite some time, no one wishing to set Lucy off again.
Cat stared off toward the hall, thinking about Justina. How was she holding up in there, all alone? Clearly, she would be taking this the hardest. The love of her life was dead by the hand of her brother that wanted her dead first. She was going to need time, maybe the most time. The only thing Cat could hope for was that Justina was not changed for the worse by this event.

The air smelled like bleach to Justina as she walked down the white hallway. The bright, fluorescent lights slightly blinding. But they were there for a reason. The lights needed to be there to easily see the patients.
Patients.
Justina shuddered. It was hard to think of her brother as a ‘patient.’ First, he was her brother, next, he was Kayden’s killer.
Three days after the night at the mansion, Kayden’s parents held his funeral. Justina was in the front row. She didn’t remember a single word the pastor had said. All she could think of was the no longer loving, teasing look of the love of her life.
Kayden would never again smile, laugh, or cry. He would never again hold her in his protective embrace. Never again would he kiss her, making all her nightmares go away.
Now, he was gone, when it was supposed to be her that Niles killed.
Niles.
She had managed to numb most of the feelings she had toward the situation. She no longer felt the need to grab him by the throat and shake him, asking him why. Why her? Why then? Why ever?
She turned the corner of the hospital hall. The hall was lined with groups of three or four chairs, most of them occupied with families visiting their kids in the hospital.
The nurse at the front had told her to take any unoccupied group of chairs and they’d bring Niles out in a few moments.
She could hardly believe that she was visiting Niles. From the moment they shoved him in the back of the cop car, she had convinced herself that the next time she saw him would be in the courtroom, sentencing him to many years in prison for first-degree murder. But Cat had convinced her that it might help to get all her feelings off her chest before it was too late. She figured it couldn't hurt. She could see how he was holding up to life in the hospital.
The cops had taken Niles to jail first but later decided that he needed a hospital rather than a jail. The jail social worker had called her parents, telling them about the transfer. She had said that murder charges would still be imposed on him, but that time in a hospital might help him sort out some of the problems that led to his current situation.
It made sense to Justina. Maybe the therapy could help him calm down before his court date.
Justina looked up just as the tech was guiding Niles down the hallway. The tech had a clipboard in one arm. Justina could only imagine what they could possibly need to be constantly writing down.
Niles sat down across from Justina, his face pained with resentment.
The tech leaned toward Justina. “If you need anything, just let me or one of the other techs know.”
Justina nodded, trying to give her a faint smile, but her anxiety was getting the best of her.
The tech left them alone.
It was silent for a few moments, neither of them wanting to start the awkward conversation.
Eventually, Justina took a deep breath and looked at her brother. His eyes were tired, his hair disheveled. He didn’t have the same energy he had had the week before. A week in jail and a hospital had done damage to him.
Not as much damage as you did to the rest of us you dirty piece of…
Justina sighed. “Why?”
Niles looked at her. “Why what? Why did I go off at you? Why is Kayden dead and not you like it was supposed to be?” He leaned in. “Believe me, he wasn’t the one who was supposed to die.”
Justina fisted her hands, trying to control herself. “Oh, and I was.”
“Yes!”
“But why?!” Justina leaned back in her chair. “Why did you want me dead. What did I ever do to hurt you? Because if I hurt you, you need to tell me, so I can fix it.”
Niles also leaned back in his chair. “I don’t exactly know how you did it. Or Cat for that matter.”
“Wait. It’s Cat too? What could she have possibly done either?”
Niles looked down slightly. He took a deep breath. He looked up into her eyes, pouring out exactly what she saw in the mansion. Hatred. Jealousy. The need to spill blood.
“You and Cat always got our parents love. They never acknowledged my existence, and they most certainly never yelled at me.” Niles sighed. “They just clearly loved you and Cat more than they do me.”
Justina gawked at Niles. How was it possible to get something like love was so twisted in his head? No wonder he hated her so much. He was just the middle child that felt unseen. So, cliché, yet so real. At least it was to him. He could only know what he sees. He saw their parents beat them some days and say I love you the next.
Justina’s eyes finally softened toward Niles. She finally understood what he had against her. But her eyes only continued to fill with sadness as she thought of their twisted childhood.
She took a deep breath. “Niles, you should consider yourself lucky that our parents ignore you.”
Niles looked taken aback. “Lucky?”
“Yes lucky.” She sighed. “Our parents don’t show love by their discipline. Our father beats us. That’s not love, Niles. That’s abuse. You are lucky, Niles. Our parents don’t beat you like they beat me and Cat.”
“But then why do they ignore me. I do just as bad as you and Cat do.”
Justina paused before she shook her head. "I don't know, Niles. All I know is that if anything, you were more loved than me or Cat ever was."
Niles brow furrowed. He stayed that way for a few moments before his face softened. “I guess I understand.” He looked up at Justina. “I just never saw real love I guess. As a child, I always wondered how my friends’ parents loved them if they weren’t like our parents. I guess I understand now.”
Justina nodded. She suddenly felt like crying. “It’s ok.” She motioned over his shoulder. “And with therapy, you can learn to figure out the problems that caused you to become so confused.”
Niles nodded at her, somber.
“Alright.” Justina sighed. “Niles, I’mma go home, okay.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
She stood up. Niles kept sitting. She walked down the hall, looking over her shoulder once to see if he would follow her. He did not. It probably wasn’t his fault. He probably had to wait for a tech to come and get him.
The nurse at the front waved her badge in front of the scanner. The door made a clanking sound, unlocking the door for Justina. She pushed the big, glass door open.
As Justina was walking to her car in the parking lot, she couldn’t help but think about how Niles could have possibly gotten love so twisted. Love isn’t rocket science, but it isn’t trivial either. As the middle child who never got real love, his life was bound to get messed up. But not so far as to try and murder someone.
Murder.
Kayden. The man she loved, dead. Kayden was supposed to live, not her. Kayden died protecting her, and now he’s gone.
She looked behind her toward the hospital. Suddenly, a glare came over your face. She imagined that it was Niles that she was glaring at. His stupid, unloving face. She imagined pouring the same wicked look into his heart that he poured into hers. Hatred. Rage. Jealousy. The need to spill blood.
You will pay for this Niles. I swear it.
She sat down and turned on the car. The radio was playing a song about young love and how nothing could break them apart. Justina began to shudder; her cheeks being stained by hot tears.
She pulled into her driveway, being only a few minutes away from the hospital. She sat there for a few moments, staring emptily at her home.
Home.
No. This was not a home. It would never be home again. No Kayden. No love. No brother. This would never be her home again. This was merely a roof over her head. Her father hated his daughters. Her mother did nothing to stop him. Cat would most likely be even quieter and withdrawn than she originally was.
Poor thing. Justina teared up at the thought.
No. This would certainly never be a home.
She got out of the car, wiping the tears off her face. She walked up to the door and paused. Hesitated. Breathed. Finally, she walked through the door of her lonely, unloving future.