Walking around the park where I'd tracked my brothers cell phone to, I decided to sit from a distance to wait out the petulant child who was sitting on a swing.
It was almost dark but a few joggers and passerbys still lingered around the park watching the sunset. it was nice but I could some feel stares directed my way.
They were probably wondering why a student was sitting here or maybe if I was trying to commit atrocities, kill myself or do something equally horrible.
A quiet breeze blew, rustling a few leaves and I let out a breath. It was nice out here and I had nothing else to do but disturbing keelan who looked like he was brooding was becoming an option because the people staring already had their phones out and it looked like they were calling the cops.
It wasn't uncalled for. I was a student sitting in a uniform that screamed Channing Farring, way out of town and in a park, it was dark and I looked settling.
"What are you doing here" Keelan roared fantastically from my side. I had been deeply within my thoughts that I hadn't seen him walk over.
" Your mother wanted you home before the end of the week"
He visibly flinched before regaining his composure and glaring at me like I was a thing. I hadn't wanted to be the one to do this; drag him home but I had been left no choice.
"She promised to let me go" He said icily studying me for a second. "Did you put her up to this"
"Don't" I warned, standing up to meet him glare for glare. " Let's just go".
"I'm not going anywhere" he shouted drawing the stares back to us but this time I was sure they were wondering if they should intercept the angry guy harassing a student in the dark.
"People are staring" I hissed grabbing him by the upper arm and pulling him away towards the road. He was stronger but he didn't push me away instead he fell in step beside me and my hand fell away.
"Why are you this way" He asked " I'm older and a brat but you, your indignant and a pushover "
I shrugged walking ahead of him. Immediately, he tugged me by my bag and I stumbled backwards to his side.
"Can you not do this to me" I yelled feeling visibly shaken. I was not a pushover or indignant but his words had hurt. my life was a constant battle for control but it seemed I had it worse than others.
He raised both his hands in surrender equally mocking me with a smirk.
We got to the road and Keelan flagged down a cabbie who winded his window down to look at us. He looked disturbed as his stare went from Keelan in his crazy jeans and tight shirt to me in a pristine blue shirt, tie and gray skirt. I had exchanged my sneakers in my locker for a flip flop but the driver couldn't see my feet.
"He's my older brother" I assured the driver calmly from his window before getting into the back seat with Keelan. "Despite his appearance".
"Ok ma'am" He nodded still eyeing keelan "Where to "
"To Freyheight estate please" Keelan grumbled out to the driver before settling in against the seat.
"Thank you for not putting up a fight"
" This means nothing". He cut a glare my way before closing his eyes.
The driver dropped us off at the estate and Keelan pulled out his wallet to pay the fare, before strutting directly opposite the direction of our house.
Running so I could catch up to him, I placed my hand on his shoulder to halt him and he shrugged it off " Go home Andi, its almost midnight".
I glanced at my wrist watch and truly it was almost midnight. The drive from the park had taken a while but I hadn't noticed when I ordered an Uber from my school gate.
"Not without you" I mummured and as if on cue, my phone ringed from inside my bag. It had to be Sarah calling.
"Can you not be a pain and just go" he roared walking back to me. His words pierced the silent night, echoing around nothing.
I froze staring at Keelan from beside the street light which cast a shadow on him.
" For once" he went on getting in my face " I want someone to plead and not order me to go back like I'm a piece of nothing".
"It would...
"It's not you Andi" He cut me off "God no... You can't and you won't because it's not you".
I could hear the pain behind his words and if it were day, I would see tears in his eyes because this was eating him alive. Being you without default would've been perfect for him but living in our home, that wasn't the life you got.
It was a constant battle for everything nevermind the fact that our father never inputed his thoughts of the way our mother choose to run this family. His silence was deafening and constant.
"So for this one, I'm begging you please Wilton let me be"
I'd should've let go. The fact that he'd called me by my first name should've been warning enough for me that he was about to explode and I wasn't going to see the good part.
"I can't" I pressed on exhaling loudly when my phone rang again.
"You can't?. For once Andi, can you let mother be the one to come clean up her fucking mess. why should you always be the freaking doormat to every situation, for once man up and spit in her face"
This confrontation was happening beside a lamppost by twelve midnight and a light coming from somewhere was getting closer to us and Keelan kept yelling but I couldn't hear past the blood rushing away from my heart.
"What's going on here" The voice behind the flashlight demanded putting the light directly in our faces " Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to get your hands off her"
The voice grounded and pulled me back to reality as Keelan hand fell off and I visibly swallowed.
"Fuck" Keelan yelled running his hand through his hair.
"May I see your ID please" he requested and I dipped my hand inside my skirt pocket to fetch both Keelan and I ID card.
The police officer looked it over before handing it back to me. "Why are you out here by this time?"
"We're just coming in from out of town. my aunt had an accident and she lost her baby hence my brothers attitude" I lied smoothly looking the officer in the eye.
We didn't have an aunt but officer parker- according to his nametag- didn't know that
His gaze turned to Keelan who was still glaring at me but he nodded. "she's right"
"Ok then, let's get you home then " The man muttered looking at the both of us as if waiting for a fight.
Keelan sighed audibly, resigning to his fate before pulling me by my bag " let's go then".
This time when my phone rang, I answered and assured Sarah that I was on my way back with Keelan in tow.