The downstairs door slammed shut, causing me to wake up. Groaning, I rolled over and looked at the clock. The green numbers showed that it was six-thirty in the morning, so that means that either Kevin has just gotten home or is leaving…like always.

I fell back on to the bed, wishing that I had an excuse to close my eyes again. Like how usually the sun is up and shining through the thin curtains, blinding me; but no, it had to be dark.

Someone knocked lightly on my door, which was followed by a quiet, “Leo, are you awake?”

“Yeah,” I groaned.

The second knock startled me. I had a feeling that I had fallen asleep again. To always just sleep and let everything in the real world vanish would be nice. Just peaceful dreams of make believe and wonder, like when I was little. I propped myself up on my elbow and, sure enough, the clocked displayed that it was now seven.

“I know it’s early, but do you want to go for a walk before it rains again?” she asked again.

“Open the door, Hunter. You can come in,” I replied, rolling onto my back and closing my eyes again.

I heard her open the door and walk in, and then she sat on the floor.

“Sorry for bothering you, what’s-his-face woke me up when he came home this morning.” She said.

“What time was that?” I asked half-asleep.

“Three.”

“Did you get back to sleep?”

“Only for an hour,” She sighed.

I opened my eyes and looked over at her. She was still in her dark blue pajamas and had her hair in a braid behind her head; it was messy and hair was sticking out of it everywhere. Her eyes looked like ocean water before a storm. Calm and smooth.

“Try to go back to sleep.”

“I did.”

I groaned again.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you,” She said quietly. “Go back to sleep, I’ll wait for you to wake up all the way.”

Her short form rose up from the ground and came towards me. She kissed the top of my head and walked out of the room.

“Hunter!” I sort of yelled as I heard the door close.

“Yeah?” was her reply.

“Let’s go get some breakfast,” I looked over at her.

She smiled, her teeth showing which only meant she was really happy.

“Okay!”

I smiled at her as she left. I stared back at the ceiling and then rolled over and got up. A few minutes later, I was down stairs and ready to go.

“Ready, Leo?” she asked coming down the stairs.

“Yep, you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Good. C’mon.” I pushed her out the door with my hand and we were on the way to Denny’s.

The smell of waffles, pancakes, French toast, coffee, and hot chocolate hit me like a wave as soon as I opened the door. The place was bright, unlike the outside, and gave a look over the highway. Cars zoomed by making sure they wouldn’t be late for work or to meet friends.

We wandered over to one of the booths by the huge windows and sat down. I continued to stare out at the cars. A black and red Mustang almost got rear-ended by a green pick-up truck. That wouldn’t have been great.

“Honey, what did you do today?”

“Oh, nothing. Just got rear-ended by an idiot and had to go to the shop to get the car looked over. We’re also not going on that trip to the Bahamas because I get to use that money to fix the car. Sorry, dear.”
“Leo, what do you want to drink?” Hunter’s voice interrupted me from my thoughts.
“Oh, um, some coffee would be nice.” I replied.
I looked over at the waitress and gave her an apologetic smile. She smiled back flirtatiously. Oh, great. I found myself watching her retreating blonde head and looked back out the window.
“Since when do you drink coffee?” my sister asked, looking back down at the menu to find something to eat.
“Since I found out I liked it,” I retorted.
“Helpful.”
The waitress came back with our drinks and we ordered our food; me with the Grand Slam and my sister with the French toast. I didn’t even bother to look at the waitress this time. I really didn’t want her getting the wrong impression.
I stared out the window again and watched as the cars flew on by. It was still cloudy out, sort of unusual weather for Florida, making all the grass-correction: weeds-contrast to the gray pavement.
“Is that all?” an unusual voice said from beside me.
Hunter was staring at me before I nodded. I hadn’t noticed our food was here until Hunter tried to take a bite out of my toast. Unfortunately, I couldn’t save my toast.
“You have toast. French toast,” I defended.
“Yeah, but I wanted a bite of regular, too,” She smiled.
I grabbed the piece from her and took a bite out of it myself. It felt like it scratched my throat going down.
“Do you ever wonder what would happen if you left? Like when you go off to college, what will happen to me? Even though that sounds sort of selfish and rude, but I just don’t want to be stuck with Kevin until I move out,” Hunter said before stuffing a forkful of French toast into her mouth.

I hadn’t thought about it. And just thinking about it made me lose my appetite and my stomach knot up. I don’t want to leave Hunter there with the man who wouldn’t stay there and help her in any way, shape, or form.

“I’m not sure,” I spoke to my plate, my eyebrows knitting together.

I looked up at her and saw a little child in her eyes, begging to cry, but Hunter held the little girl at bay.

“Is that why you couldn’t go back to sleep this morning?” I asked quietly.

“Uh-huh. I had a dream that you left for college. You left me here and I begged you to let me come, but there wasn’t enough room for me and you didn’t have the money. The dream seemed so real, so when I woke up the second time, I had to go and make sure you didn’t leave,” She looked into my eyes. “It’s not the only fact that I would rather not stay home alone at night, because he’s never there anyways, but I didn’t want to here how Kevin would talk about you.

“Saying that you’re a chicken and afraid of everything; a wimp. That you ran away and left me because you couldn’t take it anymore…that you would abandon your own sister just so you could have the life you really wanted.”

I stared at her, even though she turned her gaze back to her plate and started to push the toast around it with her fork.

“You know what’s really funny?” she gave a small, quick laugh. “He would probably say you’re a wimp and stupid, but at least you’re staying here and facing your problems. A.k.a. the guy that lives in our house and claims he’s our father. But at least you don’t try and forget it all by numbing your mind with alcohol at every chance you get. So, I guess, all in all, he’s the wimp in this picture, not you.”

“Wow,” was my answer.

“Yeah, I had a lot of time to think about all of this, this morning.”

We finished eating-talking about everything and forgetting our little conversation at the beginning-and headed back home. As soon as I got the door unlocked, the rain came. The heavens just decided to open up and let the tears of every single person flood down on us. As if showing us what we’ve done to others.

“It’s raining!” my sister breathed beside me.

She dashed inside, threw off her jacket and shoes then ran back outside into the rain. She quickly became drenched as she ran around the yard dancing and laughing. I could only laugh at her and watch from the porch.

“Get in here, Hunter. C’mon, you’re going to get sick.” I yelled with a smile plastered to my face.

“Life’s not about waiting for the storm to pass Leo, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain,” She quoted and then twirled over to me.

She was dripping wet and her smile made her eyes light up that I thought they could replace the sun. She held out her hand for me; I shook my head with a smile.

“Please, brother?” she asked.

I found myself throwing off my own shoes and jacket, then ran out with her into the rain-it’s really hard for me to say no to her-dancing, singing, laughing, and everything else in between. For that time I forgot about everything that was wrong in my life. I let others’ tears be mine. Borrowed sorrow, joy, anger, depression, disappointment, happiness, excitement, love, loss…

Those little droplets of water were the tears I could never shed. At least never in front of Hunter.

I turned my face up towards the sky and stood like that for who knows how long, but it felt nice.

“What are you two doing in the rain? You guys wanna get sick? Then go ahead, but I’m not driving either of you to the hospital or paying the bills for it,” Kevin growled getting out of his car and stumbling up to the door.

“Whatever,” Hunter said from beside me.

I nudged her in the side. “We should be heading inside anyways. Didn’t you want to go for that walk?”

“You don’t have to do that, it’s fine. You already took me out to breakfast, that should be enough.”

“Nah, we should probably get out of the house while he’s here anyways.” I said walking towards the door. “Go take a shower and meet me back downstairs afterwards. I’ll get the umbrellas.”

“Okay.”

She smiled again.

The whole time we were walking, she was quiet. Usually she talks more, well, usually she talks a lot. I looked over at her to see if something was wrong. Her eyes were half closed and she was swimming in my sweatshirt she wanted to wear.

“What’s wrong, Hunter?” I asked her.

“Hmm? Oh, just a little-” she yawned. “Tired.”













“Maybe we shouldn’t have gone for a walk.”

“No! No, no, no, no… I wanted to go for one.”

We were still silent as we neared closer to the house. She looked like she could fall asleep right then and there. I looked over to the house. Kevin’s car was gone already. Well, that was a nice little visit.

Hunter went straight to her bed as soon as we got in the door. I let her, even though she shouldn’t be taking naps. I knew that she would only rest there for twenty minutes, give or take a few. And I found myself standing in her doorway, watching her. She seemed happy, peaceful…beautiful. Just like our mother…

There was a knock at the door and a white Dodge Charger sitting in our driveway. Hopefully, it wasn’t someone for my dad. I hesitantly opened the door.

A woman was standing there. She was wearing a gray suit and was surprised to see me there.

“Hello?” I asked.

“I’m not going to take long, are you Kevin Leonard Knight?” She asked.

“No,” I replied.

“When will he be in?” she asked again, her green eyes boring into my blue-gray ones.

“Never,” I whispered under my breath before answering, “I’m not sure, it usually depends.”

“Then are you his son, Leonard Austin Knight?” she dared me to say no.


I inwardly groaned and winced at the thought of being called Kevin’s son. He doesn’t have kids. He doesn’t care about us and, from how he’s acting now, doesn’t seem like he will for the longest time.

“Are you?” she seemed annoyed.

“Oh, um, yeah…sorry,” I said.

“I’m Leslie Harvey of Child Protective Services.” She announced. “I’ve heard that there is a fourteen year-old girl, Hunter Leigh Knight, living here that has no parent around. I’m told that she is here alone a lot and that she has no care or anything.”

“I’m here,” I interjected.

“Yes, well, not most nights.”

“Because I’m at work because the lazy piece of crap that’s my father is out every day and night,” I interrupted almost yelling.

“I’ll be back here in two weeks to pick Miss Knight up. Any problems from you and I will make sure you get arrested. So don’t go trying to run away anytime soon,” She looked me straight in the eye.

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.

She left without a word and I stood there, stunned, in the door way for the longest time.

The stuttering and clunking of Terry Fine’s own car didn’t even faze me. I was going to loose Hunter. The closet thing I had to my family. I was her protector; she couldn’t survive in a new place. She was too shy to do much and told me the only reason she did was because she knew that it would make me happy. Mom was right, she does look up to me.

“Whoa, dude. What’s wrong with you?” he asked me coming up the doorway.

I told him the whole thing, adding in my own thoughts. He just stared at me. He knew how much my sister meant to me. How she’s my life. The only thing that keeps me here in this rotten godforsaken place.

“I think your friend’s here,” Hunter said from behind me with a smile. I’m going to miss that smile. Inside of me, tears were falling and my whole world was already gone. It was all just sitting there as a pile of nothing, just like my father.

She seemed wide awake now. I smiled back at her, but I don’t think it reached my eyes.

“I’m going to go on the internet, okay?” she asked.

I could only nod.

“So when are you going to tell her about your little problem?” Terry asked as soon as she was out of hearing range.

“I’m not going to tell my sister that,” I replied.

“Why? She needs to know. I mean, you don’t want that woman to come back sometime and take her by surprise. You don’t want to wait until the very end, do you?” he replied.

“They know that my father,” I cringed at my, “is not a good parent. They know my mother is dead. They know I’m taking care of Hunter. But with what’s-his-face gone all the time and me at work almost all night, Hunter is here all by herself most days.”

“One: you sort of already told me that. And two: take her to work,” He suggested with a shrug.

“That’s going to go over well with my boss,” I rolled my eyes.

“Tell Mr. High ‘n’ Mighty about your problem and maybe bring her in a few times.”

“I’d rather not bring semi-strangers into my family problems.”

“Just don’t get angry when I tell you I told ya so.”

The vacuum cleaner was going when I got home from work and I was sure that it wasn’t Kevin.

“Speak of the devil,” I said as his car pulled up behind mine.

I quickly ran inside and tried to find Hunter, before he could yell at us. It was just annoying to hear it everyday and she figured out that if we’re in a room with the door closed, he doesn’t bother either of us. It’s nice.

But I was too late.

“What are you running for boy?” he asked. “And turn that stupid thing off, Haley! It’s giving me a headache!”

Haley? I thought he was out of his mind before. But the vacuum was still buzzing.

“Why doesn’t she turn that stupid thing off?” he yelled again.

“Because she can’t hear you over it,” I replied.

“What did you say?”

He came towards me and I thought he was just going to yell at me, but I was wrong with that, too. He pulled his arm back and punched my in the stomach. I moved back against the wall and clenched my teeth together. I didn’t want him to get the idea that he had some type of power over me.

I think he punched me a few more times, but I wasn’t paying attention. I was too busy making sure Hunter didn’t walk down and see him. I should’ve been fighting back, but I didn’t want to stoop to his level, even though it would be considered self-defense.

“You’re weak. You can’t even defend yourself, let alone your sister,” He hissed into my ear.

“What do you know about taking care of people?” I replied through my teeth.

“Enough,” He said simply before punching my one last time and then walking up the stairs.

He yanked the plug out creating the vacuum to die, which was followed by a playful “Hey!” from Hunter.

I stood up quickly and had to lean against the wall. It didn’t hurt that bad, but it was very uncomfortable. She rounded the corner and saw Kevin there with the plug in his hand rather than me, like she expected. Like she had hoped.

“I said turn it off girl.” He whispered menacingly.

She just stood there and looked past him, over to me. I gave a small smile.

“Look at me when I talk to you, Hannah.” He yanked her face back over to meet his.

“I’m Hunter.” She whispered.

“Whatever.”

She still stared at me the best she could. She knew something was up. She knew that something was wrong with me. That’s the only thing about Hunter that I didn’t really like, you couldn’t really keep anything from her.

He leaned down and whispered something in her ear. She didn’t listen to him she was, unfortunately, still staring at me. I gave her another smile.

Kevin tried walking down the stairs and then fell, trying to pull Hunter with him.

“Why didn’t either of you try to help me?” His face would’ve turned red, but he’s the devil already. He’s always red.

I looked at Hunter and gave her a look that said one thing: Run. He’s about to blow.

She shook her head. I groaned.

“What’s the matter with you, boy?” he asked straightening up. “I barely did anything to you and you’re groaning.

He stalked towards me and I stood there, waiting. Well, it was more like I was leaning there and waiting for him to make his move. As soon as he was out of the view of the stairs, I ran. He followed.

I sprinted up the stairs, grabbed Hunter by her waist, and ran to the nearest room. She seemed totally fine. I dropped her on my bed and then ran out of the door, closing it behind me. Kevin attempted at punching me-I was able to dodge each one-and then gave up, stumbling his way down the stairs.

I fell back against the wall and slid to the floor, listening for the regular slam of the house door and the squeal of his car tires against the pavement. It came, just like usual.

My door opened and Hunter walked out looking at me on the floor.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” I lied with an easy smile. “Get done. I’m going to take a shower.”

She sat down next to me and stared ahead at the wall in front of us, I followed.

“What all happened?” she asked.

I looked over at her. She seemed mystified by the wall, never tearing her gaze from it. As if it were a movie to show the events of what happened. But nothing did happen…that she needs to know about.

“He drove up, got annoyed at the vacuum, unplugged it, yelled at me, yelled at you, and then fell down the stairs yelling at both of us.” I couldn’t help but laugh at that last line. It seemed funny.

“I mean after that.”

“Kevin tried to punch me, but missed. Then he decided to give up and leave. See, nothing to worry about.”

She nodded.

“Now go get your work done.”

She silently got up and we back to vacuuming. I went to the bathroom and ripped off my shirt. A small bruise was starting to form on the right side of my abdomen.

“Great.” I hissed. “But at least Hunter won’t be able to see it.”






~~~~
“Hey, you really need to get over your shyness.” I said to her walking into her room. I put on a fake smile so that maybe she would take this in an open-minded approach.

It was fairly clean so, unfortunately, I couldn’t bug her on that subject. She sat on her bed, leaning against the wall, with her laptop on her lap.

“Okay?” she asked giving a little laughing and putting her gaze back on the screen. “That was just a little random. Care to tell me why?”

I wanted so badly to tell her no. To tell her, joke with her, about how stupid it is that she couldn’t even make friends at school without someone else talking to her first. I wanted to pretend like that lady-was it Lisa? Lacey?-didn’t show up on the doorstep and tell me that she was taking my sister away from me and I told her that silly thing because I wanted to hear her talk. Listen to her voice.

Her voice was beautiful, but she claimed she couldn’t sing so that meant it was the same as listening to her voice as she spoke.

“Leo?”

I so badly wanted her gone, but just gone from Kevin. Not from me, or the house, or her friends-the little that she did have.

“Leo?”

My eyes must’ve given the fact that it was bad news.

“Hunter, I have some bad news.” I said.

“I don’t want to hear it.” She said, putting down her laptop and brushing past me out the door.

“Excuse me?” I asked turning around.

Never has she been this stubborn.

“I don’t want to hear it, Leo.” She replied over her shoulder.

“Why not?” I asked following her as she glided down the stairs.

“Because.” was the answer she decided to give.

“That’s not good enough for me.”

“All I ever seem to get out of life is bad news. Mom dies, you hated me,” I winced at that memory. “Kevin doesn’t want us, teachers were always bugging me about mom, Kevin’s always drunk, Kevin’s never home, I’m loaded with homework, and you have to work most of the time. How much worse can my life get?”

“Do you really want to know?” I asked her.

“Nope, which is why I don’t want to hear your bad news.”

“But you’ll have to.”

“Then let me guess.” She turned around and faced me in the middle of the living room. “You got cut from your job?”

“Nope.”

“You got more hours even though you’re already working your butt off?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Then I give up.”

I smiled at her, “But that was only two guesses.”

“So? I still don’t want to hear it.” She turned on her heels and walked away.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the couch.

“Too bad.” I hissed.

“Fine, tell me.” Stubbornness filled her voice. “But I won’t listen.”

I looked her straight in the eye and gave her a silent message that she was going to listen whether she really wanted to or not. She gave in.

“While you were resting, a few days ago, a lady dropped by,” I put my hand up to stop her from interrupting. “She was from Child Protective Services and someone told. Someone let them know that you are usually home alone, Kevin’s always gone, and that you don’t have a substantial parental figure in your life.

“And, I have no way of stopping this once so ever or I would, but she’s coming back in two weeks. She’s going to take you to a better family. A family that has a mom and a dad, and will actually be able to help you in your life rather than an always drunk father who’s never home and a brother that will be leaving for college.”

“Please tell me you’re joking.” My sister replied, barely over a whisper.

I fought the urge to tell her yes. She needed to know this.

“I’m not.” I said, making sure to hide all traces of me being sad.

I needed to be even a little strong for her sake.


She froze and just stared at me. Something in her mind was turning, yet at the same time everything was shutting down. She started to shake a little as the tears leaked out of her eyes. Then there was anger.

“You didn’t say no? Try to fight back?” she asked.

“She didn’t listen to me. I tried to give her a reason, but she said I would get arrested if I tried anything to get you to stay with me. Well, at least running away with you and things like that.”

“Can’t you go to court?” she asked, hopeful.

“They would probably laugh at me and claim that I’m too young.”

Then everything went under and she cried. She cried like the rain that we danced in a few days ago, the day that woman came to tell me she was going to take Hunter out of my life.

I didn’t even notice Hunter had gotten up until she spoke to me.

“Do you care?” she asked.

“Of course I do. Why would you question that?”

“Because you’re not showing it very well.” She said running up the stairs and straight to her room, closing her door with a slam.

All I could do was sit by her door and listen to her cries for the rest of the day. Knowing that I was the cause for her tears and dealing with the guilt, but also knowing that there was nothing I could do to help.

We ate dinner in silence that night, Hunter’s small frame still shaking with quiet sobs. She did the dishes afterwards with trembling hands. Then Kevin came home.


“Hey, Leo, go get me some beer, will ya?” he slurred plopping down on the couch.

“I’m under age.” I sighed.

“Don’t be such a know-it-all, son. You can pass as however old you have to be to get the stuff.”

“No, I can’t. I’m not old enough.”

“Hunter, tell your brother here that he can get the stuff.”

“They do I.D. checks.” She said back making her way towards the stairs.

Somehow, even though he was drunk and stumbling, he made it right in front of her in record time.

“Are you calling me stupid, little girl?”

She froze completely and stared at him with wide eyes. She snapped her head back and forth quickly. Kevin grabbed her arm and turned her around to face me, making it so that he was standing right beside her.

“What have you done to my little girl, Leo? Huh? You turned her into you. Stubborn, selfish, stupid, and completely useless.” He looked over at her. “What do you think, little girl? Isn’t Leo useless?”

“Not as useless as you.” She spat.

It was like I was watching in slow motion; Kevin dropped my sister’s arm and then snapped his other back, slapping her in the face. Her head moving to the side with the force of his hand and dropping the floor as her body went limp from the surprise.

Something clicked then and I plunged at him, making sure that I pushed him just enough to step in front of Hunter. He tried to reach around me and when that didn’t work, he dug his nails into my arm. That didn’t work either.

“You know what, I don’t need this. You two are just a bunch of stupid kids that don’t understand what it means to live.” He turned around, got a beer, and left the house, calling over his shoulder. “I’m outta here.”

And he was gone.

I turned around and saw Hunter, still on the floor, just laying there. I knelt down beside her.

“Hunter. Hunter? Are you okay?” I asked.

“Is he gone?” she whimpered.

“Yeah, he is. Don’t worry.”

She looked at me with sad eyes. “Please don’t leave me, Leo. I don’t want you out of my life.”

That night we fell asleep on the couch, watching a movie. My arm was around her, holding her close and she fell asleep with her head on my shoulder. I guess I dozed off with my head on hers. It was probably the best sleep I’ve gotten in a while. I knew my sister was safe.





~~~~

A week has gone by since that stupid Saturday. Just one week. A week that I lost and only one week left for me to have with Hunter. Along with that bad news, Kevin has come home screaming and yelling at us over this, that, and the other thing. And each day it got worse and worse.

And now I was able to confess to myself that I want her gone, away from here. But whenever I pictured her running away or just getting away from here, it was always with me.

Today was the day that Hunter left. Forever.

“Everything all packed and ready to go for you?” I asked.

Hunter looked up at me from her bed. She was still crying.

That social service lady or child protective services or Childcare Network woman was here today. She had already found a family for Hunter. They would change her name though. They didn’t like Hunter, it sounded too fierce. And they didn’t want “their little girl” to have a name that was fierce, mean, and hard. But that’s what Hunter is and she’s not their little girl. She’s my little sister…and I don’t want her gone.

And her new name was going to be…cue drum roll…Sallie Elizabeth Rhodes.

It is nice, I have to give them credit for that, but it doesn’t fit Hunter at all. Their whole lifestyle won’t fit her. They don’t know how to put up with her crap or how picky of a picky eater she is. Then again, if she’s depressed she won’t eat at all. No need to worry about that.

There’s a slightly positive thing coming out of this, I’ll still be able to go see her. Thank goodness they live in town. Yet, it was still bad new for her. Instead of going to the familiar halls of Choctawhatchee High, she would have to go to Fort Walton Beach High. It wasn’t bad there, she knows some people, thinks they’re a good school-even though they are two rivals-and knows that she’ll do fine after a while.

It’s just the point of being lost, alone, and scared that has her stomach all twisted in knots. Mine too, because I won’t be able to protect her at school or even see her. And I won’t let her see how much it’s tearing me up. Or what’s tearing me up even more: the Rhodes are moving. I’m just telling her their not so she’ll feel somewhat better, but it still eats me up inside to keep that secret from her…and…never mind.

They decide that they wanted to start over somewhere new and great. So they chose New Mexico.

“Leo…” she mumbled.

She looked fragile and I was afraid that if I said the wrong thing, she would break completely and never be able to be put back together again.

“Hmm.” I replied back quietly.

“Promise that you’ll always text me and be there when I really need your help.” She asked.


“Why do you doubt me?” I asked.

“Promise me.” Her breath shook as she lowered her head, wrapped her arms around herself, and cried.

I walked over to where she was sitting and got down on my knees in front of her. Gently unwrapping her arms I pulled her into a hug and whispered in to her ear, “I promise.”

And I let her cry into my shoulder for who knows how long.
I walked into the kitchen later that day and saw Hunter with the bottle of vodka.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, it’s not open. I’m just looking at it.” She said simply.

I looked at her feet and saw empty cans littering the floor. She saw me looking.

“Don’t worry; I emptied them all into the sink. You can even check my breath if you want to.” She said, opening the bottle and dumping it into the sink and then doing the same with all the other alcohol on the counter that she found.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

“As soon as what’s-his-face comes home, the first thing his does is goes straight to the kitchen to get a drink.”


“And you want me to confront him on this?” I asked.

“If you want to, I was just thinking that I dump it in the sink and then we go to a hotel.”

“I don’t think that will work.” I said watching Kevin’s car pull up into the driveway.

I grabbed Hunter’s hand-with her protesting, but it stopped once she saw Kevin’s car- and pulled her to the living room and sat her on the couch, waiting for him to come through the door. He eventually came through the door and straight into the kitchen, just like Hunter said he would. I heard something crash and an aggravated grunt.

“Where’s all of my stuff, boy? I know you had something to do with it.” He yelled.


He came out quickly, looking straight at me.

“Where is it boy?” he asked with venom dripping off of his words and onto my nerves. Making them burn with his anger.

“Down the drain, in the pipes underground. Take your pick at which one you want to call it.” I replied back.

He grabbed me by the front of my shirt and lifted me into a standing position.

“Why did you do that?” he asked, the alcohol in his voice caused me to pull my head back.

“You don’t need it.” I replied.

He shook me, digging his nails into my arms.

“Let go of me.” I hissed.

“Why? Why don’t we show the little girl how wimpy you are? Show her that you aren’t strong at all.”

“I’m strong enough not to take any of your crap.” I said through clenched teeth.

He dropped my arms and punched me in the stomach, but I didn’t feel anything. I really just wanted Hunter out of this.

I turned to her. “Run!”

She got up and tried, but Kevin caught her by the arm and tightened his grip. Her face held horror and a little pain. I could tell his nails were going into her skin, too.

“Let her go.” I growled.

“Oh, I’m all scared now.” He spat, dropping her arm.

He slapped her across the face and that sent me off. Once just made me angry as all get out, the second time made me want to kill the sucker who hurt my sister. I ran towards him, hurtling myself into his stomach and made him fly backwards.

“Are you okay?” I asked, looking at the red mark on her face. It left a mark from each of his fingers.

Even though there are kids that probably have it worse than we did-which meant this could easily be classified as nothing compared to what they go through-I felt scared and worried. I stared at the red mark on her face and gave it a light kiss, hoping it would calm her. He stood up and ran towards us.
I grabbed her hand and pushed her in front of me down the stairs while the man that claimed to be our father chased after us. We ran into the basement and to the farthest wall. Hunter had flipped on the switch before coming own here, thank goodness. At least we could see where Kevin is. No one could hear us, no one could help us.

“What the hell is your problem Leo? You’re not in charge of me!” he shouted.

Hunter cringed behind me.

“My problem? What’s my problem? Kevin, you’re my problem.” I shouted back.

She slid her little hand into mine and squeezed it tight. He took a step toward as and I stepped to side, completely blocking my little sister from his view.

“How am I your problem? I’ve supplied a house for you. I got you back into a real family, a real house, as far away as possible from the memories of your mother. I’ve been the best father there ever was.” He slurred. “Why don’t you stop retarding the girl in her efforts to actually have a life? Maybe you should go out and actually be a teenager for once.”

“I would, but you’re never home. She never had a father. At least I got part of one growing up. But she never did. As soon as mom died you dropped us. You dropped the whole family out of your life. You depend on alcohol to get her out of your mind, but no matter what you do or did it will never bring her back. She’s dead, Kevin. She won’t come back.” I yelled at him. “I don’t even see why she would if she was given the chance.”

I turned around to face my little sister. She was crying.

“I’m going to run upstairs.” I breathed quickly. “Stay down here, okay?”

She shook her head in a fast no and started to shake with her sobbing. Her whole little form dropped to the ground still trembling like a scared, stray puppy.

Tears started to fill my own eyes as I looked at her. I put her face up to meet my eyes.

“You’ll be okay, I promise.” I said with a smile.

She clutched me, “It’s y-y-you I’m w-worried about-t-t.”

I smiled at her, “Don’t be.”

I kissed her head and then turned around to face Kevin again.

“Aw, how cute. You’re babying her. She doesn’t need you, Leo. No one needs you. You’re just a stupid, smart-ass teenager that has no life, no family, and now no home.” He spat at me.

“You’ve had too much to drink, old man. Go lie down and sleep it off.” I said back inching towards the stairs.

“You don’t talk to you’re father like that.” He said.

“You’re not my father anymore. You never were and never will be.”

He charged at me as I jumped up the stairs leaving Hunter in the basement alone.

“Get back here, you lousy sonavabitch.” He said right on my heels. “You’re just like you’re mother and your sister. All three of you are stupid, little bit-”

I stopped right in the hall and slammed him against the wall without thinking, holding onto his shirt. His eyes grew wide at my anger, as if he couldn’t believe what just did. Didn’t surprise me either, not like he would’ve cared anyways.

“Don’t ever talk to about my mother or my sister like that again. You’ve done it before, but I didn’t do anything about it. I don’t care what you think about me. But when you drag my mother and, especially, Hunter, who is your own flesh and blood and is still living, into this…” I voice trailed off, but by the look on my face I think he got what I was saying.

I heard sirens come to the front of the house and let Kevin drop to the floor. Next thing I knew, police were questioning me and hauling him off to the station.
Domestic violence and he has a record of alcohol usage, or something like that. I wasn’t really paying attention to what the officer said. I just wanted to see Hunter again.

“One more thing.” The officer told me as I was walking away. “How old are you, son?”

I sighed. “Seventeen. I’ll be turning eighteen next month.”

I knew what would happen next. They would take away my little sister, the one I hated, the one I love, the only one who saw me cry, shared my problems, and my life.

“Do you hold down a steady job?” he asked.

I looked straight into his eyes and saw that he was trying to help me. He actually cared about something in my life.

I nodded. “Part time at Winn Dixie, but I work full days Saturday and have Sundays off.”

“I’ll talk to Ms. Harvey about that for you, I think she’ll listen to me. We’ll check up on you two, so don’t loose your job.” He said.

I smiled. “Thank you, sir.”

I turned around.

“And, son,” he said, “You did a good job of keeping your sister safe.”

“Thank you.”

“Leo!” I turned around and saw Hunter standing there, waiting for me.

She ran and flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight embrace. I picked her up around the waist and hugged her back. I couldn’t believe what happened. We would be able to stay together and be a family, even if it was only us two.

“Are you okay?” she asked me quietly.

“I’m fine, especially because you’re still here.” I felt tears slid down my face and onto her shoulder.

“I love you.” I whispered in her ear after a few moments of silence.

“Love you, too.” She replied, hugging me closer.

I put her down and pulled her into the house by her hand. I put her to bed as soon as we got in, she needed to rest. I decided to take a shower and wait for the morning to clean up the kitchen.

“Did last night really happen?” Hunter asked from the counter.

She sat on it and started swinging her legs, bumping me softly in the back every now and them.

“I hope it did.” I replied, throwing a few more cans in the trash bag.

She looked at me like I was some crazy idiot that just offered her a ride into the future of her dreams.


“If it didn’t happen, then Kevin would be coming home later and you would be leaving me next weekend.”

I had my back turned and was hunched over, so I couldn’t see Hunter. But the next thing I knew, two small arms were wrapped around my back and a huge smile was on my sister’s face.

“Are you serious? I get to actually stay with you?” she seemed overly hopeful.

She usually doesn’t like to get hopeful like this because she knows that it will always turn out being bad and then her hopes get crushed. And then she feels bad because the outcome wasn’t in her favor and that fact that she let herself be that hopeful over something small.

I nodded, laughing at her as she jumped around the room.

“Are you sure you’re my sister?” I asked, going back to my previous work.

“Now I don’t have to run away, become a problem, or completely ruin that lady’s car.” She said with a smile.

“What?”

“I made a list of things to do so I wouldn’t have to leave.”

“And you think I’m the weird one.”

“Nope.” She said with a smile. “I know you are.”

“I love you, too.”

And then I took the trash bags out to the trash, just like I should’ve done with Kevin a while ago. But not having Kevin around gives us nothing to do.

Everyone found out what happened. But it didn’t matter to me. What mattered to me was that I was able to keep the little part of my mother that I had left, Hunter. We live in the same house on the same street and are still doing fairly well. All in all, I can’t say that I miss Kevin, but I do have to say that really showed me how much my sister meant to me.

We visit him a few times a month and every time we go, he’s gotten better. He smiles and hugs each of us. I like him better like this, but either way, he still feel’s really sorry for what he’s done. Or, really, what he didn’t do.

None of us can go back and re-do history, so we just have to deal with what we do and how the future turns out.

“You know how history is probably one of the most boring subjects ever?” Hunter asked on the way home.

“Not for me.” I said. Actually, it’s my favorite class in all of school.

She smacked my arm with a laugh, “But you know how, for many other people, it is?”

“Yeah…why?”

“It’s sort of funny how your history can affect your future, but then you completely mess up and you know there’s no way to go back and re-do it, but yet there’s always someway that you can. Sort of cool, too. You always get a second chance at everything, even if you don’t see it. Even you’re life, but it’s just a different type of second chance than what people expect.” She said.

I thought about it for a few moments and, as I thought about how wrong this fourteen year old girl is, I actually had to agree with her.