I woke up to my alarm clock ringing in my ears, and to the sound of my own frantic beating heart. Sweat dripping down my face, from the terrible nightmare I had.

These nightmares have become a concurrent thing for me at this point.  The past flashing before my eyes  every single night, and I had to relive it over and over again. In the past month I had visited three therapists, and none of them seemed like any help in stopping these nightmares, well at this point more like night terrors. I don't make it seem like such a big deal in front of Random, but these nightmares scare me a lot.

The usual, waking up screaming,  shouting and crying had awoken him more than a couple hundred times, so  I doubt I was fooling Random at all. Sometimes I think that boy knows better than I do, he definitely understands a lot more than he's  supposed to. He acts a lot older than his age too.

I got out of bed, feeling a light pain spread through my legs. I probably hit my feet somewhere while I was at sleep.

I limped over to the bathroom, and stared at the mirror. I let out a loud gasp at the reflection staring back at me.

My blond hair is all over the place, my honey brown eyes are all swollen,  with cracks in them like I haven't gotten a whole millennium of sleep,  my lips were dry, and really pale, like I hadn't tasted water for the same amount of time I hadn't gotten sleep.

It's safe to say hide your children because the bogeyman has awoken.

I laugh in my head remembering one of Random's stupid jokes, before a scowl sets in at the fact that I find humor in dry jokes like these.

I got ready to wash my face, and hair when sounds from the kitchen put me at high alert, I got tensed. We don't usually receive any visitors, and Randy or Random my little brother is usually asleep by now. So I grabbed a mop, being the only thing around I could defend myself with, or else they had a gun, then I'm dead for sure! I quietly step out of the bathroom not to alert the intruder.

I tiptoed into the kitchen trying to be as stealthy as possible, as I got ready to charge at the criminal as my heartbeat increases, palms get sweaty, my breath comes out ragged.

I braced myself, about to face the intruder, but instead I meet the eyes of my brother Randy standing by the counter, completely covered in flour. I stood for a while, completely surprised at my nine year old brother looking like Olaf the snowman. I chuckle in my head a little at that one.

This has got to stop!

I scold myself internally for thinking that was remotely funny. I stared intensely at the little monster, as he stood there with a mischievous little grin, while I pouted over my messed up kitchen.

"Randy what did you do? Look at this place!"

As I scanned my kitchen, I couldn't help but visibly cringe at what I saw; there were egg shells all over the counter, butter smudged all over the sink, sugar every other place, and the flour? We all know where all that was on! Random.

We had a small kitchen; it was slightly bigger than a cubicle. There was a high table counter that divided it from the living room.

There was a small sink located at the right part attached to the wall, with a table in the middle for chopping and slicing vegetables. We had a stove at right part end, which I could barely afford by the way, and a minni fridge which cost me all of 5 months pay, next to the sink. The kitchen was painted, with tiles of grey, and white which was now covered in cake batter.

"Randy I cleaned this kitchen yesterday after your pancake incident".

Another thing, Yes my brothers name is actually Random, I know it's a weird name but it just makes my little Randy even more unique.

Random is pretty short for a nine year old, standing at a height of 4'feet'5
He says he isn't short he just hasn't hit puberty that's why he hasn't had his growth spurt, but I always laugh at him and tease him by saying that other nine year old kids were much taller, but they hadn't hit puberty either, he resorts by saying that those other kids had hit puberty, but his is coming in later. I was stunned  because he didn't  know that boys can't hit puberty that early but I never corrected him, for the sake of my own sanity.

Random is a really cute boy not only because of his briefness as he'd like to call it, but because of all his facial features; Randy is a slender boy with blond hair and a nose that looks sort like a button, which looks adorable on him, dimples that are to die for when he smiles with gorgeous green eyes that I am absolutely jealous of, and freckles scattered on both sides of his cheeks.

"I am really sorry Val I was only trying to make you breakfast"

He says innocently showing his dimples knowing I would fall for his cuteness.

"Randy you tried to make me breakfast yesterday and the day  before that". I said feeling very frustrated.

"But Val I think I finally got it this time, do you wanna taste it". He said coming down with a pretty nice looking cake.

Randy has been trying to cook since he was six. I know right? But I had always told him to stay away from the stove that he's gonna get hurt but he doesn't ever listen. In one of his fatal attempt at cooking he almost burnt down the apartment luckily the firemen were here to put out the fire on time. I had to pay for damages for months, but he's never stopped apologizing for it even after I told him that it was alright. He cried himself to sleep for 2 days because of it, saying he was the worst brother in the world, and he was totally useless.

It broke my heart to see him that way,  so I told him once we got back the stove he could cook again and he someday cooking for both of us would take away half of my burden and make me so happy. He being a six year old agreed right away, and said he would do anything to make me happy again, but the one thing he didn't understand is that I was always happy no matter what, as long as I had him. I cried that night cause I was truly blessed with a brother like Random.

The cooking part was only if I was there to supervise. Recently after he turned nine he's been sneaking away and cooking without my supervision, but at least now he could use the stove. Whenever I scold him he's been giving the excuse of wanting me to handle less than I had to.

As I told before, Randy is way mature for his age, he knows all I had to deal with, and he's trying to help.

"Come on try it Val, you know you want to"

He's says cutting through my recollection trying to get me to taste it, so I go for it. If all other of his dishes I've tasted didn't kill me then I doubt this one will. I take the spoon from his hand taking a tiny bit of cake, praying to God that this won't be half as bad as his lasagna splash Tuesday. I had diarrhea for two days because of his special lasagna but I didn't want him to know that. It was total pain having to play pretend hide and seek, just so I could go take a dunk.

I put the soft batter into my mouth and it tasted much better than I had expected. A little too chewy; he probably added a little too much butter in the mixing, but it was perfect for a nine year old. He stands there full of anticipation and anxiousness to know how his dish tastes, waiting for a thumbs up or a thumbs down. The kids been getting a thumbs down for three years now, I don't blame him for being so anxious

He waits patiently for my verdict,  I slowly started shaking my head showing disapproval his grin falls straight from his face, seeing this I just wanted to reach out and give him a bone crushing hug but I also wanted to tease him just as much but I couldn't keep my acting up for long.

I grin in approval giving him a thumbs up, as I watched as the grin creep back up to his face.

"Random Jacob Summer the master chef"

I scream dramatically using my hands for effects.  He starts screaming.

"I am the master chef, I am the master chef".

As he jumps from one corner of the living room to another. My grin never left my face as I watch my little brother so happy about making a nice cake.

"Valarie" He shouts, appearing right in front of me. Startling me instantly.

I swear this boy has too much energy.

"Yessssss master chef" I say slightly bowing my head, to show respect for the royalty that he is.

"Arise my faithful subject"  He says getting into character instantly, before busting into a fit of laughter. It was too infectious I had to joined him in the contagious laughter. Finally calming down, He said.

"Val can I take some cake to my friends at school. I want them to taste my master piece" He exclaims, lifting the cake like chefs do on shows.

You see my brother Random is one of those people that can sit hours and hours just watching cooking shows. He absolutely loves it, but for me watching those shows just makes me hungry, and angry

why the hell can't we be the ones tasting it

is the only thought that runs through my mind while watching them.

"Yes chef you most definitely can,"
I said my grin never leaving my face.

"But we have to get ready now or we're gonna be late" I say while pinching his cheeks but he quickly swats my hand away.

"Valarie I'm not a kid anymore". He said turning away from me folding his arms while pouting.

"I'm sorry master chef" I said hugging him from behind. "OK ". He says then turns around and returns my hug."

"Valley poo, I love you so, so much". He said in the middle of the hug. My heart melts every time he says that. I always think to myself I must be doing something right if he would say it everyday without fail.

I laugh at the nickname he's been calling me for two years now. "I love you more Randy bear". I said while leaving a sloppy lingering kiss on his cheek

He broke away from my embrace running up stairs to get ready for school, and leaving me here to clean up the mess, like always.

Then I hear him scream from afar. "I told you I don't like Randy bear". He said in playful annoyance, I just burst into a fit of laughter knowing he never liked that nickname 'Randy bear' but I still insist on calling him that when he calls me Valley poo. Although Random thinks like a grown up he behaves really childish most of the time. That's my Random.

My very first chapter. Please comment and vote. Tell me what you think about this. I have so many ideas on the way this is gonna go, I'm so excited to share this with you all. Thank you so, so much for trusting me with your eyes and emotions, I will try my best not to fail you. I love you guys soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!