As soon as I got home. I'd forgotten all about my worries. Stacie and Nina didn't seem like huge threats to my sanity anymore. When I closed my eyes, I didn't see the tragedy of the past. Instead, I saw airplanes taking off, free as a bird. I saw them land, swooping down from the clouds. I saw August, captivated by the sights in front of us.

The rest of the school day was easier to conquer. In fact, nothing seemed to bother me; not even Stacie's foul mood. So, when I got home, I felt a lot happier than usual. My brother, on the other hand, grumbled under his breath as he followed me into the house. He all but slammed the door shut.

I turned to face him. He hadn't talked the whole ride home, but I knew sometimes he wanted to talk, and sometimes he didn't. I was so caught up in my good day, which was rare for me, that I didn't notice his anger before.

"Hey, Nel, is everything okay?"

And then I saw his face. Ever since he had gotten into my car, I hadn't offered him a second glance. But now, under the bright living room lights, I could see the bruise forming on his right eye, which was swollen shut. His lower lip was busted, and his jaw was bruised. Blood had dried on his nose and lip.

"Oh my gosh, why didn't you say anything?" I shouted. Dad wasn't home, either. His vehicle was missing from the driveway.

He just shook his head, trying to shove past me. I gripped his arms tightly, refusing to let him pass.

"I thought this was all under control. I thought you and Dad had-"

"No, Kiley." He finally shrugged off my grasp. "You go to the same school as me. You know what those people are like."

I placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Who hurt you, Nel?"

"No. Because then they'll hurt you."

"I'm the older one, remember? I protect you. I know I've been doing a terrible job, but let me make things right," I whispered. My heart broke for my brother. Sure, we'd made up. Sure, things were better between us. But damn, I'd messed up. And I was still messing up, because I hadn't realized how much my brother was hurting. He needed me, even if he didn't vocalize it.

My brother managed to slip past me, and I followed behind him as he climbed up the stairs. Then, I grabbed his arm and yanked him to the bathroom. He sat on the toilet and I grabbed our old medical kit. Before our mother had decided she was better off living with another family, she had taught us first aid. She'd taught us how to cross the street. But she hadn't taught us how to deal with our demons, because even she couldn't do that.

He flinched as I disinfected his injuries. Nothing really warranted a bandage, so I ran down stairs and grabbed him an ice pack for his swollen eye. And for his whole face, basically. When I brought it up to him, he muttered his thanks, then plopped it right on his eye. He seemed to slump in relief. I wondered how much his face hurt.

"I'm going to call Dad," I said.

He shook his head. "Kiley, leave him out of this."

"No."

"Yes!"
"Dad is our best defender, and we can't do this alone, Nel! Go to the principal, get them all expelled!"
"Or I can handle my problems like you, and I can let them keep attacking me!"

I flinched.

"Wait, Kiley-"

"No, you're right. But you know I have plans to turn that all around, right?"

He smirked, but then flinched in pain. "Yeah. How's the plan going with that friend of yours?"

"Good," I replied, leaning back against the counter. "Nina will crack soon."

"Good."

I scowled. "This is about you!"

"What happened, Kiley? What made you get involved in all this?"

"Shut up, Nelson!" I turned away from him, bringing a hand to my head and tugging at my hair out of frustration. "This can't keep happening. This is about Kyle. This is about you kissing his girlfriend. This is all because of me." My voice got softer towards the end, and it broke a little. I had to remind myself that I couldn't change the past, but that I was working to change the future.

"Kiley," he said sharply. "I don't blame you anymore. I just don't want anymore problems. I can take a beating."

"But what happens when you let another slide, and then another? Because it's never just one!" I screamed, whirling around to face my brother again.

Nelson stared up at me, eyes wide.

"I won't let you become like me. I won't let you. You can't let one mistake lead to more."

We both jumped as we heard the door close downstairs.

"Kids? You home?"

We both made eye contact. I didn't think that either of us let out a breath.

"Kiley? Nelson?"

His footsteps could be heard on the stairs.

"You can't hide a face like that forever," I hissed.

"I'll enjoy trying," he had the nerve to say.

"Tell him, or I will, dammit."

He let out a breath, the slowly rose off the toilet. "Fine, but you need to come clean about whatever is bothering you. Let me help you, if you want to help me so bad."

The door flew open. At first, Dad had his regular, relaxed smile on his face. He had a grocery bag hanging off his arm, and he had put on his glasses for once, even if they were hanging off his nose.

Then, his eyes widened in shock, his concerned parent side swiftly coming to the surface.

"What happened?"

He didn't rush past me to his youngest child. He didn't shout, demanding to know the answer to his question right when he asked it. That was because our father wasn't like that. He was a gentle soul, not a fighter. He tried to put so much trust in his children, and he believed that would make us tell him everything. And it did, at first. I told him about the incident. Nelson opened up about school. But we could never tell him the full stories, how the people at school kept harassing us, and how I had been too weak to do anything before. And I sure as hell couldn't tell him I was planning blackmail.

Our father frowned at our lack of response.

I looked to my brother. It had to come from him. I had no right to tell his story, just like Dad didn't tell mine.

"Kyle and a few of his friends jumped me after school," he admitted.

I felt like Dad would be disappointed in me for not realizing. I should've helped him. I should've realized.

Dad let out a deep, heart wrenching sigh. He hated seeing us hurt, and that's all we were these days. Hurt. "I thought talking to your principal would be enough. Let me see what else I can do."

"No, Dad," my brother said, standing on wobbly legs. "Let me handle it. Kiley will help me. And I'll help her."

I looked at him and offered him a small nod of appreciation. But it also meant telling him the whole story. One day.

"I'm glad you guys are friends again," Dad said, and a bit of his smile came back. "I trust you guys, but let me know if you need some help." He turned to walk out, but stopped. "I'll be in my office, but call me if you need me. I got us some frozen food for dinner."

He left, and Nelson let out a sigh of relief.

I leaned my hip against the counter, crossing my arms over my chest. "Are you sure you don't want Dad to just talk to the principal again?"

"Would that work for you?" He spit back. "Would that make them stop?"

I shrugged, but that was his answer. The truth was, many victims were scared to go to authority. And we were victims as much as we were the predators, and that's why we were the perfect targets.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I snatched it out, thinking it could be one of the menaces. Instead, it was Janessa. I'd forgotten I'd texted her.

It said, "Okay, if I can trust you, we'll bring the bitch down. She just doesn't quit."

———
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Thoughts?

-Sarah