The Most Painful Things

Two

John has a doctor's appointment tonight, so I walk home alone. Ordinarily, I would've just caught a ride with John and his family, but I figured they might want time without me. With John's DMD and everything, every doctor's visit was nerve-racking.

When I get home, I arrive to an unusually empty house. Normally, my house is loud and crazy. With five brothers and two sisters- and who could forget the dogs- there is almost never a moment of silence.

"Hello?" I call out. No one answers. I guess they're all out somewhere. Maybe this is a Home Alone type situation and they are all on their way to New York or something without me.

I grab a banana and sit down at the counter to eat it, glad that the school day is finally over. But then I remember how much homework I have to do and stand back up, leaving the banana abandoned sadly on the kitchen counter.

Sighing, I plop down on the couch and pull out my mountains of homework, glad yet at the same time disappointed that I don't have water polo practice today. After ten minutes, I have already lost focus and take out my phone.

Text from Unknown blinks up at me.

"Creepy. . ." I say, opening the message.

Hows your friend? It reads. I roll my eyes and close the message, turning back to my homework.

A few minutes later, my phone buzzes again. A little annoyed now, I open it again.

I dont mean 2 sound creepy. just wonderin how your doin w/ that.

I don't respond. I figure it's one of my younger brothers' friends who has a crush on me; Caleb has some really nerdy friends who freak out whenever a girl talks to them.

I toss my phone to a chair on the other side of the room. I have a history test tomorrow and could use some actual study time.

My phone vibrates a few more times, but I ignore it.

Half an hour later, my family walks through the door, the boys screaming and generally being boys, Madison and Joy on their phones, each holding an over excited dog on a leash, and my mom looking hassled.

Mom staggers to the table, drops a load of groceries, and walks over to me. She kisses the top of my head. "Studying?"

"No, Mom, Aiden's just reading the textbook for fun!" Thomas laughs. Thomas is my twin and we look as alike as two fraternal twins of opposite genders can.

Mom sighs and walks down the hall, hand on her forehead. She closes the door behind her.

"What did you do to Mom?" I ask in an accusatory tone.

I get various excuses and mumbles.

Caleb, who's 14, walks past me, following Mom. Before he goes into the hall, he stops and kisses the top of my head, mocking her.

Jayce laughs and copies him.

A minute later, I have been kissed on the head by Caleb, Jayce, Phillip, Zach, Joy, and even Mad.

I glance up at Thomas. "And?"

He smirks and walks over as though following in their footsteps, but as he's bending over, he flicks me in the back of the head.

"Ow!" I laugh and try to hit him from behind me. He easily dodges and snatches the banana I had set on the counter, running into his room. "Hey! That was mine!" I call after him.

"I know!" He shouts.

I sit back down to study, my smile fading. I need someone to help me. . . I think. "Hey!" I shout. "Someone come help me study!"