Ghostly Blood

Chapter 5

 "When you're different, sometimes you don't see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn't."

Jodi Picoult

"Dad I need to tell you something". Me and Jackson ended up saying together. I looked over to his green eyes and stepped back allowing him to speak first. The memory of what he said to me before was just repeating back in my head ever since our little incident.

"Actually you can go first". He said giving me a small smirk. I clenched my jaw and stepped forward. I looked up into dad's blue eyes.

"What is it sweetheart?" I looked down and took a huge deep breath. Here goes the truth that will make dad more disappointed in me.

"I'm failing my classes" I looked up to see dad with a blank expression on his face. "Dad I'm so sorry, I promise I will do better" Still he gave me a blank expression. He's probably so disappointed in me that he doesn't have anything to even say.

"It doesn't matter if you do better or not now Juliet" He said looking tired. I looked down in disappointment and stepped back allowing Jackson to speak.

"Dad?" I heard Jackson say. I looked up but couldn't see dad's face because Jackson was blocking my view with his big body.

"I dropped out of college" My eyes and mouth opened wide with shock. Why did Jackson drop out of college? He was doing so good.

"Why did you drop out of college?" I heard dad said trying to understand. Jackson's big body shrugged and slung to the right side of him.

"Ok family meeting right now. Juliet go and call Jade downstairs" I was about to go to the door when Jackson blocked my view. I looked up at his hard expression and stepped back in fear of my own brother.

"I'll go instead" Even though he was speaking to dad he looked me dead in the eye. He turned around, I closed my eyes until I heard his footsteps completely gone. I opened my eyes up again and saw dad just looking to the floor with his hands in his pockets. I heard loud footsteps coming downstairs, I looked to my left and saw Jackson and Jade coming in, avoiding all eye contact with me.

"Dad you called" Jade said looking at dad. Dad sighed and looked up at her, then Jackson and then me.

"Yes I did. We all need to talk"

"About what?" Jackson said. Dad took a deep breath then concentrated on Jackson.

"About all of us"

"What is there to discuss!" Jackson said very loudly. I noticed dad clenching and unclenching his jaw trying to keep his anger under control.

"Everything" Dad said slightly raising his voice. Jackson smirked and put his hands in his jean pocket.

"There is nothing dad, nothing. DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"NO DO YOU HEAR ME!" I took a step back in fear. Dad's face was red and his hands were in fists. I looked over at Jackson and saw him go completely still. "Is that anyway to speak to your father! No, it's not! How dare you disrespect me? I might not show that I don't care about the way you act but I do. You need to pull yourself together Jackson, grow up and act your age, not my age, but your own" Dad turned around so his back was facing towards us. He's never shouted at us-ever. But in a way I don't blame him, what Jackson said was wrong.

"I can speak anyway I want" Jackson said mumbling underneath his breath. Dad turned around and looked at Jackson straight in the eye.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I can speak anyway the hell I want"

"Not in my house you're not!"

"WELL IT'S NOT JUST YOUR HOUSE IT'S MUM'S HOUSE AS WELL. STOP BEING SO SELF CENTERED DAD!"

"SHUT UP!" I covered my ears and closed my eyes tightly. That's it I can't take any more of this fighting going on. Why is this happening to me? I just want to live a normal life with the family I've got right now. Why can't everything be normal and the way I want it. Why? Why?

"Juliet?" I opened my eyes and saw dad looking at me in worry. I stepped back until my back hit the counter.

"Just please be quiet, I just want it to be silent" Dad stepped back and watched me. I closed my eyes back again and regained my breath

"She's acting. Always wanting the attention" I opened my eyes and looked at Jackson angrily. That's it no more being nice now.

"SHUT UP JACKSON, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S THE ATTENTION SEEKING DOG IN THE HOUSE!" His eyes widened in shock as he took in what I just said.

"Juliet that is no way to speak to your brother!" Dad said raising his voice at me. I raised my eyebrow and looked at dad smirking.

"No dad, that is the way to speak to him. I don't care if he is older than me". I turned away from dad and looked at Jackson. "Jackson you say to me every single day that I'm the most loved child then why do I have the smallest room in the house?" He was about to say something then closed his mouth. "Why do you get more freedom than me?" He never said anything while the air then filled with silent. I looked away from Jackson and kept contact with Jade. "Jade" She looked up at me with a sad face. "Why did mum always take you shopping and not me?" Again no one said anything. "This is what I mean. You guys say I'm the most loved child when it's really both of you. The reason mum and dad paid attention to me is because they felt sorry for me"

"Juliet that is not true" I looked at dad and it looked like he was about to cry.

"Dad. You and I both know that it's true. You felt sorry for me because I had nothing in common with either of you" Dad shook his head and tried to touch my hand but I pulled away. "Why don't I look like either of you? Why do I have brown eyes and not blue or green?" Dad gave me a sad look and looked away from my face. "Exactly that's why sometimes I think I'm adopted" I said with tears. Dad gave me a disappointing look and shook his head.

"Please don't say that". Dad said quietly.

"Then what shall I say?"

"I think you've said enough" Jade said. She walked away and ran upstairs. Jackson gave me a disappointing look and went after her. I looked over at dad he gave me a sad look and walked away from me as well. What did I just do?