The Dragon & The Butterfly

Chapter 15

"I bought you a new dress." We hear from one of the other rooms. Dad, me, and Tyler both turn our heads at the same time and watch as mom comes into the foyer area. "I need you to try it on so I can see if there are any adjustments that need to be made." I roll my eyes but I make sure my mother isn't looking when I do.

Tyler looks at mom and then me and says, "Aren't you going to say something to her besides that?" He asks, sounding annoyed.

Mom looks at him confused, and a little irritated. She grabs me by the elbow and turns back at him and says "no" as she pulls me back towards the back of the house.

I decided to take a look back at Tyler "don't bother."

I got to my old room and noticed a brand new dress laying on the bed. "Mom, you do know that you didn't have to buy me a new dress right?" She just looks at me like I'm crazy or something.

"No, you wore that dress to the Awakening Ceremony."

"Mom, it's still practically a brand new dress. I wore it once for an hour tops." I say trying to reason with my mother.

"No, you can't be seen wearing the same dress again. I don't want you to embarrass your brother.

"No we can't have that now can we?" I mutter.

"Go try it on so I can make sure there aren't any alterations needed." I just sigh internally.

I walk over to the bed. I strip out of my clothes and slip the dress on. It fits perfectly. Why am I even surprised? I wondered with a mental eye roll. The dress is more revealing than I expected though.

Mom came back into the room in that ever quiet way of hers. "Great, it fits you perfectly." She said, startling me.

"Mom, why is this dress so revealing?"

"Because your brother is getting a guardian so he will be the center of attention. You have to be somewhat presentable and help your brother look good."

"Mom, if you are so worried about me embarrassing my brother, or making him look bad why do I even bother going?" I ask barely keeping the contempt and tremble out of my voice.

My mother looks at me with no emotion at all and says, "because it's tradition and your brother deserves the best."

"Are you fucking serious right now?" Tyler's voice booms from the doorway.

Mom looks at him and says, "yes." Then just walks out of the room like she just didn't say I was a piece of meat to make my brother look better.

Tyler looks at me with sadness and anger in his eye, "I am so fucking sorry. I had no idea." He says his hands trembling, matching the anger I saw in his eyes. I also saw tears shining in his eyes.

"I didn't want you to know."

He helped me off the step stool I was standing on. "Why?"

"Because I was told from a young age and was made to understand I would amount to nothing and you this family's hopes and dreams." I said with a shrug.

"I..."

"Tyler, this isn't your fault. I don't blame you."

"How could you not?"

"Because you didn't know." I told him with a sad smile.

"I should have known. I should have known and I should have done something more about it." He said with tears in his voice.

"Tyler, please stop. You didn't know because I didn't want you to. I didn't want you to feel guilty over something that wasn't your fault."