The Harper Brothers (Wattpad Version)

Patrick

Leokadia

Val and Patrick took me shopping. I sat in the backseat as Val drove.

"So...nice weather we're having," I said.

Neither replied.

"You could drop me off and pick me up later."

Silence.

"I could give you a time frame since I don't have a phone."

Val pulled into a parking lot, parked, and got out of the car. Patrick followed suit. I sighed and got out of the vehicle.

Val signed to Patrick. He rolled his eyes and pressed a button on his hearing aids.

Val turned to me. "Pat turns off his hearing aids."

"Okay, but you can hear."

"Yeah, because I'm not deaf."

"You didn't respond to me."

"You mentioned the weather."

"I was breaking the ice."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Val arched his brow.

"Well, okay." I blew air past my lips.

Val and Patrick started walking. I had to run to keep up with them. We entered the store. Val grabbed a shopping cart and pushed it. Patrick walked next to him as I trailed behind them. We stopped in the women's department.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Val asked me.

"I don't have any money."

"Yeah, so?"

I knitted my brows. "I can't buy anything."

Patrick leaned towards me. "That's why Ma gave us her credit card, you twit."

I stared at Patrick. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Will you find some poor soul to harass?" Val asked.

"I didn't want to come. Dad made me," Patrick said.

"Because you have a pissy attitude. Suck it up, buttercup."

"Whatever." Patrick walked away.

"Patrick doesn't like people, does he?" I asked Val.

"Patrick doesn't like anyone who points out his deafness. Kids at school weren't the nicest with him."

"Well, if it makes him feel better, no one likes me." I shrugged.

Val chuckled.

I checked out clothes. "I had to switch schools with each new foster family. So, friends aren't ideal."

"Why so many foster homes?"

"It's your typical answer. We can't handle Leokadia. She doesn't listen. We're moving and can't take Leokadia with us. You get used to rejection."

"I have two cousins that came through the foster system. Someone left one at a hospital, and another left the other kid at a chapel. Their dads adopted them."

"Well, at least they had people who loved them." I walked away, not wanting to talk about my foster homes.

*******
Valentine

I stuck close to Leokadia. She picked out a few things and stopped.

"Why did you stop?" I asked her.