The Harper Brothers: Sophomore Chaos (Wattpad Version)

Back to the chaos

Romeo

A few days after the funeral, we returned to school. We had a few more weeks until we headed home for the summer. This year proved chaotic in every sense. Between Sage's mental healthcare, breakups, and death, I needed some downtime. Let's not forget about the bullshit I endured with Mindy and some students.

I plopped down on the couch and rubbed my face. My brothers, cousins, and the girls came in and sat down. I pulled Sage onto my lap, wrapped my arms around her, and rested my chin on her shoulder.

"We're sorry about Uncle Michael," Casper said.

"Yeah," Val said.

"I have Grandpa's name," Marty said.

"Well, you have both grandfathers' names," Rafe mentioned.

"Oh, yeah!" Marty grinned.

Our parents named us after men they admired," I said.

"What do you mean?" Pat asked.

"Val has Dad's name. You have Grandpa Matt's name. I have Grandpa Greg's. Rafe has Uncle Gabe's name. And Marty has Grandpa's Michaels. Our folks chose names from family members they love," I said.

My brothers glanced at each other and smiled.

"Okay, I must ask. Why don't you let anyone call you Valentine?" Sage asked Val.

Val squinted his eyes at Sage.

"I'm curious, too," Casper said.

"Why is it so important for people to call me Valentine?" Val asked.

"Well, it is your name," Pat said.

"Smartass." Val rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine. It sounds weird when people call me a Hallmark holiday, and I hate the color red."

Sage scrunched her nose.

"Aside from your hair color." Val rolled his eyes.

Sage grinned.

"Well, I like the name Valentine," Leokadia said.

"Oh?" Val arched his brow.

Leokadia shifted on the chair's arm and supported herself with her hands. "Names should be unique and suit the person's personality. How many people have your name?"

"Not many." Val shrugged.

"Exactly. Plus, you picked your name. I have two." Leokadia rolled her eyes.

"What?" We asked.

"My name isn't Leokadia. My mom changed it to hide me from my dad. It's why she left me in a store when I was six. She was trying to keep me safe from him," Leokadia said.

"Did you ever find out what happened to your dad?" Rowan asked.

"No." Leokadia shook her head. "But my mom mentioned that he was a cop."

Our ears pricked up.

"That would explain why my mom left me on the church's doorstep," Casper said.

"What do you mean?" Rafe asked.

"My dad was a cop."

Whoa.

"Shouldn't cops protect and serve?" Marty asked.

"You would think so, but no. From what my mom and Morgan told me, Leokadia's father and my father were dirty cops and enjoyed smacking women around," Casper said.

Leokadia stared at Casper and didn't move. Oh, that's not good.

"Kadia?" Val asked.

Leokadia looked at Val but didn't respond. Five, four, three, two, and one. Leokadia scrambled from the chair's arm before Val caught her. She bolted. I moved Sage from my lap and followed my brothers.