Venus Serene

The flash drive

I woke up to the sound of yelling downstairs. I slowly stretched and then got out of my bed and walked out of my room. I saw Jupiter and my dad arguing over something so I hid on the part of the staircase where they wouldn't see me.

"YOU ARE BEING A TERRIBLE SON, DO YOU KNOW THE THINGS I'VE BEEN THROUGH FOR YOU, THINGS I WOULD NEVER GO THROUGH FOR ANY OTHER CHILD" "YOU ALWAYS USE THAT SAME LAZY EXCUSE, YOU DON'T DO SHIT FOR ME." My dad punches Jupiter so hard he falls to the ground. "So tired of you ungrateful kids, I have provided you with the mansion of your dreams, clothes on your back, food and much more and this is how you repay me!" He leaves Jupiter on the floor and walks out the living room.

Once he leaves I run to Jupiter and I hold his face up. He had a big bruise on the right side of his face.

"Stay here, I'll get you some ice" I run to the kitchen and grab an ice pack out the freezer and then I run back to the living room and  give it to Jupiter. I help him to the couch and I sit there beside him. 

"Thanks" "you're welcome. What were you and dad arguing about?" "Dad told me about the mission he's sending you on tomorrow and he wanted me to go with you and then I told him he shouldn't send us on a mission like that just to get us killed. Venus, we're gonna die if we go on that mission."

"Look, I've been on a lot of missions I can handle this by myself, I want to do this by myself because if something happens to you then I won't ever forgive myself" "And you think I could forgive myself if I let you go and something happens to you?" He says, his voice rising with each word. 

"Either go with me or don't go, either way, I have to" "You don't have to" "you don't understand Jupiter, If I don't dad will just tell me he taught me better than this and that all my potential is gonna go to waste and go on and on about how I'm ungrateful and weak, I need to prove to him that I'm not weak and that I can do this."

Jupiter sighs and buries his face in the palm of his hands. 

"Venus, do you hear yourself right now, you're trying to prove something that's already been proved!" 

"You'll never understand because he never made you or the rest of our siblings go through the pain and training I went through so you either come with me or I go by myself" I get off the couch and I go to my room. I lock the door behind me so Jupiter wouldn't try to come in my room and talk me out of going. I walk over to my dresser where I notice the picture of someone I used to love. Her name was Jasmin.

We were so in love nothing could break us apart. Well, there was ONE thing that could break us apart. Death. 

My father killed her because he thought I was too distracted on her and not focused on my training enough. I pick up the picture of her and kiss it. "I miss you everyday, Jasmin." A tear rolls down my cheek. I put the picture back and I go take a shower to get ready for the rest of my day.

...

I had already gotten out of the shower, did my hair and got dressed. I went downstairs to see everyone sitting in the living room. This must be another family meeting because our family never sits together. The only time we sit together is at the dinner table. Kind of sad to be honest.

I don't think it was a family meeting though because Brazee and Weezie weren't there. It was just dad, mom, and Jupiter. "I was just about to call you" dad says as I walk into the living room. 

"What do you want now, I'm already going on a deadly mission for you" "we haven't even discussed the plan or what I needed stolen so sit so I can tell you" I sit down beside mom instead of beside Jupiter because I don't think we're on speaking terms right now. 

"Before we discuss the plan I do need to tell you that the mission has been rescheduled for today because the bank will be occupied tomorrow for some kind of party." Mom says.