Their Little Princess | ✔️

Chapter Nine

"Alright, go ahead to bed, okay? Good night, Maddie."

I don't respond. Because I can already tell, tonight won't be a very good rest.

.

I awake from a light sleep the next morning to a knock on my door, and they don't stop knocking or even give me the chance to answer, I sigh and stand up, becoming very aware of the fact that my rib brace is off. One of my brothers must have taken it off while I was asleep, I assume I shouldn't sleep with it on then.

I walk over to the door and open it, Xander stands there uninterestedly with his phone in his hand, "Elijah, wants you downstairs. Don't worry, I'm not lying."

I scowl and my face flushes a little, and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes, "Okay, I'll be down in a second."

"No, now."

I glare at his back as he walks away. I slide my fuzzy slippers on and walk downstairs, Xander stops at the doorway, I walk into the living room. Elijah is sliding his trench coat on. He opens his arms up and I walk into his hug, he hugs me gently before moving back and fixing the collar on his coat, "Francesco is gonna bring you to your appointment today, okay? I have some business to take care of, but I'll be home by tonight, okay?"

My heart drops, "Does it have to be Francesco?" I ask softly.

"I know he's not your favorite, Maddie, but he's the next oldest." He must sense my hesitance, "If you behave, I have a surprise for you when you get home," He says.

I don't like surprises, I remember every time Daniel said he had a 'surprise' for me for not listening and it was just more punishments. But I look forward to Elijah's surprise nonetheless. He grabs his phone off the table, "Don't forget to put your rib brace back on after breakfast. I'll see you tonight, Maddie. Be good, alright?"

It does begin to get annoying that he's talking to me like a baby, but I just nod, not willing to speak up and ruin things with one of the only people showing me compassion.

"Xander, take her into the kitchen and make her something to eat," Elijah says as he walks out the door. He just had to ruin it.

I obediently follow Xander into the kitchen and sit down at the island as Xander pours me a bowl of cereal, "You play football?" I ask, trying to make conversation when I see the Varsity hoodie he has on.

"Sometimes."

He cuts the conversation with his clipped response and slides the bowl over, I try to figure out why he seems to hate me. I never did a thing to him. I start to wonder if he just doesn't want me here. He doesn't have to treat me this way to get the point across. I feel that way anyway. I'm just the poor little girl they decided to take compassion on. He slides a bowl of cereal over to me, and to not risk angering him more, I put a scoop into my mouth immediately and go through the same grueling process I go through every time I eat. 

He slides a glass of orange juice over to me, "I..." I begin, sliding it back slightly.

"You need orange juice. Your immune system is probably shit," He says, sliding it back toward me.

"Try it first," Francesco says, walking into kitchen as he slides his shirt on.

For once, I'm actually thankful for Francesco.

"What?" Xander says.

"She has a thing, I don't know, just drink it first, it's the only way she'll drink it," He says.

"I'm right here, you don't have to talk about me like I'm not in the room," I manage to say, however shakily it may be.

"Then, why don't you talk for yourself? Go on," Francesco challenges, looking me in the eye.

But he set me up to look stupid, I have nothing else to say unless I just repeat what he already told Xander. Tears threaten to surface and there's a lump in my throat. Xander takes a sip from the cup before sliding it back over to me, "Drink," He says.

I grab it hesitantly, peeking into the cup and shaking it around a little before taking a sip. I can honestly say I trust both of them as far as I can throw them. And let's be real, I probably couldn't lift either of them off the ground, and this is too serious to just test their integrity, not now.

"Hurry up and eat so you can get dressed. Your appointment's at 11," Francesco says, glancing at his phone, "I'm gonna wait in the car, you have 10 minutes."

He walks outside, though I suspect it's less to do with waiting for me, and more to privately yell at the person he's currently talking furiously to on the phone. Xander isn't as negotiable with the food as Elijah, he stays there at the table until I finish every last spoonful of cereal and drink every last drop of orange juice.

I pick up my empty dishes and put them into the dishwasher before heading upstairs to get dressed, sliding my rib brace on under my choice of hoodie and leggings for the day.

I put on my new favorite pair of Converses and walk out to the car.

If there's anything I hate more than math and disappointing people, it's the doctor's office. I don't have any good experiences with the doctor, I've never gotten good news at the doctor's, and I've never had a good time at the doctor's. I climb into the back of Francesco's car and he pulls out of the driveway the moment my seatbelt clicks into place.

At least he doesn't want me to die, right?

It's the little things.

But what scares me the most is what I know the doctor will find.