NO ONE FOR ME BUT YOU

(35)

Theodore

"Son your soaking wet what has your grandma got you doing." My granddad asks taking off his massive zip up. It was too big for him and it was like a weighted blanket when he wrapped it around my scrawny body. He uses the hood to dry my wet hair.

"You know we love you but you can't stay here forever you gotta make up with your father." I shake my head I hated my father right now In 3 weeks he's shipping me off to America to live with my egg donor. He said she wants to be in my life and that she's willing to take this to court for me. My dad didn't even try and he agreed right there on the phone like i was nothing but a burden to him my whole life. I stormed out 3 days ago and have been staying with my grandparents.

They've been taking me on Saturdays since I was born so I'm really close to them and I love them so much and it makes me feel like crying even thinking about leaving them and potentially never seeing them again.

"Come on let's go upstairs and find something clean to wear for you." He grabs me by the shoulders and leads me up the stairs and into his room. Opening his grand walk in closet he scans through some of his clothes to see which ones could be modified to fit me.

Glass shattered downstairs and both our heads turned towards the door before we heard my grandma's painful scream of agony. My granddad turns towards me. he was very fit for his age and I was very thin for my age so he easily picked me up and placed me on a large shelf and pushed me in so that the racks of t-shirts hid my body.

"Stay here and don't leave." He ran out shutting the door and turning the lights off. This started to feel like the beginning of an action movie where the protagonist witnessed the murder of a loved one so decides to go on a murder rampage. I covered my ears and closed my eyes it was too silent I could hear my thoughts my breathing my stomach churning. There was shouting and a lot of it but I kept my ears covered mumbling the words and the shattering  of glass.

BANG BANG BANG BANG My whole body jumped out of its skin. Silence complete silence. There was not a single voice not a single footstep nothing. I snuck out of the shelf hopping onto the floor. I open the door and creep downstairs. I gasped and froze I couldn't breathe I couldn't scream I couldn't move I couldn't do anything but stare at my grandparents laying side by side a whole in their heart and their head.

I took my granddad's hoodie off preparing to cover him with It but instead pain thrashed through my back again and again and again. I dropped to the floor in-between my grandparents. "Yo lets go bro before the police get here grab the money and the TV." Was I meant to be dead? Am I going to die? No no no my dad I need to tell my dad that I loved him. I wasn't scared of death but I was scared of leaving my dad alone my brother laikon alone and my sister jayla alone. I needed them as much as they needed me and I couldn't leave them not forever not like this. I clung onto my Grandads zip up tucking it towards me as I closed my eyes prepared for the never ending darkness.

Horrible fucking beeping filled my head I told my dad to stop making his alarm clock so loud it wakes me up all the time. I groan in annoyance and open my eyes. I squinted as the room was filled with white light. What the fuck am I dead? "Son your awake." I look to my left to see my dad. I go to sit up but pain struck me hard. "Don't get up just yet."

"What's wrong with me." I grogged out.
"You were shot 4 times in the back 3 days ago they put you under surgery to remove the bullets you'll be fine you won't have anything but a few scars on your back you have stitches but they gonna remove them in 2 weeks...the day before you go to america."

I was shot in the back 4 times and I lost two people I loved the most and he's still sending me away. I turn my head to the other side. I don't want him to see me cry. "Look son I tried ok I tried my hardest to make her let me keep you for as long as I could but she wouldn't give in she didn't care." I still didn't look at him. "Here Theo. You were holding this when they found you." The smell of sandalwood and hard boiled sweets filled my nose I turned my head to see the zip up my granddad gave me.

I cling to it covering my face with it. I put my hands in the pocket for warmth but I just found hard boiled sweets instead the ones he probably took out of grandma's jar to sneak and eat without her permission. I wanted to laugh but the memories of my grandmas scream the glass shattering and the gunshots filled my head and all I could do was cry.

I jolted up hyperventilating tears flooding my eyes. I had these dreams reliving everything often when I wasn't sleeping with Brooklyn. But something about today's was hard it felt like the scars on my back were burning on purpose to make it feel more real. I couldn't stayhere I couldn't stay in this house. I stumble out of my room making enough ruckus to wake up lily. My brothers and their girlfriends stayed the night even though half of them have their own place but I guess staying here on the weekend is nicer with free food from mum and a whole cinema room to stay in.

"Dude what's your issue man you woke up lily." Kyle opens the door.
"Are you ok." A sob rips out of me. Mason opens his door next as they both watch me slump over the railing of the stairs. "Whats up why you crying man" it was haden who opened the door next now all my brothers except Jax was watching me and I hated it I hated them. I hated this whole fucking family. Rayda Michael mason Kyle haden and even Jax and I hated them all. "Brooke I'm going to brooke." I walk down the stairs grabbing my car keys and getting in my car.

I headed the long way hoping maybe it gave me enough time to stop the tears and the heavy breathing. But my scars were burning and stinging I don't know if it was physical or mental but they hurt. My eyes were foggy and clouded I should pull over I couldn't see a thing. It was already dark outside so the tears that clouded my vision made it impossible to see anything not even the headlight's that came towards me. I tried to turn my car to avoid it but they hit the side of me car. My car skids to the side crashing into the rail somehow it went straight through my windscreen. I scream as it hits the side of my body compressing my ribs. I roll off the road hitting my jaw on the massive piece of metal stuck in my car. My legs lifts up smashing into my wheel before my car lands upside down.

My vision went black.
"There's a male victim he seems badly hurt were gonna need an ambulance asap." "Help me turn this engine off before his car explodes with him in it."
My door is yanked open. My engine switched off before I'm slowly being pulled out of my car. "Brooklyn" I mumble my jaw feeling numb.

"Is that your name son."
"My wife Brooklyn I need her. Brooklyn Brooklyn Brooklyn Paige."
"What's your name son."
"Theodore Jones I need-"
"Brooklyn Paige we understand son we will get you Brooklyn."
"I found his phone it's pretty shattered but somehow it still works His emergency contact is Brooke with a heart."
"Ok right down the number so we can contact her when hes emitted."
"Brooklyn I love you so much."
"Is Brooklyn your emergency contact on your medical records as well son or is it someone else we don't need the hospital phoning the wrong person."
"It's Brooklyn I changed it months ago. Brooklyn t-tell her everything."