It Goes There // Josh Dun + Twenty One Pilots

twenty-eight // kids are victims in this story

"What the hell did you just call me?"

My mother sighed, gesturing for both of us to knock it off. "Both of you know what's going on with the bank and Mr. Beaumont. Well, something happened today."

"Get on with it," I said.

"Chicago's mom found him dead in his room from an overdose."

"I just dropped Chicago off at her house and there was no police there. When did you figure this out?"

"Sara found him just as you dropped her off apparently. He locked himself in his study and it took her a few minutes to get the door open. The police just arrived at their house."

"So," I said, messing with my hair. "did he do this because he was guilty?"

My brother shrugged. "That's the only reason that sounds that plausible."

"Chicago and Hugo will be spending the night with us. Chicago doesn't want to be involved when the police show up and she insisted that Hugo come with her for some reason."

"She's really protective over him," I explained. "Um, I'll go up to my room and get the air mattress today for them, alright?"

My mother nodded absentmindedly and I shot my older brother a glare before darting up the stairs. 

I didn't understand what Chicago did to deserve a life like this.

•••

Hugo and Chicago arrived at my house around six, both of their faces giving away their feelings. The second youngest Beaumont child had a frown on his face, proving that he was upset over the death of his father; proving that he didn't understand why one of his parents would end their life. Chicago, on the other hand, was practically the total opposite. She showed no emotion on her face and I knew she wasn't surprised on the outcome of everything, but I wondered what she really felt. Of course, her and her father never really got along, but I would think that she would feel some kind of sadness.

At seven, I ended up driving to go get Taco Bell for the four of us, not counting my mother, who was currently with Sara Beaumont. Matthew wasn't very friendly towards my friends, so he locked himself in his room for the whole night. It wasn't like I was complaining though. Besides, dinner wasn't that entertaining.

Hugo stayed attached to Chicago's hip for the most part and either one of us knew what to talk about. I asked Chicago if anybody outside of my family and her family knew about her father's suicide yet and she just shook her head, biting into her chicken quesadilla. Hugo mentioned the fact he now had a girlfriend named Danielle whom he wanted to ask out for a long time, but just recently got the nerve too. After all of us realized that there was nothing else we could really say, we watched a few episodes of SpongeBob, which put Hugo into a better mood, and then decided to go to bed. The Beaumont siblings sure needed the sleep.

I sort of envied how close Chicago was to Hugo. I envied a family life that actually was accepting. The Beaumonts were far from accepting. They forced their children to be geniuses, but at least they understood them to some degree. My family was never going to agree with my choices.

I just wish Matthew was nicer and my mother actually used my name instead of using Ember or just avoided calling me anything at all. Why was it so hard for someone to love their child? Parents take care of their children and raise them, along the way making sure they don't make any bad decisions, but the moment the child goes against certain beliefs, they are automatically shunned. Question is, why even have a child if you aren't going to love them regardless of everything?