Best-Friends with Issues

Chapter 1- Back to the Beginning

~SELENA~

Stumbling out of my room with bleary eyes, the first thing I noticed was Stanton, my older brother, slumped against the wall across from my door, fast asleep.

I sighed, seeing how uncharacteristically messy his brown hair was and knowing that he had spent the night there.

At the sound of someone walking up the stairs, I turned to see Sam, my other older brother and Stanton's twin, beaming at me cheerfully.

"Morning Selena! Have you seen-" He stopped when he caught sight of Stanton, still sleeping in the hallway. "Oh, never mind then."

He turned back to me, blue eyes bright and awake, another unpleasant reminder that everyone even remotely related to me had the same colored eyes. Well, except me, that is.

Sam opened his mouth to say something to me, no doubt something obnoxious or offensive. Or both. But before he did, he must have caught sight of my face, which no doubt looked as tired as I felt.

He frowned at me, a concerned look that I had come to recognize all too well. "How are you holding up?"

"How do ya think?" I replied, my voice scratchy and exhausted. "It's already been two weeks."

He didn't even have to ask what happened two weeks ago, it was public knowledge around here. He only gave me a sympathetic look and moved to kick his twin awake.

Two weeks since I had last had a decent night of sleep.

Two weeks since I had last had an appetite.

Two weeks since I had last told him that I loved him.

Stanton whined in protest as Sam repeatedly kicked him in the leg, until he finally muttered out a few choice cuss words and opened his striking blue eyes. He shot his smug looking brother a murderous glare, then his gaze instantly moved towards my door. When he saw me, his glare only intensified.

"What are you doing?" He accused, as if I was attempting to commit a crime or something. He unsteadily got to his feet, only the slight color in his cheeks indicating that he was embarrassed about having been caught.

"I do live here, you know." I replied scathingly. "Are you quite finished guarding my bedroom?"

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I was not guarding anything! I live here too, and I can sleep wherever the hell I want to!" He didn't sound too convincing.

It was a lie, and we instantly knew it. Most likely, he had accidentally fallen asleep while he was guarding my room. 

However, he wasn't so concerned about anyone breaking in. Rather, he was preventing me from sneaking out.

I was a prisoner in my own house. 

I didn't dignify him with a response, but settled for shooting him the bird and storming down the stairs.

"Why you- Hey! Don't walk away! I'm not done talking to you!" Stanton called after me, and I could hear the sounds of Sam snickering.

I was relieved to see that my parents had already left for work, I didn't think I could handle seeing them this particular morning, especially my dad. He's barely even spoken to me lately, except when ordering me around, all the while giving Stanton meaningful glances in a silent command to have him enforce his rules. He knew well enough that Sam wouldn't take part in his schemes.

I slumped into my chair at the kitchen table, looking around the kitchen for something that I could stomach. I settled for the toast already waiting on the table, courtesy of my mother, no doubt worried that I would end up skipping breakfast again.