The Silent One ✔

Chapter Seventeen

"Angel-"

"No Jason" I shake my head as stopping in my tracks, "I was the one there...when I did those things I was being reckless and selfish...I should have thought about you"

"I'm not your responsibility Angie" he cries "I never was"

"Let me finish" I beg "after Trisha died I lost my way...I wasn't thinking straight....the night I got arrested... I would have shot that cop if it wasn't for you...I was thinking of you...I knew that if I pulled the trigger I would have gotten life without parole...I would never get to see you...we lost everybody close to us and all we had was each other and I couldn't go the rest of my life without you Jason...I love you little brother" I wrap my arms around him.

All I felt was guilt after I was arrested because I was the only one there to protect him. After I left he had no one looking out for him - or so I thought. It seems that Aunt Laura has been doing a better job then I ever could.

"I love you too Angel," Jason sighs, "maybe it was supposed to happen like this...maybe everything had to happen the way it did...cause it led us to where we are now"

"Which is where living off of our thirty-four-year-old aunt in California?" I raise a brow as holding him close to me.

"No" he smiles "us together again under the same roof"

"Why do some have it so easy? It's not fair"

"I know," he says as pulling away slowly, looking me in the eye, "have you been alright here?"

"I've been fine" I assure before forcing a half-smile, "I've made friends"

"Is that so?" Jason folds his arms with a smile. "Come on tell me about them," he says as we continue walking.

"Well, there's Ned" I start "he's the football team running back and a huge fuck boy I swear... There's Chris who is the football teams, captain and quarterback... He's sweet and kinda mysterious...I don't actually know much about him...He's got a twin named Blake whose the football teams wide receiver...Blake is a huge sweetheart and is just so loveable...Jenny is a cheerleader...extremely hyperactive... She won't stop talking for a second... Usually, that'd annoy me. but it's actually refreshing"

"So you're friends with a cheerleader and half the football team" he laughs "I would have never imagined"

"You and me both" I smirk "they're really nice people"

"Do they know....about everything?"

"They know nothing" I admit "I made sure of that"

"Why?" Jason raises his brows.

"Why? You kidding" I repeat "hi I'm Evangeline Sanders...I was just released from Juvy...why was I convicted? Good question...I stole liquor... Got charged with grand larceny...got off charge free... Stole a car...attempted to shoot a cop...the courts weren't so lenient that time, so I got two and a half years... Got released...and here I am" I say quickly before shooting Jason an unamused look.

"You don't need to make it sound so dramatic," Jason says.

"Jason it'll scare anybody away" I cry "I've got only four months left before I can go back to New York and see dad"

"You're really going back?" He asks.

"He's our father Jas" I sigh "our parental figure"

"Don't flatter him" he shakes his head "I've had Aunt Laura as a parental figure for the past two years and I can tell you that not once did she come home drunk or destructive in any way"

"Jas-" I rolled my eyes.

"Dad did this to you," he tells me "I get that you're still in denial-"

"I chose this path Jas," I reinforce, "dad didn't influence me or bring me into his world in any way... It broke his heart when I was convicted...that's the last thing that he wanted for us"

"Or exactly what he wanted" Jason shakes his head.

"He hasn't been in trouble with the law since Trisha was a baby" I explain "when he was eighteen years old...twenty years ago..."

"That's not true" he reminds me, "Winter 2006"

I glare at the boy and the pain in his eyes. "How do you remember that?" I lower my voice.

"How does someone forget their father being arrested right in front of them?"

I look down and sigh. I cannot argue with that.

"It was a long time ago" I defend.

"No Angel" he cries "when are you going to wake up? He's not a good person!"

"What happened between you two?" I glare at my baby brother.

There's a moment of silence as Jason looks away.

"Does it matter?" He hisses "What does is that there's a restraining order in place so I never have to see him again"

Restraining order? What did dad do?

"Jason-" I cry.

"Look if you wanna see him again that's fine by me" he sighs "as long as you don't drag me with you... I'm finally in a good place in my life"

"Okay, I get that" I nod slowly in shock. I then sigh, "we better get back to the house"

Jason nods "good idea"