0.1 | The Bad Boy and The Cheerleader |✔|

chapter 38

"Why? Why would you do that?" Cora questions me. Her blue eyes are noting me. She probably doesn't trust me anymore.

I sigh and Xavier's grip on my hand tightens. He's giving me reassurance, telling me that he's here for me no matter what. I know he's curious, I know he's desperate to know all about Chris but he's refraining himself because of the state that I'm in.

My stomach leaps at that thought. He's doing it for me because he still cares.

"I wasn't allowed to. My parents said I had to keep him a secret to protect everyone." I tell them, recalling the numerous talks they gave me about keeping Chris a secret.

"Protect? What do you mean to protect everyone?" asks Cora.

"What I mean is that Chris is dangerous. We were all living together, mom, dad, Chris, me and May."

"Hold up, whose May?" Cora interrupts me.

"M—my sister." I sigh sadly and look down at the carpet. "She was my baby sister. She was very little when she passed. You see before I met you guys, I lived in New Jersey and had the perfect happy family. Chris was my older brother who would always look after me no matter what. I don't remember much about him because he was taken away from me when I was only three and a half. I do have some memories of us together though." I shiver at some that flash in my mind. "Chris was only two years older than me and he loved me very much. I loved him too, he made every moment fun.

"And then one day, everything changed. We were playing in the house, he was chasing me pretending to be an evil monster. Mom was cooking in the kitchen, humming to a song. And then she went upstairs, looking for my only two—week old sister, May. The next thing I know, I'm hearing a broken, terrified scream from upstairs. I rushed up the stairs and saw my baby sister dead. He had suffocated her in her own crib. It—it " I'm crying at this point for my own sister who was murdered by our crazy brother. I can still remember my mom's absolutely heartbroken expression, I was only three at the time but I knew she was distraught. 

"Mom had called dad and they had questioned the both of us about what happened. Dad was so sad as well but he was putting on a strong face for the rest of us. I told them I would never, ever hurt May and that Chris was acting a bit strange. Chris denied everything at first. After we mourned for her, we tried to go back to normal. But then my parents started to notice how he changed. Chris was more...evil. He would torment other children who were mean to me and hell, who even looked at me. He would beat kids up and would come home all bruised and scratched, with a creepy smile on his face.

"Then he started bringing home dead animals like birds, bugs and then eventually, cats. He would have their blood on him and would smile so manically. That's when mom and dad realized he had killed our May. Me and mom started acting wary of Chris, trying to stay away from him. Dad tried to talk some sense into him, tried to pry him for answers." I laughed humorously at that. "Like that would work.

"Eventually, mom and dad decided he needed a psychological test. So, they went and the results were not what they wanted. Apparently, Chris was mentally unstable and would need to take several tablets to make him feel better and less...well, crazy.

"For the first month, it worked. He was back to normal again, he didn't get into fights for pointless reasons or bring home dead animals. He was my brother again. But then, one day, he didn't have any. And on that day, he ended up attacking another five year old because he said he would like to have a playdate with me. Chris flipped and attacked him."

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt Xavier's thumb wiping away a stray tear. I inhale and continue with my story.

"The poor boy was sent to a hospital with internal bleeding, four broken bones, five fractures and several cuts and scrapes. He was traumatized. That was the day my parents realized Chris had to be sent away. They didn't want to, they loved him a lot but they didn't want me or anyone else getting hurt. Chris was sent to a mental institute where psychiatrists told my parents they would help him.