Something Else Entirely

40 - You are all dead to me.

The thunderous rendition of 'Happy Birthday' didn't make Willow any less tired. In fact, it only seemed to unsettle her even more, and she cried the whole time Dad stood in front of everyone giving his speech, gushing over me and claiming he couldn't be more proud of the young man I've grown into, and that it has been the biggest privilege of his life to be able to stand alongside me and watch me enter adulthood. He didn't once refer to me as his son, which bummed me out so hard, but I knew it was only that way because my parents were here and he didn't want to cause any unnecessary drama by claiming me as his own, not that I would have minded in the slightest.

Ryder and Jasper's speech was a lot more humorous, detailing all the stupid shit we had got up to together when we first met almost three years ago when I first joined their football team. It feels like forever ago, and I was thankful that Logan was mature enough not to mind some of the stories involving ex-girlfriends.

Madden's speech, however, was as cute as I imagined it would be, talking about everything we have done together and the love and respect he has for me as his big brother.

"When I first met Jet, I immediately knew he would be a great big brother; and he hasn't failed me yet. He's picked me up from school just about every day for the past year and a half, and keeps me motivated enough to keep going back every day. He's taken me down to the skate park when I've asked, even though I know he gets embarrassed because he's not as good as me," he joked, and everyone laughed. "He tucks me into bed when I'm sick, brings me hot chocolate and lets me eat all the cookies with extra chocolate chips when Mum isn't looking. He laughs with me, and teases me, and jokes with me, though everyone knows I'm the true funny one." More laugher. "He gives me good advice, even though he doesn't take it on board himself and complains to me about Logan all the time." He smirked his sarcastic little ass off as he blew Logan a kiss, and there were, of course, more laughs, especially from my  girlfriend. "But I could not ask for a better brother than you, Jet, and I love you so much."

Because I always have at least one eye on them at all times when they're around me, I was conscious the whole time Madden was speaking that my parents were standing off to the side scoffing at him—a fucking twelve-year-old boy—whenever he called me his brother. Scoffing, not laughing like everyone else, and I was getting so fucking mad. Sadie next to me, ever the watchful, cautious and observant wallflower she is, saw and heard all this too, and I knew she was about ready to fly kick my parents out the door, even though she was almost thirty-weeks into her pregnancy and wearing a really nice dress that didn't allow for much movement of the legs.

She had obviously reached her limit of them towards the end, and the warning signs started flashing everywhere around me when she walked in their direction slowly, trying not to draw any attention from her son who was still speaking, quietly asking them to be quiet and show some respect.

"Respect?" said my dad, his voice raised already and his arms crossed against his chest. Dad moved so quickly to stand by Sadie that he might even have teleported between blinks. "Respect? He's not his brother. He's no one's big brother, and he was an ungrateful fucking brat of a kid who always thought he was better than everyone else, including his real brothers."

"You had best back down now, Axel," said Dad stepping in front of Sadie, his voice furious and booming over the silence that had settled on everyone in this room except for Willow, who is still fussing from exhaustion.

"I won't fucking back down to you, Ruben, you smug bastard," my dad said, not at all bothered by the fact that Dad was literally twice, maybe even three times, his size, and towered over him. "You fucking stand there, talking about Jet like you know him. You don't know shit. He's not the golden boy you all claim he is. You all have no idea about everything he did before you came in, acting the hero and making him forget who he really is."