Crimson Heart

32| Unimportant

"Tell you what, why don't we have a competition?" I ask and Cyprus raises his brow.

"What kind of competition? Because if it's food I'm in since Waylon's knocked out," He offers, and as much as I love Waylon, a slight peeve of mine is when he gives Cy and I a stern look when we go downstairs for midnight snacks. He claims we would the house if we could and but I think he's just being dramatic. 

"A sundae competition, whoever makes the best one wins," I offer and he takes it with a smile, standing up as he brings Lennie down the stairs and puts her down on the floor.

"You're on, but I'm already telling you I'm going to win," He says and puffs out his chest with pride as he walks into the kitchen.

"What makes you so sure?" I chuckle as he takes out his favorite strawberry and vanilla ice cream from the fridge. 

"I'm not going to tell you my secrets," Cyrpus accuses me and I go into the junk food cabinet grabbing the sprinkled, sauces, and sweets. 

"Fine be that way," I huff as he grabs the ice cream scoop and a bowl to get started. As he starts building I debate how to ask him the question I really want to dive into without him shutting me out. 

"So we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but why do you think you're not important?" I ask him as he starts with a vanilla base and two scoops of strawberry. 

"It's not what I think, it's just a fact," he shrugs, sitting down at the counter as he debates what color sprinkles he wants. 

"And why do you feel that way?" I continue as I top mine with whipped cream, debating what to add next. 

"Well that's just the way it is. I'm not the next alpha or beta like Wei and Juni or at least like she was. I can't fly like Clementine, I'm not small and fragile like Beau, and I'm not the baby like Willow. I'm just Prince Cyprus the Forgotten. At school, they don't even believe I'm the prince and bully me around trying to take my Kailea badge just because they've never heard of me." He explains and it hurts me to think he actually has such a low self-esteem. 

"I wasn't even wanted either. Juni told me I just was a mistake mom made cause he had me with Kua instead of dad and I'm the reason why our family almost broke up," He adds and I top my mint chocolate chip with hot fudge. 

"You know Juniper's not the most reputable source of information," I remind him and he nods, toping his with crazy amounts of caramel, whipped cream, and peanuts. 

"I know but she's right because whenever I asked my parents they told me I was too young to understand, they'll tell me when I'm older, or it doesn't matter which usually means it does," Cy shrugs and I look into this little boys deep emerald green eyes and wonder how anyone could think of my beautiful little brother as a mistake. 

"Cyprus, you know I would never lie to you right?" I ask him and he nods again while putting a strawberry on top instead of a cherry.

"Of course not, you're my big brother and I look up to you," He says and it warms my heart to know he thinks of me the same. 

"So you know I think you're just as important as your brothers and sisters, you know why?" I ask him and he narrows his eyes in disbelief but wants me to go on with my reasoning. 

"Well you're right, you don't stand out but that's what makes you the most important. You're humble. Never rubbing your accomplishments in other people's faces because I've seen the science awards hanging in your bedroom from school. Even the coveted Antum language interpreter award which is difficult to get at your age considering only one person in the entire school gets it. And yet you haven't told me or Waylon about any of them," I point out and Cyprus just shrugs.