My Only Exception

Chapter Two

Instead of replying, I brought my arms up underneath the nape of my skull, eyes trained on the setting sun dipping away for the night. "You're entitled to your own feelings, Link. Nobody gets to tell you how you should feel." I nodded whispering an, "I know."

The air in front of us was soon clouded as she released a puff of smoke. Turning my head to look at her, she wordlessly passed along the vape-like contraption. Taking the puff bar between my hands, I take a long hit holding and then exhaling the nicotine.

Welcome, to the lives of two seventeen- year old depressed girls.

My bedroom door opened, causing me to hurriedly slip the contraption under my leg. I sighed, clutching my chest while sitting up. "Don't fucking scare me like!" I exhaled as I passed the bong over to the now sitting boy.

He grinned his boyish grin at me as he lit my favorite escape from reality. "Wouldn't Uncle Ace have a heart attack if he knew you were still smoking?" Ryan rolled his eyes as he exhaled for a period of time. He coughed lightly into his arm before he replied, "He can fuck off for a minute, this shit is stressful." I laughed as I rolled my eyes, "Oh yeah, being a rich business man is so horrible."

Aria and I laughed as Ryan shot me a dry-look for my sly comment. "I don't even wanna do this shit."

My heart tugged as I watched him roll his eyes. I knew he wasn't too upset by it, realizing it was the best and safest option for him right now. Nevertheless, it still hurt me to think he's giving up the only thing he's ever loved and enjoyed to please our father.

Aria's soft voice brought me back to reality as she spoke, "Uncle Ace, is understanding you know. Have you thought about telling him how you feel?"

Ryan simply shook his head almost as if he was waving off a ridiculous idea. We waited patiently for his response, as he released the breath he said, "He already thinks that boxing is just a hobby. Y'all want me to tell him I want to make it a living." He chuckled drily, "Right."

Aria and I were lucky enough to be the only ones Ryan has ever confided in, in regards to not wanting to take over dads business. Ryan loved boxing, he struggled with anger management issues and took it up as something to keep his bubbling anger at ease.

Watching him try and become something he had no interest in, hurt more than he would ever know. I watched silently as he placed the bong on the concrete once again, laying down.

We joined him once more, all of us now laying side by side, looking up at the cotton candy colored sky.

We always loved just having company with each other, never needing to talk, but for the first time in a long time, I spoke to my brother first.

"I'm sorry I've been a shitty best friend and sister for a little while. But Ryan, you know I have always supported you. Maybe, it's time to stop living in dad's shadow of who he wants you to be." His head rolled to glance at me, Aria pipping up to add, "Yeah and besides, you know Auntie Layne would wring Uncle Ace's neck for even breathing at you wrong." A loud laugh bubbled through me, the weed making me giggly.

Ryan grinned at Aria this time and nodded, "Yeah, this is very true." He agreed as we all continued to laugh together.

"Kids! Dinner!" Almost as if on cue, all of our stomachs growled in sync causing me to grin as Aria laughed loudly, holding her rumbling stomach. "I love eating right after smoking." Ryan sighed contently, causing both Aria and I to agree as we trekked back inside and out of my room.

Aria and I laughed loudly, as we cut the corner into the kitchen my stomach growling louder than it has all day. The smell of chicken wafted up my nose and I sighed in turn.

Eating was something that didn't come naturally to me. Smoking not only helped ease the intrusive thoughts, but also helped me maintain a healthy weight by allowing me to actually have an appetite again.

Aria and I took our seats at the table, chatting about how excited we were for school. By we, I mean Aria was gushing about finally going to a public school ready to ogle boys she might actually be able to talk too.

Aria and I have spent our whole lives separated by too many miles for my liking, always attending different schools and only seeing each other during holiday's or summer vacations. We both were enrolled in private school our whole lives, finally having a say this year.

She was the only one happy to finally be able to wear something other than our everyday outfit of a khaki colored collared shirt, with a plaid skirt.

Much to my dismay, there would be no set uniform- which meant I actually had to plan what I was going to wear for the day.

Sitting at the table as a family, there was loud chatter bouncing off the walls. I spoke when questions were directed at me, other than that I kept to Aria listening to what she's been doing in the last couple of days that we hadn't talked.

I tried so desperately to ignore the person horizontal to me, but when we made eye contact as we reached towards the rolls at the same time, I coiled back all together. "After you, princess." I waved my hand as I muttered under my breath.

She let out a long breath and slammed her fists on the table, causing the loud talking to die down. My emotionless eyes, met her two different colored ones.

"Can you stop? When is this going to end, Lincoln?" I rolled my eyes as I looked back down at my plate, ignoring my sisters presence like I've been this whole summer break while she's been back from University.

"What more can I do?" She sighed, causing mom to intervene. "Girls." She warned but I ignored her as I raised a challenging eyebrow towards my sister.

"Let me ask you something, Amelia." Her name felt like venom as I spit it out, "Did you get off on it?" I paused as everyone moved in slow motion processing what I was saying, "Feeling like no matter what I did, you were always first pick. You could have anything you wanted? Did you like feeling like you were better than me." I spit the rest of my words out, pushing my chair back so harshly it teetered on two legs, ready to clash to the floor; my silverware clanking loudly against the glass.

"Lincoln Isobella Richardson!" My father scolded, but I was already on my way out of the kitchen moving towards the staircase to take me back to my safe haven.