Why did it take an hospital visit for my siblings to finally acknowledge me?
I mean, Liam and I had always been somewhat close, but Ben was know trying to forge a relationship with me.
Nic was usual annoying, over-protective self again.
I mean, they still all made their snarky comments on the daily, but they made me feel more apart of the family now, I guess.
But my parents on the other hand, still completely forgot about me.
Why would they remember me though?
I am never good enough for them.
I am just a mistake that was never supposed to happen in the first place.
They can't ever seem to sacrifice one of their other children for me, or even something of theirs for me.
I thought mothers were supposed to care for their daughters and spend unlimited amount of time with them. I thought they were supposed to have a strong bond between the two of them.
I thought fathers were supposed to be interested in their daughters' sporting commitments and play in the yard with them, wash the cars together. I thought they were supposed to love each other.
I thought family was supposed to stick together, be strong together and to love each other unconditionally.
Love each other.
But why was my life so hard and different to everyone else?
---
"So, are you coming to the game tonight?" Leo asked.
It was currently lunch time, on Friday.
It had been a week since my birthday, which means that had almost been a week since I had fainted and nearly died from the amount of blood loss.
I had gotten used to taking my daily drugs.
My siblings and I were getting closer to each other.
We were getting closer to become a family that loves one another, equally.
"I don't know" I responded.
"Oh, come on, Isabella and Nic will be there, so your parents will be able to let you go. I can't go on my own either, as my parents won't let me go if you aren't coming" Hailey whined to me.
"Are you sure your parents won't let you go on your own because you'll probably go home with a stranger?" I joked. "
"That is so not true!" Hailey tried to defend herself, as she slapped my arm.
"It so is!" Leo pointed his fork at Hailey as we all continued to laugh at each other.
These people truly felt like my real family
---
"Mom?" I called out once I had closed the large, modern front door.
The only response I got was dead silence; other than my voice ringing through the house.
It was weirdly silent for a Friday afternoon.
I dropped my black school bag to the left of the front door, along with my black blazer, as I went in search for anyone that was home.
I checked the kitchen first, knowing that someone would be in there, but once I entered, it was dead silent.
It was so silent that you would be able to hear a pin drop.
I then went into the living room and found no one.
Not even my youngest siblings watching tv, or my older siblings sitting on the couch, scrolling through their phones.
Panic coursed through my veins.
This wasn't normal.
Someone was normally home before me.
I then raced up the stairs, taking two at a time, trying to get to there as fast as I possibly could.
Once I reached the top, I frantically ran to check each and every room, just find no one.
The whole house was silent now that I had stopped racing around.
Where was everyone?
I then slowly made my way down the stairs to grab my phone, but a noise halted my movements.
I then heard something open on the second floor, which caused my to quickly, but slowly, walk down the stairs, towards my school bag and blazer.
I picked up the two, and slowly opened the door, making minimum noise.
Once I had shut the door behind me, I searched through my blazer pockets for my phone.
Once I had my phone in my hands, I unlocked and started searching through my contacts for my parents' numbers.
I pressed on my father's first but was only met with the ringing tone.
He didn't pick up.
I then went through every other person in my family that had a phone on them and received nothing.
I then tried the next person I knew that would help me; Hailey Montego.
"Hey, what's up bestie?" she picked up on the first ring, which I was grateful for, but I was panicking.
"Hailey, I think someone just broke into the house, and I am currently home alone. I've called everyone, but no one has picked up but you. I don't know what to do and I'm freaking out" I rushed out, skipping over formalities.
"I'm going to come over there with Xavier and Blake. We are coming from school" and with that, Hailey hung up on me.
I then tried to call my parents again; but they didn't pick up.
So, I tried calling Nic; and he finally picked up.
"Hey Sav" he started.
"Nic, I think someone is in the house" I just threw it out there.
"What? Why do you think that?"
"When I was checking the house to see if anyone was home, I heard something open on the second floor, like a window and there was a bit of a commotion. I am standing on the front porch now, waiting for Hailey and her brothers to come. I called everyone, but no one picked up, so I called Hailey, and she said she would come, then I tried mum and dad again, but they won't pick up, so I called you" I ranted.
"I'm just around the corner, now" and with that, he hung up on me.
I waited, anxiously on the front porch.
I couldn't really hear anyone else inside the house anymore, but I didn't want to risk it on my own in case someone was actually in there.
I then heard the low rumble of a familiar car.
Nicolas was here.
I dropped my bag where I was standing, as I had put my blazer back on, and ran over to my brother who had just gotten out of the driver's seat.
"Thank god you're here" I mumbled into his chest, as he tightly hugged me back.
"Come on" Nic then guided me towards the house.
"Were here" Hailey then somehow appeared on my other side, as Xavier was on the other side of Nicolas.
Nic and Xavier then walked up to the front door, pressing their ears against the door, checking.
Nic then used his key to slowly open the door.
Once we entered, unknown footsteps could be heard. They were heavy, but not extremely loud.
"Stay here" Nic ordered Hailey and I, as Blake, Xavier and Nic went upstairs, carefully.
"I'm scared Hailey"
---
"You ready for the game tonight?" I was currently standing with Xavier, Blake, Hailey, Elijah, and Emilio.
We had a big football game on tonight, that our school was hosting.
It's the first game of the season, which meant that everything counted.
The school had organized to have the cheerleaders on the side, hot dog stand, sausage sizzle and many other little things along the way.
The school had gone all out for this one game.
"Of course. Why wouldn't we be" Xavier then gave me a light punch to the side of my arm.
To say I was nervous, was an understatement.
"Can you bring Sav along with you to the game?" Hailey asked, as she had hope glinting in her eyes.
"Sure, I guess" I responded, as I gave her a small smile, which she seemed to become static about.
"I better head off then, to go and get my stuff for tonight's game" and with that, I had shut the trunk of my car, and climbed into the driver's seat.
I waved the Montego's; Hailey, Xavier and Blake, goodbye, as I pulled out of the school gates.
As I left the school, something didn't feel right.
Like something was wrong.
Suddenly, my phone rang throughout the car, signalling a call.
It was from Savanah.
Sav.
"Hey Sav" I started as soon as I had answered her call.
"Nic, I think someone is in the house" she spoke, being blunt.
"What? Why do you think that?"
"When I was checking the house to see if anyone was home, I heard something open on the second floor, like a window and there was a bit of a commotion. I am standing on the front porch now, waiting for Hailey and her brothers to come. I called everyone, but no one picked up, so I called Hailey, and she said she would come, then I tried mum and dad again, but they won't pick up, so I called you" Sav explained.
"I'm just around the corner, now" I ended the call with that, and pushed my foot onto the accelerator, trying to get home as fast as I could.
---
As soon as I had arrived home, I was met with Savanah anxiously standing on the front porch, phone in hand.
I swiftly got out of the car and was then bombarded with a tight hug from Sav, which I then returned.
"Thank god you're here" Savanah mumbled into my chest, as I held her tightly to me.
I don't know what I would have done if I had found out that she was harmed.
"Come on" I then put a reassuring hand on her back, as we headed towards the front of the house.
I felt Savanah tense as we got closer to the house; which made me know for sure that she wasn't joking when she said that she thought someone was in the house.
I then heard a car pull into the driveway.
I knew the sound of the car.
The Montego's had arrived.
"Were here" Hailey's voice was then heard to the far right of me; on the other side of Savanah.
I then felt Xavier nudge me on the right hand side.
As soon as we had all walked up the few steps onto the front porch, I gently pushed Savanah and Hailey behind me, as Xavier and I pressed our ears to the front door; facing eachother.
We then nodded to each other, as I slowly turned my key into the hole.
I slowly pushed the front door open, to be met with some heavy footsteps; but they weren't loud enough to be heard from the outside.
"Stay here" I ordered Sav and Hailey, as Blake, Xavier and I slowly walked up the stairs.
As soon as we turned the corner, we were met with someone in a black hoodie, around my age, opening doors to bedrooms.
They were searching for someone.
Xavier and I then looked at each other; nodding.
It was our signature thing to do.
We then pounced on the unknown person, who clearly hadn't heard of our arrival to the house.
"Get your hands off of me!" I knew that voice.
"Joe?" I questioned the boy who was laying below Xavier and I, as we both pressed our knees into his back, holding him in place.
"Yes. Now get the fuck off me!" he yelled.
I'm pretty sure the girls could hear us, but I couldn't let Savanah know.
She couldn't know about this guy.
I then nudged Xavier off of him, as I swiftly picked him up and threw him against a nearby wall.
"Why the fuck are you here!? I thought I told you to leave me alone?" I questioned him, as I got all up in his face.
"I thought we still had that deal going"
That deal.
The one where I push my sister away, just so she could be protected.
*Flashback*
"Don't you dare touch my sister!" I screamed in Joe's face.
"Pick up the god damn phone then and tell her that your fine" Joe then slowly walked around me, twirling a knife in his hand.
This was all my father's and uncle's fault.
His older brother is part of the mafia, while my dad runs the legal part of it.
Does Savanah know? No
"Why do you have to torment me and my family?" tears were prickling in the back of my eyes, but I couldn't show them that.
"Because your family killed mine, so I'm back fore revenge. Starting with the forgotten one. What's her name again? Sarah? Sienna? Sophie? Ahh, Savanah! Ahh little Savanah. I'm surprised the two of you, including your father, survived the car accident, many, many years ago now" he continued to walk around me.
"Savanah is not forgotten! We love her!" I tried defending my family, but nothing was working.
"You know, it would be better if you stopped trying to be this big, overprotective brother shit, because it won't work. Not in the big world. So, stop this shit"
"How is he doing?" why oh why did Markus have to come in now.
"He's doing perfectly fine. He's survived a burning car, being pushed off a bridge, starvation. What should we do this time, Boss?" Joe listed all the things I had done just to protect my family.
Did my parents know? No.
Do my siblings know? Only ben, and even then, I tell him the minimum.
He's only 15 while I'm 17.
"We can't kill him yet, he's good leverage for the Garcia's" I heard Joe speak.
I had completely missed their whole hushed conversation about me.
"Give him back!"
*End of Flashback*
"Look at how the tables have turned. You're now tormenting me" Joe chuckled.
"Keep your fucking voice down" I growled into his ear, putting more of my body weight onto his body.
"Just admit it Nic, you aren't going to be able to save her if we all get to her first" Joe whispered into my ear.
"Fuck off. You don't know what I can do. You have made a risky decision by coming into our territory, so you should leave before we burn your ass" I whispered darkly into his ear.
"Nic, it's your father" Xavier than pulled my phone out of my open jacket pocket, as I handed him Joe, so he could continue to the torture.
"Hi dad" I answered the phone.
"Nic, why the fuck is that guy in our house?!" my father growled.
That's only when I realized that we had security cameras throughout the house, that only my parents had access to.
"He broke in when Sav got home, and no one else was home at the time, and she tried calling all of us, but she only got through to the Montego's. Then she called me again and we are now here with the culprit" I explained, in short.
Savanah would be able to explain it better when everyone got home.
I would eventually have to explain it to her, what our father and uncle do, but that could wait.
We had to deal with this stupid idiot.
"Nic!"
---
Posted: 16.12.21
Updated: 11.04.22
Word Count: 2581
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