You Never Walk Alone

11

I was jolted awake. Not because of any nightmare, but of the annoying knocking coming from the other side of my room. My eyes were barely opened as I stand to open the door. There was a small child half naked and crying. It took me a few seconds for me to process the fact that I knew this child from nowhere.

“Who are you?" I asked half confused.

“I poured soup on my shirt. Can you get me a new one?" He said instead of answering my very relevant question. I squinted harder. Still, nothing came up about my knowledge of her existence.

I turned back into the room as Tee was coming out of the shower. He saw the girl and there was a knowing smile on his face.

“Tira, where are your clothes?" He squatted to her level and she ran to him.

“Hendy poured soup on it." That liar. She told me she poured it on herself. I kept quiet lest I be known as the big snitch.

“Okay, go to the kitchen and ask Mara to get you a new one okay? Anna you'll get you more soup." She nodded and left.

“More siblings?" I asked hoping the negative was the answer.

“Nope. Or as far as I know. Let's go down for breakfast. I had a very stressful night. I'm starving. “

" That statement is left to my imagination. “

Tee gasped dramatically." Lisa no. You're so dirty minded. Stop it please. “

I laughed." How on earth did you understand what I was insinuating? You're just as dirty minded as me. “ My pleasant mood faded when he got downstairs. There were people everywhere. Walking, talking, laughing and crying. From children to old ass people. I turned to Tee. He looked so unfazed. "Someone's throwing a party? “

"Eat breakfast first. I'll explain everything as I drop you off at school.“ I couldn't believe I was walking through my father's home like I would a busy marketplace. Finally, after 39 days, I reached the kitchen. Only to find out that they'd eaten everything prepared that morning. No toast, eggs, bacon. Nothing! Not even a banana.

I was very ready to scream when someone held my hand . Theodore. I made sure he knew I was scowling at him but he didn't care. " Come along, let me introduce you to someone. “

" I don't care to be introduced. I'm hungry. “

He ignored me. Like all my life. We got to the smaller living room Anna turned into a bar. There were about five people there smoking like chimneys. I scrunched up my nose so they'd know I cherished my lungs.

" And this is Lisa.“ Theodore said showing me to a woman who had more tattoos than skin. She did look cool so I managed a smile.

“Hi." Apparently she wasn't satisfied with my wave because I was being pulled into a hug. It was awkward but I wasnt uncomfortable. Just caught off guard. She let me go though.

“I'm Shelby. The last time I saw you, you had 6 teeth missing from your mouth." There went my luck to look as cool as Shelby. I smiled again. This one embarrassingly. She turned to Thodore. “She looks nothing like you. All the others I've met look like you."

It made me wonder just how many of my siblings she'd met. Theodore shrugged. “She looks just like her mother. Unlucky her." I knew nothing about my mother since I was born . That was the closest I ever got. I was her splitting image.

“Well, Lisa has school so we'll talk later then." Tee came to my rescue. I gave him an appreciative smile as I dashed upstairs to take a shower. That ended in pure torture because someone finished the hot water. So much for life.

***

I finally got out of the house, saying goodbye only to Shelby.

“An explanation?" I asked Tee was my seatbelt was safely fastened.

He put the car into gear and turned to me. “Theodore owes a lot of people. Crazy how no one has assassinated him yet. “

" Does that explain the concert in our house? “

" It will of you just shut up. “

I laughed a little. Interrupting Tee always made him pissed. And man did I love making my brother pissed. "Fine. Speak. “

"Those people are either relatives of his creditors, homeless people he collects almost nothing from or criminals he's hiding. “

I choked on the vanilla air freshener. "Theodore just couldn't be legitimate. I ain't going to prison with him. Let's pretend like you never told me anything. “

Tee didn't respond to me. He actually wasn't joking. I pulled out my phone and saw a text notification. Oh did I hope it was Jake. It wasn't even if I had bet all the money in the world. It was Hanson. Good to talk to, but not the text I wanted to receive. It was a generic good morning text I responded with something equally generic.

“Muffins or cupcakes?" Tee spoke up again.

“I'd rather have toast. Why?"

“We're going to get you breakfast."

The car came to a halt at the breakfast shop closest to school. It was very common to find students in here but seeing Hanson and Elliot was surprising. Hanson noticed me and walked up to us.

“Hey." He said greeting Tee before turning to me with a smile. “Didn't have breakfast I'm guessing."

I returned the smile. “Nah. Food shortage at home. You wouldn't understand." Apparently that was a stupid thing to say because everyone went quiet. It was only when Elliot my knight in shining khakis spoke up.“I'm about to order. What are y'all getting?"

I gave my order. 7 pancakes and grape juice too sweet to be natural. I swear I saw Tee cringe behind me but I was too starved to care. While the boys ate sandwiches and little cakes, I was stuffing forkfuls of pancake into my mouth. The conversation was basically light and boring.

I was down to my last sip of grape juice when Tee's phone rang. He checked caller ID and next thing you know it, there was an apologetic smile on his face. Aimed at me.

“I've gotta go. Duty calls."

“Seriously? It's cool. I can walk to school from here."

“We can drive you there," Hanson interrupted. “It's not a problem to us."

There was pure relief on Tee's face. “Thanks. And if she does anything funny, you're free to kick her out. I'll see you later shortcake."

I motioned a knife slitting my throat because Tee was so dead for calling me that in public. Elliot snorted while Hanson taunted. “Shortcake."

We were done with our food and it was time to go to school. To my surprise, I sat at the front with Hanson, as opposed to what I thought the sitting arrangement would be. And no, I didn't think I was going to drive the car. Jake's car pulled up into the school too and I could only wonder if they planned it.

Girls gathered around the cars and god did I want to evaporate. Anastasia saw me through the window and her mouth fell. When I came out of the car, she wasn't the only one that had the reaction. Everyone was gasping and murmuring. Except Jake. He looked pissed.