The Stepbrother Game

5. Dad

Lucas rubbed my back as I continued to speak.

"It started 6 years ago,"

6 YEARS AGO

I got off the bus, holding my breath as I walked to the front door of my house.

I raised up my palm, hesitating to knock. But I did.

Tate opened the door, his little short cute self.

I walked in to see dad in the kitchen.

"Dad!" I squealed, running to him.

"There's my little April!" he said, I felt so comfortable in his touch.

It's like he was a teddy bear and was so cuddly and soft.

A/N : before you get it mixed up or don't feel like doing math, in this timeline, April is 14 and Tate is 2.

My dad was the best, he gave me everything I wanted.

I could ask for a iPhone, I would get it.

Ask for a huge TV set, I'll get it.

Ask for a VR, I would get it.

It was fun, I would go everywhere with him, and Tate duh.

Tate is so little, his little legs when he runs.

It would be so cute.

His little babbles when he can't say a sentence, it would be like he's telling you a story.

He's very cute and adorable.

I was still hugging my dad, until my mom came in with her cigarette.

She grabbed me by my jacket and snatched me off of dad.

"April, finally, go to you room" she ordered, smacking my butt with a paddle she had in her hand.

"Ow!" I squeaked.

She laughed. "And take that little one too"

I rolled my eyes as I picked up Tate and ran to my room, locking the door.

I placed Tate on my bed, he continued babbling.

I sat on the ground, in front of him.

"Oh Tate, your the only person I can talk to" I said.

He babbles.

"Your also such a great listener" I laughed, he did as well, showing his baby teeth.

He then started to whimper and laid back on my bed.

I sat next to him, rubbing his stomach.

I then heard some loud music playing.

"PUMP THAT TRICK, PUMP THAT TRICK, PUMP THAT TRICK, PUMP THAT TRICK!" I heard the song play.

Tate started crying, loud noises would hurt his little ears.

I got up from my bed, opening my door slightly, seeing too many people.

When they get here.

"Damn" I mumbled.

Tate was now trying to stand on my bed.

I needed to get me and my brother away for a few hours.

I looked back at Tate. "I'll be right back,"

"Stay" I warned, he sat down, fidgeting with his fingers.

I smiled as I went out my room.

I slowly pushed through the crowd, looking for mom and dad's room.

I found it moments later, I entered, looking for mom's wallet.

I was looking everywhere, until I found it on her dresser.

I picked it up and took $2,000 out.

Damn we were rich. I thought.

I rushed back to my room.

Tate was safe and sound, I then went in my closet and got his shoes and his jacket.

I put them on him as I reached and poked his cheek.

I then put on my stuff, picking up Tate, climbing out of my window.

We were outside as I got my bike. Thankfully Sam (who made my bike) put a seat in front of me where Tate can sit and so I could see him.

I strapped in Tate, then myself.

I started to ride my bike out into distance as if it was a car.

Don't worry, I had Tate food and bottles in my backpack that I had on right now.

Tate started to cry, so I grabbed his pacifier and put it in his mouth, he sucked on it.

And soon, he was sleep. Peacefully.

His little blanket was also on him, I put blindfolds over his eyes, so the wind wouldn't hit them while he slept.

I turned into a gas station, grabbing Tate and getting off my bike, walking inside.

I looked around for some snacks to get.

***

It took a while but for me I got some, hot chips, beef jerky, some candy, and coke.

And for Tate I got, soft candy, lemonade, sweet tea, sour gummy worms, and his favorite cut up apples and bananas.

I paid and put the stuff in my backpack.

My backpack have a lot of room, so I could fit a whole store inside.

Baby Tate slept through the ride again.

I rode to a park with other people with babies.

Tate had woke up, he was happy.

We had sat down, I started to feed him the gummy worms. He almost ate the whole damn pack.

Jeez.

Someone people passed us saying. "Aw"

Yeah, our brother and sister relationship was unbreakable.

Some people even thought I was his mother, going through that teen pregnancy.

He is under my responsibility now, since his own parents won't do it.

We did everything at the park. We played, ate, talked, he even made a lil girlfriend.

But not on my watch, I may be his sister, but I'm still not gonna play.

When I think about it, I'm a better mom to him than our actual mother.

Way better.

***

It was getting dark so I rode my bike home as Tate slept peacefully again.

My window was shut, so I had no choice but to go in through the front door.

As soon as I entered with Tate in my arms, mom was sitting on the couch in the living room.

She jumped up when she saw me.

"Little girl! Where have you been!" she shouted, I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you care? It's not like you ever cared" I snapped.

She glared at me from head to toe.

Then she saw the money, sticking out of my backpack.

Shit.

"Where'd you get that money" she said, stepping towards me slowly. I stepped back.

I was still holding Tate, but she forcefully grabbed him away from me.

He woke up and bursted out crying.

"Thomas! Come and get this little s**t!" she shouted.

Dad came in and took Tate, rocking him to calm down. Mom turned her attention back to me.

"I'm gonna ask you again, where. did. you get. that money?"

"Your f*****g purse," I shouted. "Happy!"

She nodded, then gestured for me to go to her, I stood still.

She then grabbed my arm and pulled me with a lot of force.

"Ow!" I cry out.

She didn't care, she liked seeing us in pain.

"So, you had the audacity to steal my money, huh?"

"It was me and Tate" I explained.

She pulled my hair, tears started to form in dad's eyes.

He was about to get me until mom stopped him.

She sorta dragged me into the kitchen, and threw me on the ground.

"Don't you know what happens when you steal?" she asked.

I stayed quiet.

She went into the cabinet, grabbed a wire then came back.

"No, no, no" I whined.

She held the wire in her hand as I tried to scoot back.

But she grab my wrist and pulled me off the ground.

I yelled, I kicked, I pushed, I tried everything.

I had no choice but to go through it.

She pointed against the wall, I put my palms on it.

I was scared, I looked over Tate who was distracted by his toy.

I faced the wall again. Mom raised the wire, then landed it straight on my butt.

"Ouch!" I screamed.

I hate when she does this, hopefully Tate won't go through it.

Mom is absolutely nuts, but I stole, so I get this punishment.

But the other punishments, were not necessary.

She did it on purpose.

I jumped when the wire hit my butt again, I felt a sting forming.

I started screaming and crying like crazy.

That made Tate jump and turn around.

When he saw me, he started crying really loud.

"My sister" he yelled through tears.

He tried running to me, but dad grabbed him.

"it's okay Tate, sissy is okay" dad whispered to him.

I am not okay.

Tate kept crying, he tried to wiggle out of dad's hold. But he was too little.

Meanwhile, mom kept hitting my butt with the wire, that I felt like I don't have a butt anymore.

"Ow!" I screamed.

"Mommy leave her alone!" Tate shouted, he finally got out of dad's hold and ran to mom.

He pulled at her pants.

"Oh, you wanna get whooped too?" she asked.

I slowly fell to the ground, crying as I watched the scene in front of me.

Mom raised the wire and hit Tate smack on the cheek.

He fell to the ground, crying all over again.

Mom tried grabbing Tate from his little leg. He screamed, he cried, he even kicked her.

My legs were shaking, but I managed to get myself up.

After I got up, I ran into the living room and picked up Tate, running inside my room, locking the door.

Tate was still crying as I saw a little bruise on his cheek from the wire.

Poor baby.

"Shh, it's okay"

He cried like crazy, I felt so bad.

I then heard beating on my door, that's when he started to scream to the top of his lungs.

He's just a baby, he does not need to go through this.

I ran to him and covered his ears, letting my ears hear the torture.

That's what a sister is supposed to do. I love him, and I'll make sure I will take the first bullet, and he'll be safe.

What's gotten into mom?

It's like she turned into this monster that will never leave your soul once they enter.

I don't wanna go through this, and I don't Tate either.

I know I keep saying it, but he's still too young, I hate seeing him go through stuff like this cause of mom.

And all this, because we said we loved our dad more than her.

Now you see why.

The beating stopped seconds later, Tate stopped crying.

He reached forward and hugged me, I couldn't sit down cause my butt is so sore right now.

I kissed his cheek, then whispered. "I promise, I will protect you"

He held tight, till I couldn't breathe anymore.

3 YEARS LATER

I'm now 17 and Tate is 5, these years with mom were like hell. Dad tries his best making it up to us by buying everything, that didn't work.

I was still traumatized from that day with 14 year old me and 2 year old Tate.

He's still little, but not that little anymore, he's growing up and is now in school.

I'm almost near graduating, but I don't wanna leave school.

School was my safe zone, away from my crazy mother, but I really wanted to see dad as well.

Dad has been stuck with mom.

One time, he tried to take me and Tate to move away, but when mom found out, she almost stabbed him in the chest.

She's crazy, and I've been having Deja Vu later.

I feel like me and Tate are going to be stuck with her forever.

But who knows.

I just sat there quietly, eating dinner, Tate on the side of me, dad across from, and mom beside dad.

Tate kicked me a few times, it was our language when we can't talk during dinner.

1 tap = Hi.

2 taps = Sis, sister, April.

5 taps = I want to leave.

Ext. I also feel like we are going to do this again.

Dad won't leave her, even if he wanted to, he can't believe he trusted her, after everything he gave her.

She played him, for his money, she'll do it again to someone else.

I can feel it, I literally can feel she will in a few years.

I'm going to be scared for the next men she'll try to seduce into dating her.

I just stayed quiet and continued to eat.

***

I heard crying on the basement, so I went to go check it out.

I them saw dad crying with a gun to his head.

"Dad," I whispered. "What are you doing?"

Tears formed in my eyes.

"Baby, I'm sorry, I love you and will always love you" he cried out.

I started to cry, he pulled me into a hug as I squeezed his back.

I cried into the crook of his neck.

"Please don't, dad please" I stepped away, tears rolling down my cheek.

"Tell Tate that I love him, and tell your mom I said that she can have it all" he said, raising the gun back to his head.

"Dad-"

BOOM!

He fell to the floor as the blood from his head splattered everywhere.

I screamed, mom came down, then smirked a little bit.

I took another look at him, seeing the hole in the side of his head.

Mom started to laugh at his now dead body. I glared at her.

***

At my dad's funeral, I held close to Tate as he kept crying.

"Why daddy," he shouted. "Why!"

I know he's gonna miss our father, I will too.

Mom faked her smile with a sniff. She was not only happy that he died, she was happy that he gave all his money and stuff to her.

I hated it, why not give it to me.

But of course, the court will say "until I'm 18, it's mom's" I hated it, mostly.

But the worst part is that dad is gone, he's really gone and will never come back. Ever.

Tate put his rose down on dad's cast, following our grandmother to the car.

Then I walked to it.

I placed dad's favorite flower down.

Violet.

I rubbed my tear stained face, feeling the urge to cry again.

"I love you, dad" I whispered.