“I can’t believe you’re going with her!”

I’ve been following my sixteen year old sister around our house for the past hour after she decided to believe our sorry excuse for a mother. Again.

“Reece, Give it up!” She says as she slams one of the boxes into the back of our mother’s green Volvo.

That’s the ugliest car I’ve ever seen.

“She’s just using you Abby.” I’m following her into the house again. We make our way into her bedroom as she starts tearing stuff off of the walls.

Every time she tears, my heart aches. It took us almost two years to make this house look like a home. Then, she just comes in and takes it from us.

“I don’t know how many fucking times I have to tell you that!” My voice comes off harsher than I wanted it to.

Her back is facing me as she looks out of her window.

I know she’s crying.

“Abs, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-“

“Get out.”

Her voice is shaky, as she points to the door, her back still facing me.

“Abby...I didn’t mean to-“

“You know what Reece? There’s a lot of things you don’t mean to do and you apologize an awful lot. Doesn’t that make you just like her?” She wipes the tears from her face with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “At least I expect the lies from her.” I hear the grit in her teeth as she shoves past me and down the stairs

I run down the stairs after her. Not before bumping into some baggage on my way down and by baggage I mean my mother.

“Outta my way!” I demand as harsh as possible.

“That’s no way to talk to your mother.”

“That was no way for you to treat us but yet you still did...some mother you are.”

I try pushing past her but she grabs my arm.

“Reece...how long are you gonna stay mad at me?”

I smirk.

“That depends...how long are you gonna keep up this act?”

“What are you-“

I interrupt her before she finishes her sentence.

“The act in which you get a little money in your pocket and start acting all high and mighty. Then you think you can just swoop in and come and grab us whenever it’s convenient for you...but once all the money is gone...you go with it.” My voice cracks at the end and I look away before a tear makes its way out of my eye and down my cheek. I take a deep breath and wipe the tear away before I turn back around.

“Abby’s all I’ve got...please don’t take her away from me...again.”

Her expression softens as she tries to look all motherly. She rubs her hand against my cheek.

“So come with us...I promise, this time everything will work out.”

She’s said this before. If you’re wondering. My life is like watching your least favorite movie over and over again.

“You don’t deserve to give out promises to anyone.” I snap as I snatch her hand from my face and run down the stairs continuing my search for Abby. Tears threaten to sting my eyes but I force them not to.

She doesn’t deserve my tears either.

After searching through the whole house for Abby, I decide to give up. I walk through the kitchen as I make my way back up to my room. Before, I make it up the stairs, I hear creaking sounds coming from outside. I scavenge around looking for where the sound is coming from. I look through the window in the kitchen.

Abby’s sitting in the porch swing in the garden.

I go over to the coat closet and grab a jacket as I head out of the back door and into the backyard.

When, I enter the backyard she doesn’t notice me until I’m standing in front of her. She begins to open her mouth but I shake my head as I hand her the jacket. She’s confused at first but then accepts the jacket. I take a seat beside of her as I wrap my arm around her shoulders.

“We don’t have to talk about it anymore...I think if that’s what you want, then you should do it.”

She’s quite for a while.

“And if shit hits the fan?”

“I’ll be here...arms open.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

I don’t break promises.