Finding Happiness

chapter 5

Riley

I've been here two weeks now and I was starting to trust the boys. I was starting school on Monday, today was Friday so I had the weekend to finish catching up. I was almost done as I had been reading every day for the past 2 weeks.

Noah was the most friendly out of the boys and the most approachable. He was always trying to make jokes and  make this work.
Sebastian was...well I don't know how to describe him. Sure we asked each other questions on the first night but we didn't become closer. He was still cold and distant, but I noticed he was like that with Noah and Lucas.  I had also noticed how strict he was, everything must be done to a certain standard or it would result in a lecture. I knew he was letting me get used to everything still but when I messed up he would just look at me with dissapointment. I found myself debating whether that worse than a lecture. Lucas got one almost every day.

Speaking of Lucas, he was even more cold towards me then Sebastian, he sent me glares and would mutter insults towards me. I was going to try my best not to be alone with him.

No matter how cold they were, I was starting to heal. The nightmares were getting better and the bruises were begining to heal, just not as fast as I hoped. I had also started eating a little more, although I was never able to finish a plate which annoyed Lucas.

"Dinner is ready" Noah called and I sighed. Another excuse for Lucas to insult me. I slowly made my way downstairs, everyone was already there.
"Oh look the princess has arrived" Lucas mocked.
"Then why aren't you bowing" I counter deciding it was time to stick up for myself.
Noah snickered and Sebastian looked up from his phone with curiousity whereas Lucas looked annoyed. "She has a point, you need to bow to a Princess" Noah said. "Why the fuck would I bow to that thing"  Lucas spat. Ok that hurt. He didn't even have the decency to call me a person. I ignore his comment and take my seat.
"Ignore him, he's just being a dick" Sebastian said throwing Lucas a glare.

Dinner had so much tention that I was on edge, I struggled to eat even more than usual. One wrong move and they could blow up in my face.
I could already tell they were deadlier than Kevin, they would probably inflict more pain if I was to do anything they didn't like.

"Right Riley you can do the dishes tonight , Lucas has got some laps to do" Sebastian suddenly spoke and I nod. Dishes were better than running. "Why isn't she doing them, she broke a rule too. She was just as disrespectful" Lucas countered and I gulped he was right. How could I have been so stupid. "Did she, I wasn't listening" Sebastian said, it was obvious he heard though and was just acting oblivious. "Did you hear Noah" he asked and Noah nodded. Crap. "I heard Lucas mock Riley but then everything became a little fuzzy" he said with a smirk. Lucas looked even more annoyed now but I don't think he dared say anything. "well then its settled. Lucas you will do 60 laps. Riley the dishes. It isn't up for discussion either"

I did the dishes like I was told, I was almost done when Noah walked in suprising me causing me to drop a plate. It shattered as it hit the floor. Crap. I was in trouble. Before I could apologize, Sebastian entered. God this was bad. He looked down at the plate and I shuddered.
"What happened" he asked with the usual emotionaless tone.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, it was an accident" tears started to fall and I just hoped Sebastian wasn't going to punish me like Kevin did.

Sebastian PoV
I heard a loud noise coming from the kitchen and i rushed into the room. Thankfully it was just a plate that had broken and Riley didn't look to be hurt.
Looking down at that plate caused old memories to resurface.

Flashback
Father wanted me to do the dishes tonight because he thought I deserved a break. I was only 7, the boys were too young to help out being 3 and only a few months old. I had hoped Lucas was going to be a girl, I always wanted a sister but mum gave birth to Lucas instead. I was the oldest so it was my responsibility to protect my brothers from my fathers anger. Mum tried but he would often do it more when she was not around. I was so lost in thought that I didn't see how the plate fell from my hands and hit the floor. In seconds father entered, he didn't care about the shard that was stuck in my foot, he only cared that he had an excuse to hurt me. 

"Sebastian" I came back to reality after hearing my voice called. I look and see a concerned Noah. "Sorry" I mumble. Of course after I said that he knew instantly what had happened. I was always vunerable after a flashback and an apology from me was my at my most vunerable. "I can take care of this" Noah offered but I shook my head. "I'll handle it, just go make sure Lucas is doing his laps" I say. He nods and leaves, leaving me alone with Riley who started to panic when I looked back at her. "I'm sorry sir" she whispered over and over. "its ok, it was just a plate" I say shuddering as the memory of what happened was still in my mind.
"No. I deserve it, I deserve to be punished. I'm sorry, I'm sorry"

Punished?
Ok what the fuck.
I thought her fear was due to all of us being new people to her, our reputation and how we look but I was wrong.
How could I have been so stupid, how could I have not seen what was right in front of me.
I wasn't sure how to approach this situation. I never liked talking about this topic, I wanted my brothers to see me as strong, to know they could depend on me. Father then made it clear that I shouldn't talk about these things.
But with Riley how was I meant to approach this, I knew I had too.
"It's ok I'm not angry, it was an accident" I reassure knowing having her trust was more important.
"But I broke something, I deserve it"
"No you don't. If you deserved it I'd have done it already. Did you hurt yourself" I reply, she shakes her head but the look in her eyes told me she was not used to this. "ok sit down and I'll clean this up, ok".  I tell her,she reluctantly sirs on the kitchen stools and I quickly get to work cleaning it.
All my life I have shielded my brothers from my dad's abuse but I couldn't save my sister.
Maybe the abuse wasn't so bad though
Maybe she just fears me
The fear of me could have caused her to think the worse.
I had to find out the truth though. Even if I didn't want to believe it, I had to know.

"So Kevin was your stepfather" I start and I make eye contact but she looks down.
I hated the fact that I didn't work it out sooner.
She rarely made eye contact with me, Lucas, even Noah.
Her appetite was pretty much non existent.
Her reluctancy to speak about herself
Her fear

My baby sister had been abused and I wasn't there to stop it.

"Yes" she whispers in response.
"Would you like to go to his trial" I ask and she shakes her head "why" I ask knowing already. "I just don't want to, please leave it alone"
I sigh "ok, lets go find Noah" I drop the topic. I knew from experience that talking about it was hard.
I won't leave it alone, that fucker will pay for what he did.