Playing Poker [BEING REWRITTEN]

17| The Stars

Rayland

"Are you really about to cry right now?" I asked my brother with a look, a small tear slipped down his face. I used my shirt to wipe it off, pouting at him.

"I don't want you to go." He whined on my shoulder. I awkwardly patted his back, hoping that would somehow comfort him. To my dismay, it made him cry more.

"Ryan, I will literally see you at school tomorrow." I laughed at my brother's dramatics. I had been staying at Mom's house for about a week and we resolved most of our issues yet she still hadn't revealed to me why she left which made me curious.

What was my mother hiding?

Ryan and I were inseparable this week and he helped refresh my memory of a lot of the past before the accident.

"That's too long." He continued whining on my shoulder. He eventually lifted his head and bid me goodbye.

I was greeted with an unfamiliar car sitting in the driveway. I was about to walk away but the window rolled down revealing Micheal sitting in the driver's seat and Liam in the passenger's seat. I took a seat in the back seat on the leather interior.

"Are you playing candy crush, what are you, 40?" I peaked at Micheal's phone, he chuckled, putting the phone in his pocket.

"Don't judge me, it's fun." He replied, starting the car.

"Yeah, if you're 40." He chuckled again, shaking his head as he pulled out of the driveway.

"Where are we going?" I noticed he missed the turn to the house.

"We have to pick up some papers at work but nobody's home to watch you so you have to come with us." Liam laughed while I shot him an offended look.

"I'm fifteen, I don't need a babysitter." I whined, they gave me a look and I immediately realized my mistake.

"Wait, Dad told me you were fourteen." Micheal questioned, I forgot none of my stepbrothers knew I turned fifteen.

"I turned fifteen last month." I shrugged nonchalantly.

"Why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Yeah, my first thought would be to tell my new step brothers to throw me a fucking birthday party after they set me up and sold my stuff on the internet." I said sarcastically, because of their guilty face, I mumbled a small apology.

We drove in awkwardly until we stopped at a tall, glass building. I stare at the building in awe until I hear a laugh near me. They motion me outside of the car and we make our way into the building.

"Sit right here and don't move." They told me ten minutes ago and now I was currently trying to fix the lamp that I broke after wandering around.

As I attempted to repair the light, somebody looked down at me with an angry look.

"You're coming with me." The random man yanked by arm, I tried to pull away but the man was too strong, I dragged my feet as he pulled me along around the building. I was about to call for Micheal but I was interrupted by a stern voice.

"What are you doing with my daughter, Steven?" A voice called out, the voice belonging to Paul.

While the man was distracted, I kicked him in the balls and walked to my stepdad.

"Da-daughter, since when? I thought your wife was dead." The man grunted on the floor, groaning in pain. I looked up and Paul's green eyes dramatically darkened at his words.

You just played your motherfucking self.

"I suggest you walk out of here while you can walk," Pau; gritted, he then assessed the man's situation. "Or maybe it's already too late." He chuckled at me.