The Fuentes Family

29

Alex

Why does Val need to have the music so loud? And he plays these stupid club songs that you would just expect to hear at a party, but they're not even good. All people do is jump up and down and pretend they're amazing dancers because they can fucking jump. Congrats, so can every other functional human being.

No matter how loud I turn the music in my earphones, I can still hear the stupid song booming from downstairs. This is getting ridiculous. That idiot better pray for his life when I find him.

Pulling my earphones out, I get up from my bed, about to go downstairs to kill my brother when I hear people outside my room.

"Get back." The frightened voice is female and extremely familiar. It sounds like Amelia.

There is a thumping noise, and a guy says, "I'm trying to be nice." I know him. I'd recognise the slurring hissing voice anywhere. It's Ethan, the disgusting pig who loves to take advantage of girls.

"Stop!" I'm sure it's Amelia when she shouts this, her voice full of fear. I don't think before pulling open my door, seeing Ethan pressed against Amelia with his hand-

His body is flung against the wall and I don't even realise i've done it, looking into Amelia's glossy eyes. I want to reach out and hold her to make sure she's alright. I wish I could hug her until she feels better like I used to, but she'd hate that. I pull my hand back and hope she didn't notice.

"Who do you think you fucking are?" Ethan growls, making a move to hit me but I dodge it. The action and simply just the sight of him and knowing what he just tried to do makes me see red. I forget Amelia is standing here when I start punching him until he can't take anymore. My fist burns, making me feel successful and Ethan stumbles backwards.

I'd like to see that idiots body laying on the ground unconscious, covered in blood. I want to make him regret even looking at Amelia – no, actually, I'd like him to regret he was ever born in this fucking world. It'd get me in trouble though, and I can't risk getting into anything with the law right now when i'm already involved enough with my trials coming up.

Amelia's hands are shaking, and I know that there's no way i'm letting her drive home alone when she's upset. I couldn't stand the thought of her crying on her way home, shaking and picturing that beasty asshole dickhead.

After driving her home, I get back to my house feeling pissed at myself. I should have stayed, but what else could I have said? She wasn't going to forgive me. I don't even forgive me.

Just when I enter the kitchen to get a bottle of water, I find a very strange sight. Val leaning against the wall with tears streaming down his face.

"What's wrong?" When he doesn't answer I wave my hand in front of his red swollen eyes until they avert to me.

"Todo."

"What's everything?"

"Just todo."

"Go to bed."

He slides down the wall until he's sitting on the floor. "Buenas noches."

Why is he so fucked up? I couldn't even guess what he's on at this point. Grabbing a bottle of water, I give it to him and think about just walking away but my guilty conscience stops me.

He struggles to take the bottle cap off, turning it the wrong way until he figures out it works the other way. After taking a tiny sip he sits it down. "I feel better now."

"Drink más."

"I want chicken pakora."

I sigh. "I'll get you it tomorrow if you just go to bed."