Willow Academy (Spanking Story)

Chapter 10, Part 1: Owen's POV

Now that I didn't have a life anymore, there were so many opportunities and choices I had for my free time. If I wanted to go hang out with Danny straight after school, I could. If I wanted to skip dinner with my brothers (now that I didn't have to come home with Cooper after practice), I could. Life is so easy when you don't actually have one. That must be what Penny felt like. Penny... Bitch.

I shook my head and sat up on my bed. I needed a new image. No more nice brother, no more soccer player, no more responsible "I- make-my-bed-every-day" Owen. That was the Owen that let people walk all over him. That was the Owen that let his little sister get the better of him. Bitch.

I needed a new crowd, too. People who weren't afraid to have fun, like teenagers are supposed to. Danny could probably help me with that; I'm pretty sure I'm his only friend "on the straight and narrow". He called me his 'Good Influence'.

I was about to call Danny to see if he wanted to hang- with his crowd for a change- when the door opened downstairs. I looked at my clock- five. Shit. I know who this is.

"Owen!" Cooper's bellow echoed up the stairwell. Ugh, why did I have to go home? Why couldn't I have gone somewhere my brother wouldn't expect to find me?! I knew the answer to that: because Cooper had told me to go home, and good Owen always does what his older brother says. I scoffed at the image of Cooper praising me like some dog. Yeah, those days were definitely over.

I didn't answer, and instead scrambled to shove my headphones into my ears, blasting up the first song my finger touched. Taylor Swift blared through the speakers, threatening to burst my ear drums, as my brother stalked into my room. Not exactly "I'm angry and you better stay the hell away from me" music, but it'd have to do.

I glared at the muscular figure in front of my bed. I should have quit a long time ago. The only job you can get from being good at soccer is being a coach. Who wants to go back to school after you've graduated, anyway? Look what it did to my brothers!

Cooper looked ready to blow a head gasket. He hadn't even started yelling yet. I huffed and yanked an ear bud out. "Are you gonna say something or are you just gonna stand there like an idiot?" I snapped, rolling my eyes and fiddling with my phone.

"Owen, what the hell?" was all Cooper managed to splutter out, throwing up his hands exasperatedly. I mimicked him, letting my arms thump down on the bed with unusual vigor.

My brother closed his eyes for a moment, breathing heavily through his nostrils. When he finally spoke again, the veins in his neck strained from his attempt to control his anger. "I don't know what made you get into this hissy fit you're in, but you had better snap out of it. I want you to come back down to the field with me. You're gonna be running for that little stunt you pulled earlier today." His voice had ridden with each command, his finger pointing condescendingly at me. He had the total image of an adult scolding some wayward child. Well, it was time to set him straight; I wasn't any damn child!

I crossed my arms. "I'm not going back down to the field with you," I said quietly. Most would say I looked complacent. Those who knew me well enough knew I was stubborn as a mule at that moment.

Cooper looked speechless for a moment, and then seemed to remember he was still standing in front of his little brother, gaping like a fish. "You are if I say you are, young man. Let's go!" He made an attempt to grab my arm, but I jerked my body away from him angrily. I stood up hastily, throwing my headphones down on my bed, music still audibly blaring from the speakers.

"I told you I quit! Do you even know what that means? It means I'm not part of your retarded team anymore. It means you can't make me run against my will!" I shouted, resisting the urge to punch the wall behind me. I may be pushing it with Cooper, but even I'm not that stupid.

Cooper stepped around my bed, standing inches from me. He bent over slightly, looking straight into my eyes. "Owen David, if you don't stop I'm going to take my belt off. You get me?" he asked, steely voice enough to drive some of the rebellion out of me.

I uncrossed my arms, glaring petulantly at the floor. "Yeah. I get you," I muttered.

"Sit down," he snapped, pointing to my bed. I did as asked, huffing a little. Just because I was listening didn't mean I was at all happy about it. If I wanted to quit the team, I could. Just because he's my brother doesn't mean I have to be on the team.

The front door opened downstairs, and I heard the voices of Ben and Dana drifting through the room below us. Cooper wasn't concerned with them at the moment, however. He had me to deal with. Yippee.

"Now I want you to stop pouting like a six year old who didn't get his way. Act your age and talk to me respectfully. What is the big deal with Penny joining the team? She's not even on the same team as you."

He just didn't get it. Cooper was the youngest in his own sense, as he was only four and two years younger than Ben and Dana. By the time Penny and I grew old enough to care about such things, he was already grown. He didn't understand what it was like having your younger sibling always take the blaze of glory, because he was that younger sibling. There wasn't anything I could do to make him understand.

"Nothing. I just quit, okay?" My voice had taken on a monotone, and I glanced up at him with a bored expression. "Ben and Dana are home."

Cooper looked upwards, probably for some help as to how to handle this ever-growing situation. "You know what? Fine. I'll leave you alone right now. When you're ready to talk to me, I'll be waiting." With that, my brother stalked out of the room once more.

This whole thing was bullshit. If I wanted to quit, I could quit. Cooper had plenty of other back up players to fill me in. Hell, I wasn't the only decent mid-fielder at Willow Academy. There was no reason for him to act like this was the end of the world. He didn't need me. No one did.

I lay on my bed, brooding about the unfairness of this situation. Why couldn't I just have been born an only child, with actual parents who didn't try to control every aspect in my life? Okay, Owen. Turn off the whiny teenager and turn on the party animal! I smirked, thinking of a life free of constant practices and studying. High school really was going to be great.

~*~

I walked reluctantly downstairs for dinner. I had considered still phoning up Danny to see if he wanted to hang out, but shortly after Cooper left, Dana had come upstairs and taken my phone. I didn't even bother to ask why; he didn't seem to be in a very good mood anyway.

There was a tense atmosphere downstairs, and I knew it would be a quiet dinner. Whatever. It'd be my last one for a while, so who cares?

I sat down and rested my chin on my folded arms, counting the tines on my fork. Hmm, that one was crooked...

The sound of the front door opening yet again made me glance up. No. Fucking. Way. Penny was not coming to dinner tonight of all nights!

Sure enough, there she was, walking to the dinner table like she owned the place. BITCH!