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Often Parker found himself awake rather than asleep.
His mind lurched back and forth like waves on a rock. He ran a calloused a hand over his face.
Parker's mother and father's arguing echoed into his room and at this point in time, he wished the acoustics weren't so good.
"You are not listening!—" he stopped tuning in to their heated argument when he saw his little sister, Paige open his door with a frown on her circular face. Her neatly braided blonde hair and silk pajamas, made her look very put together for a seven year old.
He quickly closed his eyes and pretended he was sleeping, "Parker wake up!" She whispered slapping his face.
"Yes, I'm awake Paige Alexandria," he answered getting out of his bed, he was prepared to take her back to her room, but he watched the seven year old take a seat on his plush bedding. Paige began to play with the ears of Penelope the stuffed bunny she had since she was a few days old.
"Don't patronize me Parker Kai" the girl crossed her arms.
The older brother stared at his sister, "Where did you learn that word?"
"I heard mom say it and it sounded like a fun word to say, so I said it" The older brother tried to not laugh at his sisters serious expression. Paige was seven years old nearing eight, she was very emotionally intelligent for a child under the age of 10. Being being exposed to an abusive father and a battered mother from a young age, it was necessary to pick up on cues quickly. Although, the abuse wasn't directed at her, it was only a matter of time before the the mother and son stopped being the only family members at the brunt of the father's rage.
Parker swore to himself that the day his father laid a hand on his sister, was the day he died.
"You okay?" his sister had a blank look on her face, he remembered the look distinctly. The numbness. He knew his sister came into the room because she was concerned about the yelling, which wasn't a new occurrence.
"I'm okay, just can't sleep" shattered glass could be heard from downstairs.
"Want me to tuck you in?" he was standing by the door with a grimace but tried to save face for Paige.
"Sure" the young girl left Parker's corner room and walked down a long wide hall and to her room. It was a room filled with creams, baby pink and black. Her room was mature, but she had a large mural on the backside of her wall that looked exactly like Paris. She got on her queen sized bed and placed Penelope next to her.
