My Foster Brother

Pt. 25

Liam

I was sitting on the couch playing video games, when Anders came downstairs. This isn't going to end well. Michigan joined us by the couch, Zach just casually sat by the bottom of the stairs. Tyler was pissed, more pissed than he already was with Anders.

"Tyler.." Matt says.

"Ahem." Danny says.

"Anders." Matt says.

"Matthew." Anders says.

"I..what!? How did you..?" Matt asks.

"Matt is typically the nickname to Matthew so.." Anders replies.

"That isn't the point." Tyler says.

Tyler is so annoyed. He's so done with this. He just wants to walk away, but Matt has somehow gotten him to stay at talk about this tonight.

"You know what this is about, so.." Matt says.

"What do you want from me? A full on explanation on why I got high? A full explanation of why I both ran off into the night and got high? An explanation on why the cops came here wondering why I was? You off all people, should know about my past. Especially, you." Anders replies turning to Tyler.

"You're right. I do know of your past, especially when it comes to teenage me. But unlike your boyfriend over there, I-" Tyler starts.

"You do realise, I didn't do shit about anything until you took it too far?" Matt asks interrupting..

"Yes, but at least you prevented me from getting high." Tyler mumbles.

"Hold on a second, are you implying it's my fault that he got high? Like, I didn't go out of my way to find him whilst he was already high? Did you forget, I took him back here?" Zach asks.

"That isn't what I'm saying." Tyler says.

"What exactly do you want?" Anders asks.

"You know what we want." Matt replies.

"No, I don't." Anders says.

"You left and got high. You know what we want." Tyler says.

"Look, I spent 6 years with a shitty father and even more time in shitty foster homes until I finally came to you guys who actually care and are willing to put up with not 1, but 3 troublemakers. You wonder why I have attitude and why I do things you do. Well, that's why. Smoking is just one of the many effects." Anders says.

"You got high." Tyler replies.

"I realise that, and I managed to break something in the process. Give me a fucking break. It's almost like my entire fucking life was shitty. I know, smoking isn't a great method to getting over shit times, but when you grow up around drug/alcohol addicts and abuse..." Anders says.

"That's fair." Matt says.

Yes, we know that Anders has been through many foster homes, but we didn't know of how bad things really were. Most of us have been with Matt and Tyler since the beginning, but some have moved once, here being their second. Anders moved around a lot, but no one really knew why.

"I can't just like pretend everything okay, when it's not. Did you forget I came here having not eaten anything for like 2 weeks? That wasn't the first time, I tried to do that. Every single foster home I've been in before coming here, the parents couldn't give a flying fuck about me. I was suicidal and completely friendless while in those homes. I'm still very suicidal, but thanks to you and Zach, things are starting to get better." Anders says.

I can't say I ever helped the cause. I made it worse. I bullied him, I just a jackass to him ever since we met. Yeah, we're not fighting anymore, but I still did what I did. I was the one who got him in the hospital.

"You can stop smoking. I managed to, so you can as well." Tyler says.

"It's not that simple, Tyler." Anders says.

"I know it's not." Tyler replies.

"But you can try." Matt says.

"How many packs do you have?" Zach asks.

"I only have 1." Anders replies.

Zach went to go check if that's true. It didn't take him long, as he was down like a minute later.

"Well, he's not lying. This is only one." Zach says setting it on the table.

Anders picked it up and emptied it. There was only one left in the entire pack. Matt and Tyler looked at each other. Anders threw out the box, but left the one cigarette still lying on the table. Why didn't he throw that out, too?

"How many did you have tonight?" Tyler asks.

"I don't know. 3..4..?" Anders says timidly.

"He had one his hand, which I threw away earlier and 2 in his jacket pocket." Zach says.

Matt threw out his last one. Anders could change, it's what they're trying to do. He could stop smoking, but everything else would still be there. He'd still be suicidal, even if Zach is right here. Some things will still be shit for him and getting them 'healed' comes with time.