Tempest (#1)

Chapter Four: Reese's Pieces

I stretched like a cat as my phone rang, waking me up to a bright, bright morning. I squinted, searching for my phone like I didn't already know where it was. And I immediately dreaded my choice of location. I glared over to my desk, wondering why in the world I would ever put it that far from my comfy bed. 

Come on, telepathy work... I thought, stretching out my arm to the desk. TO ME, MY PHONE! I reached for it harder, imagining I had Magneto's powers, but naturally, nothing happened. After another second, I got up and went across the room. I answered my phone as I yawned. "Eh-oh?"

"Penn? Did you just get up?" my brother asked.

"Yeah. I had a late night." I replied. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to meet up at the park today. Aunt Judy is going to be out until tomorrow. So, I figured it might be a good time to see each other."

Aunt Judy was like my personal parole officer. She kept me away from the one and only real family I had left. And if I ever did go back home to see him, she clocked me on it and made sure I only got to spend thirty minutes with him before kicking me out. My father's sister is a bitter woman, and the second I turned eighteen, she kicked my hide to the curb with nothing more than the clothes on my back and five dollars in my pocket. If it weren't for my amazing brother, I would have never managed to get the rest of my stuff.

"Of course!" I smiled, trying to rub the sleep from eyes. "What time?"

"Um, twelve-thirty?" he asked, thinking about it.

I looked over to the alarm clock. It was eleven in the morning. "I'll definitely be there. The usual spot?"

"Yeah." I could tell he was smiling. I could hear it in the way his voice perked up.

"Awesome. See you then!" I said, before jumping out of bed.

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I sat on one of the swings, waiting for my brother to show.

It's been almost four months since the last time I saw him. We tried to communicate with each other, but Judy always had him under lock and key. Sometimes, I wouldn't hear from him for weeks at a time. And just as I would get ready to storm the castle, he'd send me a text or give me a call to let me know he was ok.

I despise that he has to stay with that greedy monster. She only took us in to get the money from my parents' life insurance policy. We were told that they were in an accident. If you can even consider getting driven off the road and slamming into the side of a brick building by some good-for-nothing alcoholic an accident.

They caught the guy after he tried to run, but it didn't really mean anything. I mean, yeah, in the eyes of the law, the guy was caught. But in our eyes... All it did was make us confront the man who slaughtered our family. Who tore us apart. It didn't bring back my parents, and it sure as hell didn't make us any happier. Instead, we got stuck with Judy, and she got stuck with us. 

And to make our lives all the more difficult, Judy has no rights to the cash. It was left in Reese's and my name. Only we could have it. And now that I have half the money, Judy wants nothing more to do with me. She knew I wouldn't give her a cent. Not even if she groveled--but boy, do I wish she had groveled. And it's not like I'm a greedy person. I could give less of a shit about money, to be honest. So long as I had enough for me and Reese, I would be set, but Judy... Well, when you grow up with someone constantly putting you down... Someone who consistently doesn't give a damn about your thoughts, feelings, or rights, you would be a little bitter about it too.