• He flashed that famous movie star smile on his way out of the house. He grabbed his keys and slipped them in his pocket.
    "When are you going to be back next?" I asked, walking up to him.
    "Maybe tomorrow." Thomas, my brother, grinned, playfully, at my little sister, Hannabelle.
    I smiled back and felt a small knot in my stomach. It fell into place without any notice. It just seemed to rest there and make me feel like throwing up.
    "See you guys later." Thomas walked out of the door, off of the porch, and into his car.
    "Only if your mom was here to see you guys." My dad took another swig from his beer and set his big, sweaty, hand on my shoulder.
    I heard Thomas' car engine start. I peered out of the window and saw his car back up and drive away.
    "But, I'm glad she's not." My dad stumbled to his rocking chair in the corner of the room, closest to the TV. "She was a b***h anyhow."
    i looked down at little 9 year old Hannabelle. She looked back at me with her big, green eyes. She was so innocent and loving. All of her thoughts and moves were all in good intentions. She was trying to impress Thomas, just like me. I looked up to Thomas, I always have. But with Hannabelle, it was different. She never got along with Thomas and she wished she could, she always had.
    "Let's get you to bed." I said to her, after glancing at the slowly ticking clock. It was almost 9 o'clock.
    "But I'm not tired, Greg." She sighed.
    "I know your not, but you know, and I know, that you'll say this and you'll fall asleep right after I read to you."
    She, again, heavily sighed and ran upstairs.
    I swallowed, hard, as I walked past my dad. I didn't want him to say anything to me. I didn't want to start with a fight about how I acted or anything. I just wanted to go to sleep and wake up the next morning, feeling okay.
    I was far from okay.