Thirteen Summers

THIRD PERSON

"Maybe it was too soon." Roman spoke up, shaking his head in regret. "We've just overloaded her with so much fucking information, with the day she's had? Wrong fucking time."

"There was never a right time, it was best that we did it now." Cameron disagreed with him. "She's struggling, we know she is."

Cameron walked over to the open balcony doors of his home office, the cold air engulfing him as he flicked his lighter a few times before its flame successfully lit the cigar in his hand.

"Kenneth Byron." Cameron blew smoke, distaste in his mouth for multiple reasons. "He'll never see our sister again."

There was a crack sound as the older man's head brutally hit the brick wall.

The man winced in pain, struggling against him.

"I've always wanted to smash your face in." Kai giggled manically, this was comical to him as he held Mr Byron's face up against the wall. "Gabe, look at him."

Gabriel was leaning on the wall, beside the teacher, casually smoking a cigarette. He shared an amused look with his cousin.

"You're a— a bunch of ruffians." Mr Byron coughed out. "Every last one of you, fucking scum."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell it to the judge." Gabriel muttered before he put out his cigarette on the teacher's head, making him hiss.

"You're both psychotic— ahhhh!"

"Was that a good idea?" Roman questioned his older brother, referring to who and how he was letting the teacher get handled.

Kai was off the rails at times, they all knew that. Cameron knew it too which is why he'd sent their cousin with him, to keep him grounded.

"Let the boy have his fun." Cameron shrugged, not caring much.

"He's had enough fun, driving past the speed limit, damaging other people's cars."

"It's not like they're gonna kill the guy, anyway that's why I sent Gabe with him."

Roman shook his head in disapproval but didn't comment further on it instead, he focused on what had been on his mind all night. "I want to go speak with her about what happened at school today, I know she's upset."

"No, not right now." Cameron refused immediately. "Another time, tomorrow."

"Yeah, I wasn't asking for your permission nor do I need it." Roman scoffed, getting ready to stand up.

"Like you said, we just bombarded her with a lot of info. We need to give her the time to come to terms with it, she needs it."

"No! If you know anything about our sister, you'll know that's the last thing she needs right now." Roman hissed, the frustration was clear on his face, in the tone of his voice. "She's had a shitty fucking day at school, she just found out that she's getting tested for autism, something that's probably never crossed her mind before— it's a lot for her, nothing could be worse for her right now than time alone!"

They heard a knock at the door and both heads snapped towards it, then they shared a look.

It seemed like their sister had come to talk to them.

Roman walked off to the side and started to pour himself a glass of water, he had to collect himself before they all talked.

A moment later, Cameron replied to the knock with a, "Come in."

It wasn't Josie who had entered instead, it was her twin brother.

Caleb walked in, breathing heavily, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.