I'm not comfortable at funerals, don't get me wrong, and this is no exception. The finality of it all is beyond unmeasurably hard to accept. They deserve the best. Better than the best.
The service was short. Liam refused a eulogy, so a funeral director who didn't even know them gave a short form of one based on information strictly provided by Liam. It was the most impersonal funeral procession I've ever experienced.
When I think he can't possibly make anything worse, he finds a way to prove me wrong.
It makes me sick to my stomach. I was on autopilot the entire time, and I hate that I'm glad it's over.
I walk over towards Izzy, who is talking to her parents outside the door. Suddenly, like a magnetic force pulling me in, my eyes land to the right, directly on Ander.
I freeze.
Thankfully, we are nowhere near one another. He's in the parking lot, leaning against his truck with his hands in his front pockets. His hair isn't in his eyes; it's fixed. He doesn't move either. Our eyes stay locked, and with each passing second, the air gets thick. He looks handsome as ever in a black button-down shirt with black jeans and his chucks. He isn't one to dress up, and this is decked out for him. I can't stop looking him over.
Before I know it, I'm snapped out of the trance and pulled into my hell on earth. Liam is towering over me.
Is he seriously hugging me?
If I wasn't frozen before, I certainly am now.
My hands are still at my sides, stunned and unable to move. My whole body tenses beneath his arms as I cringe and clench my fists. Liam leans in towards my left ear and pretends to sniffle as he gets closer.
"I would just like to thank you for your help, Olive," in the most sinister tone I've ever heard escape from a human being, even him.
I couldn't react. Thank you? I wasn't sure what he meant, and quite frankly, I was dumbfounded and still stuck in place. That is until he grabbed my shoulder hard and continued, "You sneaking out made this all so easy. I have you to thank, really. I see your little boyfriend showed up. It seems as if he wants to make this easy for me, too."
I snapped my head back instantly. I take his hand and rip it off of my shoulder. I was still processing the words that escaped his mouth and their meaning. With each millisecond, my body fills with more rage. He grins, that same evil grin I've come to know all too well.
I absolutely lose it.
I start screaming as I pass him a slap to the back of his head. Once that one reaction leaves me, I'm unable to stop myself. All the years of pent-up hatred for this person, my own brother, come rushing to the surface. I felt like the moment was in fast-forward and slow motion all at once. I'm not even sure the words are coming out of my mouth; all I know is that it's moving, and my hands won't stop. He pushes me back twice, trying to get me off of him. He's yelling back, but I can't make out what he is saying. I cannot hear anything but the rage building inside of me.
Until I see his fist.
He lifts his fist, and all of the memories come crashing in. I crumble.
I crumble like I always do.
Right then and there, I drop to the ground and curl into a ball. Like the damsel in distress, I never signed up to be. I hear the noise but still can't make out the words. I feel someone on top of me, and I cringe. They aren't hurting me; they're holding me.
I lift my face to see Izzy cradling me, trying to pull me to my feet, so I let her. I look around and find where the noises are coming from.
Liam is on the ground, and Ander is on top of him.
Ander might be my age and seven years younger than Liam, but Liam has nothing on Ander regarding size and muscle mass. Liam has always been frail-like. Maybe that explains his need to overcompensate with his false sense of power. Jett and Izzy's brother Kasten stand by in case Ander needs help, but he doesn't. I scream at all of them. God, I despise Liam. I hate that I let myself slew down to his level and give him the exact reaction he wanted. I'll be damn if he makes this day any more about himself than he already has.
I rush over to Ander and scream for him to stop, but he refuses. I scream again. and again. I look to Jett and Kasten, and finally, one of them decides to speak up.
"Ander, that's enough. Stop, he's down. Walk away, man," Jett says as he and Kasten pull Ander up. He's still catching his breath as I walk over to him and grab his wrist, pulling him toward the side of the building. He follows me without hesitation. I glance back while we are walking, and Liam is still fumbling on the ground; no one seems to be helping him.
Good.
We get to the side of the building where no one can see us. I lean against the wall and drop my head. I can't look in his eyes right now.
I'm trying to gather my thoughts and figure out exactly what to say to him, and before I get the chance, he inches in slowly, rubbing his hand on my cheek.
"Are you okay, baby? I'm sorry to do that today, to cause a scene like that, but I couldn't stand by and let him hurt you again. Once I hit him back, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I can't just keep sitting back knowing what he does and how he is and let him continue—" I cut him off before he can finish.
"I asked you not to come," I say softly, still looking down with his hand on my face, his thumb rubbing and stroking against my cheek. He runs it down to my chin and lifts my face slightly, tilting my head to look directly at him.
