Another brother threatened me. Again. My feelings towards my new siblings were like a rollercoaster. Sometimes I believed we could really get on well with each other, but then usually something was happening, something that was proving me that I will never have a real bond with them.
Let's start with the fact, that they are very specific themselves. The longer I lived with them, the more I saw it. They were spoiled with luxury, something that was differing us so much. They were taught to always get what they wanted and everyone had to obey them. The last one I felt at my cost because they expected me to always do as I am told by them. They didn't use me for granted or anything so it wasn't bothering me that much, but it would be nice to know that we are equals.
Days passed and I haven't caused any problems. I was still Miss Perfect. I woke up every day to school, ate breakfast and waited patiently for my brothers to decide who I was going to school with. My homework was always done and I studied quite a lot.
One time, when I was going to get my lunch, I was packing my books and my mobile phone slipped from my bag and fell to the floor. The screen broke into million pieces and the phone couldn't even turn on. I panicked. That's what I am like, this kind of stuff was catching me off-balance. I knew that my mom wouldn't be happy if I told her I broke my phone and for some time I'd stay without it or I'd get some old one as a substitute. A clamshell probably.
And that phone was quite new, I got it like around four months ago... It wasn't the best one as well, but I liked it and I knew that for my mom it was a big expense.
"Don't worry, Hailie, just leave it for a while and it may turn on..." Mona tried to cheer me up.
"Even if.. the screen is completely shattered." pointed out Marshall.
"Shut up, I am trying to help her" she whispered to him.
"Don't cry, Hailie, this isn't the newest model anyway, it shouldn't be expensive to fix it," Audrey told me, clasping me.
As I said, this kind of stuff catches me off-balance and tears were now rolling down my cheeks. I was sad and angry that I broke a phone which I got from my mom. I remember how happy I was when she gave it to me. Now, I'll have to inform Vince about it, which wasn't, gently saying, the pleasant perspective for me.
On my way to the cafeteria, I went with girls to the bathroom to dry out my tears. My eyes were still red though. That's why, when (annoyingly enough) I bumped into Dylan and Tony in the entrance to the cafeteria, I dropped my gaze to the floor and passed them quickly.
I felt a grip on my arm and at one moment I was pulled back to the hallway by Dylan. I raised my scared eyes at him. He stood towering over me and next to us Tony leaned on lockers. He seemed to be indifferent, but still was watching me.
"Why have you cried?" Dylan asked me directly.
"I haven't..." I answered quietly. I knew he wouldn't believe me, but I didn't want to tell him about the phone. It's enough stressful I have to tell it to Vince. I wanted to prepare first.
"Don't lie, Hailie," he warned me sharply.
I sighed and with shaking hands, I took my broken possession out from the pocket in my bag.
"I dropped it," I explained, avoiding my brothers' look.
There was a moment of silence. Dylan looked at the phone and then, along with raised eyebrows, at me.
"You cried because you dropped the phone?" he repeated.
"It doesn't work!" I sighed and felt how my eyes water again. Great.
Tony gazed at me with a hilariously surprised expression on his face. Both my brothers exchanged their looks.
"Go get some lunch, Hailie." Dylan commended me and his voice sounded different. Gentler.
I sniffed, nodded and put the phone back to my bag. When I moved away from them, I felt better. They weren't yelling at me, that's something.
I haven't met Vince at dinner nor supper. Neither Will. Shane said that he'd be back late, so I could catch him tomorrow in the morning.
It was the evening when I was sitting already showered and dressed in my pajamas, with wet hair, reading a biology book. Finally, we started to learn about the human body, which was way too much more interesting than plants. Then someone knocked at my door and Vince came in. I expected to see him the next day, just as Shane told me, so I wasn't ready at all to confront him now. My heart skipped a beat and I dropped my head right away, knowing that he already knew.
Vince headed towards my desk and put a small box on it. I looked at it and knew at once it was a mobile phone. New. iPhone. My eyes widened. I have no idea about phone models and stuff, but this one seemed to be the newer one. And it was an iPhone, I'd never had it before. I was staring at the box and at Vince, with my mouth opened.
"I've heard your old phone stopped working." he said, winking at me.
I looked down.
"I dropped it, but it was an accident, really, I don't know how..."
"I know, Hailie." broke in Vince and caught my chin, making me to meet his eyes. "Don't you ever cry because of such small things."
His sight almost hypnotized me with its power. Finally, Vince stopped the connection, leaving and sending me his incredibly handsome smile. It was wonderful, so rarely seen on his face though...
For a moment, I was glancing at the box with disbelief. I opened it carefully and gulped at the sight of a beautiful, brand-new, shining phone. I stared at it and then closed the box back and suddenly speeded out of my bedroom. I caught Vince in the kitchen and without thinking, I closed him in an embrace, surprising him.
"Thank you, thank you!" I whispered and I felt how my usually cold, distanced brother hugged me back and stroked my hair.
Of course, I thanked him for the phone, but not only. That was something more. I thanked him for his reaction. I'd never even dreamed that he would be so easy-going. Relief took over me.
That day was the first day I cuddled with Vince and I felt our brother-sister bound got stronger