As soon as I entered the house I shared with my dad and brother, I let my tough exterior crumble and I burst into tears
As soon as I entered the house I shared with my dad and brother, I let my tough exterior crumble and I burst into tears. I could hear the clatter coming from the kitchen immediately cease as my older brother, Dean, appeared in the living room.
"Annabelle, what's wrong?"
His eyes showed true concern but I was in no mood to talk. Not meeting his inquisitive gaze, I made a beeline for my bedroom.
My room's walls were still pink from the tenants before us and my father had never had time to paint over it. As my own way of covering up the putrid color, I had put up movie posters, which now covered almost every inch of the walls. Though we'd only lived her a month – and probably wouldn't stay much longer – I loved this place. It was my refuge. Sitting on my bed, I pulled my knees in to my chest and rested my chin on them. My tears had finally stopped but my spirits had not yet lifted.
A knock came at my door a few moments later. At first, I entertained the idea of ignoring it but finally, I sighed. Dean meant well. "Come in."
Dean entered, carrying a plastic bowl from the kitchen. He closed the door behind him and sat on the edge of the bed, offering me the contents of the bowl.
I frowned. "Jelly beans?"
"Yeah, I even picked the green ones out, just the way you like it." He beamed, obviously proud that he had remembered that detail.
"I haven't eaten jelly beans since I was seven." I raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't you remember? I ate a whole bag and wound up blowing chunks everywhere."
Dean laughed. "Yeah, I remember. Dad was so pissed at me and Sam for letting you eat that much sugary crap." He made a face at me and then the bowl between us. "Have you seriously not eaten a jelly bean since then?"
I shook my head. "I was traumatized!"
"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong or am I going to have to force feed you jelly beans 'til you finally tell me?" I grimaced as he popped a red jelly bean in his mouth.
Sighing, I reached for a tissue on my nightstand and scrubbed at my tearstained face. I didn't particularly feel like having this discussion with my big brother but I didn't doubt that his threat was for real. Finally, staring at my hands to avoid his eyes, I muttered, "I don't have boobs and I kiss like a fish."
There was a moment of silence as Dean tried to process this. "Come again?"
I looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Are you seriously going to make me repeat that?"
He held up a hand in apology and scooted closer to me, placing the bowl of candy on the floor beside my bed. "Now, where did you get this notion that you don't have boobs and kiss like a fish?"
I couldn't help but wince when he repeated it. Pushing a lock of blonde hair behind my ear, I fought fresh tears that were threatening to run down my cheeks. "Adam Reynolds."
"Well, then you tell Adam that he has a tiny p-"
"Dean!" My tears disappeared as I looked up at him in outrage.
He grinned sheepishly until, under my glare, it faded to a serious expression. "Sorry, protective older brother syndrome may cause stupidity."
That actually got a laugh out of me. "You're such a dork sometimes."
"Hey, no picking on me." He bumped into me with his shoulder and offered a mocking smile. "Now, continue with your story."
I sighed, knowing that he wouldn't like the rest of the story. "If I tell you, will you promise not to get mad?" Giving him my best puppy eyes I could muster, I leaned into him.
Dean thought about it for a minute. "You didn't sell drugs, did you?"
"No…"
"Beat a homeless man to death?"
"Um, no."
"Listen to a crappy boy band?"
My face split into a smile. "Hell no."
Dean gave me a high five. "That's my girl. So, if you have done none of those things, I promise not to get mad."
I chewed on my lip for a moment, still unsure. "So, I was at Tara Kingston's birthday party and -" I paused. "Have you ever played seven minutes in heaven?"
Dean seemed to swallow down his initial reaction to my question. "Possibly. Why?"
I could feel the pesky tears returning, prickling the back of my eyeballs. "Well, Tara suggested we play it. I didn't know what it was and when I asked, she suggested I go in the closet first so I could learn, firsthand."
A groan erupted from Dean but he said nothing.
"I was in there for a few seconds when Adam showed up." I wrinkled my nose. "I've had a crush on him and all but he came on really strong, ya know."
Dean clenched his jaw but again said nothing.
My throat was tightening as I tried to choke out the remainder of the story. "I was so confused so I – I slapped him."
I couldn't tell but I could've sworn relief passed over Dean's features.
"After that, he started teasing me, telling me that it was all just a joke to embarrass me, anyway." I wrapped my arms around myself at the memory, willing myself not to break into sobs again. "He told me everyone thought I was weird. And that's when he said…well, you know. You don't think I'm a freak, do you, Dean?"
Dean gave me a playful punch on the arm. "You betcha." When he saw the look on my face, he retracted his words. "I'm just messing with ya. Why would you consider yourself a freak?
I pursed my lips, not wanting to say what was on my mind. The last time a member of my family had brought it up, a fight I would never forget had erupted. But the memory of Adam's words burned and I met Dean's eyes that shone with concern. "Dean, most girls my age are dreaming about prom and going gaga over movie stars." I shrugged. "Not being trained in hand-to-hand combat and researching ancient spells. I've never even been on a real date before. I feel like a freak of nature."
"You are not a freak of nature. I don't care what this Adam guy says." Dean stroked my hair as my tears finally began to fall. "I'm afraid you took after Sam more than anyone else in this family. We have another little rebel on our hands."
The subject of Sam made my heart sink lower. He, like myself, had craved to be normal and gone so far as to apply to Stanford to escape the crazy life of hunting. I missed him terribly. "Sam thinks we're freaks, too. That's why he left."
Dean turned me to face him, a stern look on his face. "Don't you ever say that, Annabelle! Sam loved you to death and him going to college had nothing to do with getting away from you!" His tone was severe but I could tell his words were said with love and concern.
"Then, why won't he visit?"
Sadness crept into Dean's eyes. "You know that."
I did. Before Sam left for college, he'd had a huge blowout with our father. Dad had told him not to come back, a moment at which I thought my heart would implode. "Not even a call? A birthday card?"
"You know, I think he's just ashamed. And not of us, but the things he said before he left." He brushed a few tears away from my eyes and brushed my hair out of my face. "Annabelle, you're awesome and Dad, Sam, and I will always be here for you." He bent over to pick up the bowl of jelly beans. "Since the jelly beans were a bust, how about we go out for pizza?"
I offered him a small smile. "Alright, but if you order extra garlic again, I'm walking home."
