The two brothers were brought up in similar circumstances; both of them were highly privileged. Though somewhere something had struck a difference between them, perhaps it was the fact Nathan was five years older than Peter, five years more experienced to the cruel harshness of the world or perhaps, (as his mother put it), Peter constantly spent his life "staring out of rose tinted glasses". Either way whenever folks talked about the Petrelli boys, the topic of conversation always turned to Nathan, the highly ambitious oldest, whilst Peter would fade away into forgetfulness unless someone casually mentioned his name.
Peter POV
There's not much I remember about being ten, that phase of my life seemed to pass in a hazy dream of happiness. But there is one particular memory which sticks in my brain.
It was raining that day. I remember that. Nathan was at his football club, due home any minute. It was one of the few times I remember father to have been in the house, without Nathan having being there. Me and dad never got on to well, it wasn't that I didn't want to, quite the opposite actually. He always seemed to feel a coldness towards me, I would walk into a room and he would leave. He was never the affectionate father, he never read to me, played with me or addressed me with more than three sentences, we were as good as strangers except I shared a great proportion of his facial features. For my part I never desired a deeper bond with this man than what he gave me and he satisfied my feelings with returning no gesture of friendliness.
I had been sitting on the stairs, pretending I was hiding from the hideous ogre who lived in the cupboard beneath the stairs, when I had heard raised voices coming from one of our numerous living rooms. I hadn't meant to overhear the conversation, but it had leaked under the doorway to my waiting ears.
"What are you doing?!" Dad yelled.
"I'm going to keep it!" I heard my mum reply, her voice hushed and I detected a hint of fear which was unusual for my mother.
"Are you MAD?!" Dad cried.
I heard a sharp intake of breath from mum.
"You cannot keep…it." Dad muttered, so I only just caught the last words.
"I am," my mum replied, resolved.
"You are insulting me!" Dad shouted, raising his voice again.
"I'm sorry dear, but you know what Mr Mendez said about this…" Her tones drew so quiet and light that they drew out of my hearing range.
"Hey Pete!" Nathan's sudden cry made me jump and I leapt off the stairs, landing face down.
"Whoa!" Nathan pulled me to my feet and I turned to glance back at the closed door which promptly swung open to reveal dad framed in the doorway. He passed me over with his normal disregarding gaze and addressed Nathan.
"Hello son, I have some good news for you."
Nathan assured that I was comfortably back on my feet, looked cautiously at dad, "what news?" He asked.
"Have you told him?" Mom appeared suddenly next to dad.
Dad cleared his throat, "Nathan, you have been accepted into Hilton."
"What!" Nathan exclaimed, "Seriously?"
"Oh yes we are quite serious my dear," mum replied, pulling Nathan into a hug, "well done!"
"Yes very well done," dad agreed, stepping over me and patting Nathan on the back, "I knew you could do it, had no doubt about it, I went to that high school and it is brilliant, best education you will ever get, your on your way to the high business son."
"Thanks dad," Nathan still looked in shock, "I just, I just can't believe it."
"We're going to celebrate," dad announced, "already booked a table at Kyle's."
"Am I coming dad?" I asked timidly.
"No, Peter," mum answered, "you're to little, stay here with nanny, we won't be back late." She bent down and gave me a swift kiss on the head before following dad and Nathan outside.
