Chapter 2

By Punk

(Cole's Pov)

I couldn't get home fast enough. I want to say literally, but since I was driving my mother's Mercedes while I saved up my money for a car of my own, I tried my best to obey the speed limit. I wanted to slap myself for breaking down right there in the middle of the skate shop. And Andy had seen me! I hated letting people see me cry, in fact there is only one person on this planet I will let myself break down in front off, and that person was in England.

When I pulled into the driveway I basically sat there for a good twenty minutes and just cried. I cried over Corey shooting up again, over Josh not being around, over not seeing Aila. I cried because with Josh gone, I was the oldest, I was the one who had to be there for my siblings; I had to be the leader. It felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and I hated it. I should be used to it; Josh hasn't lived with us since I was 6. It's a long story, that involves death and super natural aspects that make it sound like a science fiction story, but basically Josh is supposed to be only 5 years older, which makes his real age 21, but he's been 18 until he actually turned 18, yeah I really don't want to explain it, but that's why he hasn't been living us, he moved around a lot, lived under a few fake names, now he can be Josh Margera Novak again, but he still doesn't live with us. He has his own life in Europe, and he likes it.

I got out of the car and went inside. Dad and Mom were gone, but I figured that since the lambo was gone when I pulled in. Chris was working, and Jacey had probably gone with him, since he works at Hottopic and Jacey is shopaholic even though she'd never admit it. Actually I'm surprised we don't own a Hottopic by now, we're all in there at least once a week, they sponsor me and they used to sponsor my mom before she shattered her knee 3 years ago and decided to give up skating professionally for a while.

"Jeremey? Corey?" I called walking into the living room. Jeremey was laying on his stomach on the floor typing. He looked up but didn't say anything. "What are you doing?" I needed someone to talk to, and I was hoping Jeremey would too. He looked up again but didn't say anything. I sighed and started to go upstairs.

"Dad and Mom took Corey to the doctor." I turned around and looked at Jeremey. "He-he's gonna go t-to rehab." His face had gone red and he was starting to cry. "They-they said he could be gone 3 months." He started to sob. I rushed down and gathered up my little brother. I held him in my arms as he cried." How-how are we supposed to deal with this?" He pulled back and looked at me. "Cole, what are we supposed to do?"

I shook my head and hugged him. "Jey, look rehab is gonna help Corey. He's gonna finally be clean...we're gonna finally have our brother back, and not the heroin addicted asshole." I told him that, but I really didn't know if I believed it. "Come on; let's get out of here for a while. We can go skate." I got up and pulled Jeremey to his feet. He finished what he was working on and ran his laptop back up to his room. I sighed.

(Jeremey's POV)

I grabbed my board from my room and came downstairs. Cole was waiting for me and we went outside together. I wiped my eyes as we climbed up the ramp. I really couldn't believe this was happening to us. It's not fair at all. So much shit has happened over the years, and now this. I was pissed at Corey for fucking up, and I was pissed at the world for everything else.

Cole looked over at me before we dropped in. I didn't look back. I tried to just concentrate on skating. No, not even that, just on what was in front of me, my body didn't need instruction on what to do anymore, it had been given instruction since I was 3. I cleared my mind the best I could as I skated, trying to suppress the emotions that threatened to over take me. My only thoughts became the feel of the wind on my body, the board beneath my feet, and the awareness of the ramp and the air.

When I finally stopped to cool down I watched Cole. I knew he had let himself go the way I had done, hell he was the one who taught me how. Watching him always reminded me I wasn't the best, hell he made me seem like a 2 year old compared to what he could do. But I didn't care that he was better, that he was sponsored, even though people try to say I should be. I don't know how many times I've read on message boards and in magazines where people accuse my parents of favoring Cole over us. It's not true, not at all. Yes, he is the up and coming second generation skater boy, and mom's personal way to show up uncle Bam, but my parents support all of us. They support Josh, whatever he's doing in Europe; they support Chris's college ambitions, and Jacey's dream of being a singer. They support me, even though I don't know what I want to do in life yet, and they support Corey, even after this.

Thinking about that made me feel better. And it made me realize that my parents haven't given up on my brother, and I shouldn't either. I looked at Cole as he finished up and skated onto the ramp. He stepped off his board and playfully punched me. "You okay, Jey?" He looked at me and I smiled softly with a slight nod. Cole's phone started to ring and so did mine. I climbed down from the ramp and went to answer it.

"Hey Mom." I said answering after checking the caller id. "How's Corey?" I asked in a low voice. Mom was crying on the other end, I knew even though she tried to make it sound like she wasn't.

"Your Dad and I are gonna go over to Jimmy and Bam's for a while, are you still at home?" I answered I was and she continued. "We already called Chris and Jacey and they should be home in a few hours, we'll try to be home by then..."

"Mama, that's fine, but how's Corey doing?" I heard her cry some more I felt terrible. "Mom, please. I want to know."

"He's going threw some pretty heavy withdraw right now, Jey. They're gonna keep him in the hospital for two days and then transfer him to rehab..."She started crying some more. I heard Dad in the background hang up and say something to her. I guess he was talking to Cole. "He's hurting, he's gotten violent even." She was crying harder.

"Oh Mom, I-you can call me back or I'll just wait until you get home." She mustered something that sounded like "I'm sorry and I love you" and I said it back before hanging up. I stared at my phone and then felt Cole put a hand on my shoulder. I sniffed about to cry again. "Did daddy tell you?" I looked at Cole and he nodded. I let a few tears fall and Cole hugged me. I couldn't believe this was happening to us.