Chapter 37
" Brother. "
Rochelle Quinn's POV:
"Jenny?"
My social worker bit her lip while I studied her body language.
"Rocky, I need to talk to you." She said Rocky.
Shit. This is it.
She's taking me away.
"Right." I muttered, nearly inaudibly. "I'll go pack my bags."
"No!" She exclaimed instantly, waving her hands around like a freak. "No, you're not leaving. I need to speak to you about Rowan, I made a mistake."
I froze, catching her glance without hesitating. My muscles tensed and I took a deep breath. "What about him?"
"I should've kept you two together." She admitted defeatedly. "The Moore's said he's been acting out, skipping school. Apparently he got into the wrong crowd in school and they can't deal with his behaviour so I told them I would go out with him for a day so I can try talking to him."
"Well how is he then? Is he safe?" I questioned instantly, gripping and tightening my hold on the door frame.
"He's here."
My heart stopped.
It's been six years since I last seen my brother.
Six years since I took him back to his home, after he told me he was happier with them.
They got rid of me without a second doubt, sending me away like I was nothing just so they could have a son that they always wanted.
I took a deep breath, internally preparing myself for what I knew would soon come.
"Where is he?"
*_*_*_*_*_*_*
I sat in the dining room, awaiting my brothers arrival.
My fingers hit the table continuously, how was he going to react?
6 fucking years.
I looked up as the door slammed shut, meeting Jenny's eyes instantly. They moved to a figure behind her, still hiding in the dark light.
Rowan stepped from the shadows, stealing my breath away. Suddenly, my defences turned to paper. I was 12 years old again, watching my brother run happily to his foster mother with a spark in his eyes.
His blue eyes no longer contained the spark I had longed to see.
They were dull, almost lifeless. His dirty blonde hair shaped his face, barely covering a scar that lay across his forehead. He was tall, despite being only 14, and much taller than me.
I stood up, taking a single step forward before being forced into his hold. I melted into his form as though it was natural. His hands fold around my back, drawing me in closer to him. My body shook again his, tears ran down my face for the missed time that we nearly could get back.
6 years was a long time.
I didn't speak, and neither did he. We just stayed there- close to one another. And somehow that felt enough.
I felt like I was home.
He pulled away after what felt like hours, wiping my tears with a calloused finger. My lips shook as I tried to calm my rapid breathing. I felt like my heart was on fire, burning and pushing against my chest.
Reuniting with Alec, Ivi and Sky meant everything to me. They saved me from so much and I'll always see them as my brothers. But reuniting with Rowan was something completely different, it was like sunshine on a rainy day, a warm ocean breeze against a coast. He was my blood, my first best friend in life. I had protected and cared for him throughout my childhood, and I never forgot him.
Words could never describe the pain in my heart at the time we lost.
"Why are you crying?" His voice was deep, and matured. His cold fingers moved my hair behind my ear, using his grip on my neck to pull me into another hug.
I didn't reply. Instead, I hugged him back and cherished the moment. I didn't get the chance to watch my little brother grow up. I couldn't comfort him whenever his sleep was consumed with monsters and nightmares. I couldn't give him 'the talk' that my mother should've been here to do. I wasn't there for him to tell me about his first kiss or his first girlfriend or boyfriend.
"I'm so sorry." I apologised, for all of that and more. I should've been there for him; to look after and care for him. He should never have lost that immortal spark in his eyes.
"What's going on, kid? Doyle said you've been causing trouble." I sat back in my chair, watching his expression morph into one of anger on instinct.
"So you haven't seen me in years and that's the first actual thing you say to me?" His blue eyes widened in disbelief, shaking his head at me.
"We'll get to the sentimental shit later." I know I sound like a bitch but I need to get my point across. "You need to focus on school, Row, if not for yourself than for your future."
"What's the point anyway? School won't help me, Rocky, we're from the South. No one is ever going to hire me so it's pointless anyway." He scoffed, crossing his arms. His whole personal screamed defensive at me, I just wanted to know what he was defending himself from.
"Rowan, you're not going to stay in the South your entire life. You can do well, I promise. But you have to try." I tried to reason, and clearing failing.
"Is that what you did, Rocky? When you was put in Juvie at 15?" How the fuck does he know that? His voice turned cruel now, callous and unrecognisable. The frustration proved the hurt he was feeling. "You don't understand what it's like to have your parents hurt you after every single mistake. They promised to look after me, you told them to look after me. And they did the exact opposite."
Rage shot up my spine.
They hurt him?
I'll fucking kill them.
"I don't understand?" I took a deep breath and shook my head, amused at his words. "What's the last thing you remember about me Rowan?"
"Jenny took me to see you in a group home, I stayed with you for a while and then you took me back to them."
"I took you back to them? Do you think I had a choice Rowan? I was 12 years old and I kidnapped my 8 year old brother! I always tried to protect you Rowan! Always!" I argued back instantly, offended by how he viewed my actions. I never had a choice.
"I never asked you too!" He countered with as much anger and callousness as he could.
"You didn't need to ask! It's always been my job, to look after my pain in the ass kid brother. You don't understand how much I did for you, Rowan." I took a deep breath, tears lighting up my eyes.
"You should've let me stay with you in that home. God knows it would've been better than where I was." Fear. And pain. My little brother was in that much pain and he blamed me for taking him back to people who hurt him.
And that hurt more than any beating or fight ever could.
"How much do you know about the homes we were in before The Moores? How much do you remember about me changing my name?" I didn't wait for an answer. "I never let anybody place one single hand on you, Rowan, never. And I saw some fucked up things, but I tried to stay happy and kind for you."
"By the time we were sent to The Moore's, I wouldn't let you out of my sight. I was so scared of someone hurting you that I couldn't bear the idea of us being apart. They didn't like that so they sent me away. They took me away from you."
"When you visited and I basically kidnapped you, I couldn't keep you in that place so I basically ran away for the night. I knew I'd be punished when I got back but I didn't care, you were my brother and I'd do anything to spend time with you."
"What about your name? And Juvie?" He questioned.
"Mind games appeared more efficient in my case. They couldn't beat the rebelliousness out of me so they tried to manipulate it instead. To me, Rochelle and Rocky are two very different people." I explained, trying to put it in the nicest way possible.
"Something happened at the home that I'm not ready to say aloud, but I promised that I'd kill the man responsible. I promised I'd make him pay for what he did to us. And that's exactly what I did." I know it sounds like I'm trying to push off the sin I committed, but I couldn't lie to Rowan. I didn't regret it, and I didn't want him to think I was a liar or that I was somebody else.
"You killed someone?"
I nod my head.
"Why am I not scared of you then?"
"Because you know I'll never hurt you, Rowan, never. I promise you, and I keep my promises." I swore, internally begging for him to open up to me.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Rock, I didn't have the right to say that stuff to you. I just..I feel like giving up. I feel like I've lost everyone important to me, and I'm slowly losing myself." Gulping, I listen carefully to his explanation. I want to kill anybody who dare harm him.
The Moore's are fucked if I ever find them.
"You can't give up because bad things happen to good people, Row. That's how it is. Life turns shit sometimes and it doesn't matter what you've done. Shit happens. People hurt other people. And they leave. They get lost and sometimes they never find their way back home but you can't throw it all away because of that. We've both come a long way. You are strong, Row. You just have to begin to accept that life just isn't fair sometimes." Geez I sound like Alec.
"I don't even know who you are anymore, Rocky."
"I'm who I've always been. Your sister." The word left my tongue naturally and without hesitation, our years may have been lost but it didn't change how much he meant to me.
"I don't know how you do it." His eyes diverted away from mine, he looks deep in thought.
"I was never given a choice." I continued, "This world is a really tough place with lots of sharp edges and tears, and if you want to survive in it then you need to learn how to take the hits. "
"I can take the hits." He reassured me, nodding his head as he took in my words.
"Trust me, if I have it my way then you'll never have another hand on you ever again." I gritted my teeth, an obvious threat underlining my tone.
"And Rowan?" He looked up at me, focusing on every word I spoke. "You need to remember that just because we was born in this place, it doesn't mean we'll end up here forever. Sort school out, give yourself the best chance of getting away from Chicago."
***
What'd you think of Rowan at the moment?
Thanks for reading!
All my love,
Laska xx