I See You [REWRITING]

chapter 5: lie to me

He lied.

He told me he would fight for her. For our family and he gave up. It's only been three months and they are throwing twenty years out the window as if it isn't a huge deal. It doesn't only mess with their lives. It messes with mine. It messes with Riker and Isaac's. It messes with Greyson's.

Our family is crashing down, fast and it seems like the only people that actually want it to work are the four of us. If they were unhappy, I'd get it. If they were better off alone, I wouldn't fight it but it is so obvious that isn't the case. They love each other and maybe things got a little stressed. Maybe they got distant because life got in the way. Work, kids and all the other things that make you busy but that doesn't mean you just toss it all away after three months.

My heart is heavy as I slide down the back of my door, pulling my knees up to my chest as I look around the room. I don't want them to divorce. I don't want to be a statistic. I don't want to have to choose who to spend the holidays with. I want nothing to do with any of this.

The word divorce sounds wrong in my mouth. Like it doesn't belong and it doesn't. When you think Emery and Luke Alexander, you don't think divorce. You think love. They are so in love with each other that it makes me hopefully and the fact that they are being cowardly instead of fighting makes it all ten times worse.

They deserve better than three months of not trying.

They deserve a lifetime. Like the promised. In sickness and in health. In the good times and the bad.

They are breaking the promises they made to each other twenty years ago and we're the collateral damage. They are making us choose sides. They are making it hard for any of us to breathe.

My eyes land on the stand my guitar rests in, scanning the neck and the six silver birds painted on the black stained wood under the strings. A strain on my heart makes it feel like it's being twisted as I crawl over and grab it from the stand before sliding back against the door, resting the guitar in my lap. My eyes wet as I run my fingers over the nylon strings, strumming them softly.

I squeeze my eyes shut as everything in my life comes crashing down around me. It feels like the world may never be alright again and maybe that's dramatic. It probably is, but I don't care. My family is the most important thing to me and without them, nothing is worth anything. Even if dad says we'll be family no matter what – it doesn't change the fact that this will change everything.

"Little bird?" Dad asks after knocking lightly on the door. "Can we talk?"

"No," I shake my head and raise my hand, turning the lock on the knob to assure he can't get in. My chest tight, on the verge of tears, ready to let it all loose.

My life is going to be different now.

Forever.

"Stevie, please...talk to me," he begs and all I can do is shake my head.

"Go away."

"Vee."

A groan falls from my lips as I move my guitar off my lap and lean it against my dresser, moving to my feet before angrily swinging open the door to face him. His eyes sad, while mine are filled with anger.

"Are you here to lie to me again?"

"Come on, Stevie," he sighs. "It's not like that."

"It's not? Then what is it like, dad?" I question, tilting my head to the side as I eye him. "Did you or did you not promise me that you'd fight for her? For our family?"

"Your mom and me don't need to be together for us to be a family."

"Bullshit!" I shout.

"Stevie, you don't get it. You can't possibly understand what it's like-."