Too Many Secrets

Chapter 4

I wake up at four in the morning with horrible burning in my ribs. I thought it would be getting better by now, but I guess not. Maybe they are not just bruised. What if they are broken? That would be very bad. Maybe I need to go to the doctor. But I can't go back to the hospital, that's where mom died.

I turn over on my side and open the drawer with the extra pills that I put in their last night. The only issue is that in a couple more hours the pain will come back. I'm going to have to find some way to get more Advil without my brothers finding out. The last thing that I want is them asking questions. I get out of the warm embrace of my blanket, kick my feet off the bed, and carefully stand up. Suddenly I feel a shooting pain in my stomach. This has never happened before. Clutching my ribs as tightly as I can, I try to make it the ten feet to my bathroom. Finally, I make it and scoop some water in my hand and bring the cold water to my dry lips. Just knowing that the pain will stop in a few minutes eases my mind. I don't think I will be able to make it back to my bed. It feels like someone is stabbing every time I take a breath. I lower myself to the tile floor, lean my head against the cold porcelain toilet. I just sit there waiting for the pain to subside but before I know it, I'm asleep.

"Sky? Where are you?" I hear a loud voice call my name. I think it's Ben. He bangs on my bathroom door and it knocks the sleepiness right out of me.

"I'm in here."

I jump right up completely forgetting about the pain but it's not that bad. I unlock the door and he's standing and I can see the confusion in his eyes.

"Why were you sleeping in the bathroom?" he asks.

"I wasn't, I just had to pee." I think he knows I am lying because I didn't wash my hands or even flush the toilet. He looks deep into my eyes seeing if I'll crack and tell the truth, but they can't know. They won't want me anymore. Who wants a damaged teenage girl with raging emotional issues? No one does.

After a couple of seconds of silence, I decide to break it. "So what did you need?" I say in the most cheerful voice I can manage.

"I wanted to know what you want to do today, you know since tomorrow is your first day of school."

"Don't you have school today?" I say confused.

"I do, but Jake said that I can ditch today because I haven't had that much one on one time with you yet. So what are your favorite things to do? Favorite foods? Do you like rollercoasters?" He says enthusiastically.

I can't help but laugh before I answer. "First, I love roller coasters. My favorite food is ice cream, and I love basketball."

"Wow, you play basketball?"

"Yeah. I was on the varsity team at my old high school." I proudly answer.

"Who knew my baby sister was cool? I'm also on the team at school. Not to brag, but I'm the captain."

"Oh cool. Do you have a hoop here?" I ask, getting excited. If they have one here I promise I will be there every day. Basketball is my outlet. When I play I don't have to think about anything. It allows my worries and thoughts to go away, and for once in my life, I have control.

"Of course we have a hoop. Come I'll show you."

We finally step out of my bathroom and down the hall. I'm still in my pajamas but I couldn't care less. I'm so excited. At my old house, we didn't even have a hoop. I begged my mom for years but we just couldn't spare the money. I used to sneak into the school with a few of my friends and we would just play all night.

We walk through the kitchen and see Zach and Cole. I guess Dylan went to school or something. Through the kitchen were two huge glass doors leading to a big deck. Ben opened the door and a gust of fresh air made its way into the house. I love the smell of the outdoors. I'm not wearing any shoes or socks so the plastic deck burned my feet. I try to switch my feet as quickly as possible while I hop down the stairs. Once we reach the grass I look up from the ground and see a big swing set. Ben turns left so I just follow him and I see the beautifully paved basketball court. In my mind I imagined a hoop on the side of the house but no. It is a full-court with two hoops and white lines on the ground. I'm in awe. In the corner of my eye, I see Ben going somewhere but he's back within ten seconds, and he's holding a ball.

"Wanna play?"

"Yeah, but I think I need shoes. Give me a second."

I run up through the kitchen and up the stairs into my room. I get socks from my drawer and throw on my only pair of basketball shoes. I quickly tie my laces and run outside again. I haven't been this excited in a very long time.

"So want to play horse?"

"How about a one on one?" I ask. I don't think he understands that I know how to play.

"Okay, but if I hurt you it's your fault."

"I'm not a baby," I whine at Ben.

"Of course you are," Ben responds while ruffling my hair.

I put my hair into a tight ponytail and I'm ready to kick his butt. He gives me the ball first because he thinks it's only fair. I mean he is a foot taller than me but I have faith. I fake left, go right and score within the first two seconds of the game.

"Maybe you're not half-bad," Ben smirks at me.

After forty-five minutes we both drenched in sweat and very tired. He won, but not by a lot. It was a really fun game but my ribs are pulsing with pain. They are burning and it's starting to get a little hard to breathe. By a little, I mean a lot. I don't wanna look weak in front of Ben so I decide to go to my room until the aching diminishes.

By now it's already three in the afternoon and it's been seven hours since the last time I've taken medicine. I'm also starving. Maybe I should go downstairs and get a late lunch. The only issue is that I don't want to run into any of my brothers right now. I have a feeling that I'm gonna snap at anyone at any seconds, and I'm not in the mood to get in trouble. I also don't think Dylan or Jake would appreciate any attitude from anyone, especially me.

Deciding against going down to the kitchen, I hop into a warm shower. When I finished putting shampoo and conditioner in my hair I moved onto my body. My stomach is starting to turn purple and the edges of the bruises are yellow. Even with all the agony, I'm in, no way on earth I'm telling them.

After my shower, I get dressed in a big oversized hoodie and shorts. Trying not to soak my bed with my sopping wet hair, I lay down on my pillow and play on my phone. Time seems to drift away as I mindlessly scroll through my notifications. My eyes start to close but I quickly move positions so I don't fall asleep. I don't want to mess up my sleep schedule the night before school starts. When I roll to the other side of the bed I see the time on my clock. I can't believe it's 6:30 already, no wonder my stomach won't shut up.

Just the thought of food right now makes my mouth water. I hop down the stairs trying to get to the kitchen as soon as possible. It's kind of early for dinner so maybe my brothers won't be there. But that is not the case. Not looking where I am stepping, I miss a step and slip down the rest of the staircase. I try not to scream from the extreme pain flowing from my ribs. My breathing quickens and as I'm falling I try to latch onto the railing, but I'm not close enough to be able to reach it.

"Who was that?" I hear someone in the kitchen scream. I can't even respond because I know if I open my mouth I'll start to cry and that would just make it hurt even more.

"Oh my god! Skylar!" Ben screeches, hurting my ears.

I look up and see the rest of my brothers, well except Jake. Cole bends down to help me up but when I don't move to get up I see the rejection in his eyes.

"Sky, what hurts?" Cole says in his calm voice, but he was not calm, I can see it through his facial expressions.

"Come let me help you up," Zach says as he walks over to me.

When he goes to pick me up I try to resist but I don't have the strength and I just let out another scream. Panic rises in the room and it's becoming harder and harder to keep the tears at bay. Do not cry, I say to myself over and over in my mind.

"Why are you clutching your ribs when you fall on your butt?" Dylan asks.

Nothing can get past him. He's waiting for my response, but I don't even think about answering that question. I never wanted to lie about my situation, I just never wanted them to find out. I have never been a good liar, and knowing Dylan, he will see straight through me and pry out the truth.

"Ben, go get Jake," Cole says.

"No. I'm not leaving her."

"She has all of us here. I promise she's fine," Zach assures Ben. But I know, I am for sure not fine. If anything I am the definition of not fine.