WHEN I SEE YOU

"Mum!!!!!"

"Mum!!!!!"

"Brianna, what is it this time around? Is it late for people in the next neighbourhood to hear your voice?"

"Well, mum, why don't you talk to your son? He drives me crazy."

"What is it this time, Eric? What did you do to your sister?"

"Nothing mum I only told her not to keep bad friends, but you know your daughter is always stubborn."

"Did you just call me stubborn?"

"Yeah, I just did."

I wanted to kick him right in front of Mum; how could he? We moved in here about three months ago because of my dad's business, but Eric wouldn't let me make any friends.

I just don't understand why he can't just mind his fucking business. Yeah, I know he is my senior brother, but why does he have the right to do whatever he wants and keep whoever he wants as his friend?

"I am sixteen years old; I am not a child. I can be friends with whoever I want, and you can't do anything about it."

"Aah, you are still a child," he said with that stupid smile on his face.

"Mum, the next time Eric gets in the way of me trying to make friends around here, then I will make sure I make him as miserable as he is making me."

"Brianna, your brother is just looking out for you."

"How? By telling all my friends to stay away from me and by making me look like a little princess that has some thug following her around,

"I'm just looking out for you, sis," he said, pecking my cheeks before heading upstairs. I was trying to control myself. I hate that stupid smile on his face. I wish I could just slap it off his face.

"Wash up and come down for dinner; I made your favourite," my mum called after him.

"Okay, mum"

"That's all you have to say, really, mum?"

"Brianna, your brother is just looking out for you; that is what makes him your big brother because he is always there to protect you."

My mum said she cupped my cheeks like she would do to a six-year-old.

"I just don't like it when he does it around my friends; no one wants to talk to me because my brother is always around the corner, glaring at them."

"Okay, fine, I will talk to him now. Go upstairs and go wash up; dinner is almost ready."

"That's what you always say, but you never do anything about it. Mum, we changed our location. I am trying not to feel that I left my friend's back at home; here doesn't feel like home, mum."

"Brianna, home is not where all your friends are; home is where your family is."

"But we still need friends because some friends are also like family, so when they are not around, it just wouldn't feel right," I told her before I headed for my room.

"Where are you going?"

"To my room to forget that dad's work has to make us move all the time."

"But we won't be moving again; I thought your dad told you that."

"Yeah, he did, but what difference does it make?"

"It makes a lot of difference, Brianna."

"I hope so."

I went inside my room, took a bath, and started writing my math homework. I really don't like my math teacher; actually, I don't like anything about this city.

Mrs. Cromwell's POV

I wonder who she got that temper from; she is always angry. I know that having to move is really affecting her, but her dad and I are only looking for a better life.

And when we finally found one, we couldn't say no. I wonder if Eric is being too harsh on her. She looked really pissed off today.

I served the food and went upstairs to call everyone down for dinner. Eric was busy with his video game while Brianna passed out on top of her math question.

"How come you are so into this game that I had to hit you before you noticed my presence?" I asked Eric, who didn't even notice me standing next to him for a few minutes.

"Sorry, mum, is dinner ready?"

"Yes, go downstairs and wait; I will get your sister."

"Do you want me to help you carry her down?" Eric asked. He has always been a happy child, always smiling or making others smile, but Brianna was the opposite of Eric.

She is very stubborn; she doesn't like it when people mingle in her business; and she loves her privacy like hell. She doesn't hide her emotions; she just likes treating people the way they treat her.

"You don't have to; I will get her myself."

"Is dad back?"

"No, he said he has a meeting and won't be coming back early."

"Okay"

I went to Brianna's room, sat down besides her, and watched her sleep. She took over her father in a lot of ways, but her anger issues are what I haven't decided where she got them from.

"Hey, sweetheart, dinner is ready; come have something to eat," I whispered in her eyes as I slowly caressed her hair.

"No, I want to sleep more," she said, going back to sleep.

"Come have a little, and you can come back and sleep."

"I don't want to."

"If you don't get up right now, I will have your brother carry you down."

"Fine, I am going," she said, and she marched out of her room down to the dining room.

"Hey sis"

"You better hold your greetings to yourself; I am still very angry at you," Brianna said to Eric, who raised his hands in surrender.

"Brianna, don't fight with your brother; we are eating," I said and sighed in frustration. I wonder why she is always not grateful that she has a brother who loves her very much.

"Honey! I am home."

"We are in here; your dad is back," I said to Brianna, who was still giving Eric a deadly stare while Eric kept laughing at her expression.

"Dad"

"My baby girl." I watched as the father and daughter exchanged greetings. Sometimes I wonder if Brianna and I are his wives.

"Eric, what did you do to your sister?" Okay, here we go. The daddy's girl has finally told her father that her brother bullied her.

"Nothing; I was just looking out for her, right, mum?" Eric said, dragging me in on the argument.

"I don't know; I mean, I wasn't there when it happened," I told him, and I walked up to my husband to take his bag upstairs.

"Hey honey, I missed you all day," he said, kissing my lips. I smiled at him before dragging him upstairs while Eric and Brianna continued their argument.

Brianna's POV

I woke up this morning in a very good mood, and I promised myself I wouldn't let Eric spoil them for me. I went downstairs and quickly had my breakfast before joining the school bus.

Apparently Eric has gone to join his friend, who happens to have a car. I mean, what type of parent gives their son a car at age eighteen? They must be very nice parents.

My mum said we have to be twenty before we consider driving our own car, which is very annoying. As the school bus drove into the compound, I saw the group of the most famous girls in school emerge from their big Lamborghini.

They are so lame; I wonder what is so special about them. I walked up to the school entrance and stood by the side with my earpiece to my ears as I listened to my favourite song.

"Hey, new girl, move; we want to pass." Knowing they were talking to me, I decided to pretend I didn't hear anything and continued nodding my head to the beat of my song.

"Hey! I am talking to you. Who do you think you are?" The one with the name Becky on her uniform said she was coming close to me.

"I don't remember being in your way; if you can't pass with me standing here, then why don't you fly instead?" I told her.

"You little brat, don't you know I am your senior?"

"Call me a brat again, and I will break that stupid mouth of yours." We started drawing attention to ourselves due to the hot argument going on between us.

"What, did you just call me stupid, you little brat?"

"Touch her, and I will break your hand." I heard Eric's voice behind me. Oh boy, what does he want this time around?

"Eric," Becky said, taking her already raised hand back. If only she had hit me, I would have shown her how beautiful it is to reach the rainbow, but Eric decided to spoil my fun for me.

"Why are you harassing my sister?"

"What? Is she your sister? Hell no, I will never do such a thing. We were just gisting, right?"

Becky said, bending down a little like I'm some small kid begging for some candy.

"Gisting, with whom, you? What will I possibly want to discuss with someone like you? You are just a two-faced bitch." With that being said, I saw the shock on her face, but who cares?

I turned and glared at Eric, who tried touching my hair, but I pushed his hands off and angrily marched to my class.

I wonder why I can't go a day without Eric being so annoying, and seeing the way that Becky girl was pretending in front of him, I think she likes Eric.

Which I found very disgusting. Eric is two years older than I am. He is allowed to have any friends he wants, whether male or female. My parents don't complain, but meanwhile, I am only allowed to keep female friends and no male friends except for family friends.

If I can't have male friends, then I will make sure Eric doesn't have any female friends. What did mum say again? You both should look out for each other.

Don't worry, dear brother. I will look out for you just as much as you are doing for me; I think I might have a good time.