This chapter contains a glimpse of mental illness. I already kept things like this at the beginning of the book but just to let you know. Please don't be offended if I forget to put this warning at the beginning of the chapter, I already kept it at the beginning of the book but I will definitely try to be putting it at the beginning of chapters like this. Carry on with your reading now...

SOMETIMES, SOMETHINGS are too dark, too heavy for the human mind and it outweighs the conscience, telling it its darkest and deepest lies all at once. Sometimes, all we could do is sit in the darkness and believe the lies.

The door to his room was pushed open slightly. He looked up to see Rebecca smiling at him, she nodded her head slightly at him and he nodded back, allowing her to waltz into his room.

"What's wrong, kid?" She joined him on his bed.  "For someone whose brother is coming back today, you surely look dull."

"It's nothing, Becca." He shook his head.

"And you sure about that?" She asked for confirmation.

"I'm sure. Thanks."

"Well, if truly nothing is wrong, then take a shower and wipe that silly frown off your face." She ordered. "Your brother gets back today and I want the three of us to have a nice family dinner."

"You don't have to play the role of a mother, Becca."

"I'm not. I'm the role of a sister." She got off the bed.

"Sister in law, you mean." He corrected her.

"Whatever you want to call it." She smiled at him and continued for the door.

"Becca," He called her name in such a low tone, he was certain she wouldn't stop but she did. "Does things get better?" He asked her when she turned to face him.

"I wouldn't lie to you, kid. Somethings don't get better but there are times it's not as bad."

"And Matt is part of those things? Our situation?" He looked down at his hands as though afraid to touch this topic.

"This is not a permanent life. Things go wrong but you can't expect perfect in an imperfect world."

"It still doesn't make the fact that I'm scared." He said, feeling like a child. He needed all the support he could muster up, not just for him.

"I know but how about this, anytime you are scared, come to me and I will help you." She gave him a reassuring nod, letting him know she was there for whatever he was going through and she was going to help him.

He ran up to her and ran into her arms, squeezing her tightly.

"Get dressed, kid." She patted his head.

.  .  . 

"Hey, hey, hey, look who I dragged in." Rebecca called out excitedly as she walked into the house, trailing behind her was Matt.

Keon walked out of the small kitchen, halting right in front of the door when he locked eyes with his brother. They stared at one another, neither shaken nor blinking but as soon as Matt's straight lips cracked into a smile, Keon grinned as well and jumped into his brother's arms.

"Hey there." Matt hugged his brother tightly, knocking the air out of his lungs but Keon didn't mind. It's been too long anyways.

"How are you?" Keon breathed out once his brother released him.

"I should be asking you." Matt patted his shoulders.

"I'm fine." Keon smiled. He did believe he was fine now, he had his brother. "The program?"

"Sucked." Matt shook his head, moving away to walk around the small living room.

"I'm glad to have you back."

Matt turned to him, pride in his eyes, "I'm glad to be back."

"Boys, I've set the table for takeout. Let's eat." Rebecca said from the kitchen and like little boys, they both lined up, sauntering over to the kitchen.

The three of them settled around the table, prepared to eat the takeout Rebecca got on her way in. They talked and laughed, catching up with life and Keon let the wave of nostalgia settle on him because he knew it would not last long. And it didn't.

"What is this, Rebecca?" Matt asked, staring down at his plate, his hands formed a fist on the table.

"What?" She looked up, stunned.

"There's cabbage in my food. You know I don't like cabbage in my food." He said dangerously low and Keon sighed, he knew what would come next.

"I'm sorry for that." Rebecca said.

"You are sorry?! You tell me you are sorry, what the hell am I supposed to do with that?!" He slammed his fist on the table and this was only a small ray of light shining on his rage, soon it would be beaming.

"I could just remove it for you, Matt." She got up, reaching for his plate to help me but in an unexpected rage, he pushed the plate off the table causing it to his the wall and shatter in pieces, Rebecca flinched in fear, stepping back. Her heart got stuck in her throat when Matt lunched forward and gripped her throat.

"Don't talk to me like I am a child!" He yelled at her and hit the space right next to her head with his other hand. "I'm not a child!"

"Matt! Matt! Matt!! Get off her!!!" Keon tried prying his hands from her throat but Matt shoved him away.

"Stay out of this, Keon!"

"Matt, you're sick," Rebecca choked out. "Please let me go."

"Don't insult me!" He yelled at her again and raised his fist at her, only this time, he didn't aim for the space next to her but her face.

Keon stood from the ground, groaning in pain. He gripped his shoulders where a new bruise was most likely forming and scanned the room. He picked the closet thing to him which was a plate and he hit Matt across the head with his. His body slummed to the ground and finally, Rebecca could gasp for air.

"So much for the program." He scoffed and handed Rebecca an ice bag.

"It's not his fault. He's sick." Rebecca stared at the body on the floor, tears welling up behind her eyelids.

"I know. You should go before he wakes up." He told her. "I will take him up to his room."

"We should probably put him back in the program." Rebecca suggested.

"Probably should but for now, take care of the nasty bruise your boyfriend just left you." Keon picked up his brother, leading him up the stairs carefully.

"You are a good brother, Keon." Rebecca's words stopped him. "Taking care of the house, Matt and even me."

He turned to her with his brother still leaning on him. "I'm not as good as you think. If we put him back in the program, you should leave before you wind up dead."

"And you?"

"I was never going to be around for long. Now this just makes all the more reason. I can't live my life like this. I'm still a kid, Becca." His final words to her that night left her stunned and confused.

Hey guys, thank you to everyone reading this book. The views are gradually growing but I hope to increase that number very soon. Hope you are liking the story so far and I know this chapter might not be so clear but just know, Keon's life is complicated and his brother is mentally ill which explains his sudden switch of mood, hope it all makes sense. Honestly, in my books, I don't go too deep into metal health issues and I might not go too deep in this either but just to give you all a glimpse of what actually happens. Well, guys, please read, vote and share. Means a lot to me💓

Love,
Star.