"The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be."

-Douglas Adams

Here's the thing about the truth, I am terrified of it. I may act tough but the reality is that when I feel the world that I live in is about to crumble by gaining a bit of extra knowledge I panic. And that's what I'm currently doing, sitting in my car, hyperventilating, and thinking up of all sorts of scenarios that could play out.

What if my brother is actually adopted and Harbor wasn't his mom and he's not even related to any of us? Or what if he just hates me because I wasn't the brother he may have wanted? Oh God, what if I talk to him and he completely loses it and dumps his drink on my head again as he did three years ago. Granted that was orange soda and in the middle of the hallway so it wouldn't have quite the effect...

"On the count of three, you have to get out of the car Kindra," I mutter to myself, hoping the verbalization will motivate me. "One...two..." I pause, not wanting to say three but knowing I can't put this off any longer.

I have argued, internally for the most part, about why this had to happen versus why I should avoid it. Unfortunately for me, it's in my favor to approach Liam rather than avoid him. It will make my life less stressful if we get on the same team and Lord knows I need less stress with the third quarter coming to a close soon. Not to mention the whole college thing hanging over my head.

"Three..." It was weak and feeble but the car door still opens and I slowly slip out and onto our driveway.

Liam's already home, has been for about half an hour now. I know because he gave me a quick glance as he went inside as I pretended to talk on the phone. Yeah, I'm pathetic, so much so that I now stand staring at the doorknob as if it will electrocute me if I dare to touch it.

It's there I decide I have two options, I can go in as scared kid sister or I can barge in guns blazing and demanding answers. I won't lie, option A has a great appeal to me but I know that if I want real answers I can't play it cool. Liam never could deal well with emotions that are unpleasant so if I want answers I'll have to apply the necessary pressure to get them.

Opening the door I slam it shut and drop my bag on the floor. I think about all the dirty pranks he pulled on me before he graduated. Stealing my car and wrecking it so I'd have to take the local bus in, having one of his lady friends snap half nude pictures of me and mass sending it to the entire school. Framing me for stealing the answers to the science finals. I let the anger fuel my need for answers as I storm into the living room ready for war.

"Rough day at school?" Liam asks from the desk in the corner.

If only looks could kill, but unfortunately they can't so I'll have to battle it out instead. "Why are you here Liam?" I ask, my voice angry and bitter, showing how much I hate him being under this roof again.

Liam sets down the red pen I assume he's grading homework with and turns towards me. "Are we doing this now?" He asks. He's not mad or even remotely annoyed. I honestly can't tell what emotion his words hold.

"You come back, after three years of silence by the way, and you expected what? That I would be happy to see you?" I snipe, now irritated that I can't place where he is coming from.

Liam hangs his head and sighs. "I was horrible to you and I'm sorry." He whispers to the ground, not looking up at me. "I was an angry teen, but that doesn't excuse the way I be..."

"Cut the TV drama. You're avoiding my questions and it's making me angry." I cut him off mid-sentence because I've heard this all before, countless times in books and on TV. Poor boy doesn't know how to deal with his emotions so he lashes out. So cliche and not at all how this was.

"Do you want to know the truth Kindra? " Liam snaps, angry but still not irritated, almost sad in a way. Like he's challenging me in an unknown way.

For a split moment, I hesitate. The way he says it gives me the feeling like I don't want to. That it's not any of the scripts I have played through in my thoughts. It's too late now. "Lay it on me." I glare at my brother, accepting his challenge head-on, pretending not to be scared.

Liam looks at me. Not that superficial look but the kind where you really look at someone. It's the first time our eyes have connected like this in over four years and it begins to make me uncomfortable. His eyes look like he's pained by what he is about to say, giving me a knot deep in my stomach. "Christopher has another family."