"That's the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up."  Walt Disney

Chapter Seven: Trouble

A R G E N T

I plug my earbuds in, my foot tapping on the floor of the car to the beat of the engine, and I look out the window, wishing I could make a run for it. Imagine being The Flash for one second, having the power to run, miles and miles, forever. Never look back. Just to go, feel free. Have the wind in your hair and the sky above you. Open roads.

I sigh. No point in dreaming of fantasies. We live in a harsh reality. A world of brutal truths and merciful lies.

Rouge and Tori sit in the front seats of our car, blasting some pop music I don't listen to. I can hear the joyful lyrics over my own earbuds. Why couldn't more people appreciate alternate rock? I studied genetics and blood types at school in biology, and I wouldn't be too surprised if we weren't related because of our marginally apart music genre tastes.

"Aren't you happy, Arge?" Rouge questions me, her eyes locking on mine from the rear-view mirror as she pulls her sunglasses lower. "You made soccer captain!"

"Damn! How come I didn't see that?" Tori says, surprised, excited for me. "I thought Coach was releasing line-ups on Monday."

"He was supposed to," I shrug noncommittally. "Guess he decided to put it up early."

"Well, congrats, anyway, dude," Tori grins at me. "You did well."

"Yeah," I trail off lethargically.

"I expected a happier reaction," my younger sister muses. "Why so down?"

"Yeah," Rouge agrees, and I know that voice of her's fairly well. Because whether I like it or not my twin knows me. Too well. "How come Arge? This is your moment. First game of the season and you're captain, going up against your biggest rivals."

Yeah, no pressure or anything.

She doesn't know how it felt standing there amongst the crowd, feeling everything close in when I saw my name there next to that capital C. That brief burst of joy in my chest, like hope. Then, as a candle snuffed, it burnt out before it was even aflame. To know my rivalry with Anas and the rebels runs deeper than my competition with Oscar. At least he has a reason to hate me.

But Anas? Mason?

They despise me for becoming captain. As if I chose the role – Coach handed it to me fairly. Yet, still, they glare at me from a distance. It's sick. I get it. Anas wanted to be captain, but making it such a big deal? Being a bad sport? A sore loser? Well, that's just pathetic and pitiful.

I don't feel bad. I'm annoyed.

I am Captain for the season. I should be celebrating. Instead, I have to suck it up. Accept that the rebels are going to make my life hell. What rubbish.

Rouge pulls over at the front of the primary school, and hundreds of children jump around and about exiting the gates. So carefree, so innocent. Youth was a gift I wasted. Too busy rebelling, raging against the injustices of life. Why didn't I enjoy the sunshine and outdoors like these kids?

"Hiya, Sage," my baby brother climbs onto the back seat of the car, and I ruffle his chestnut hair.

"Hey! Why'd you do that?" Sage moans, trying to straighten his floppy brown locks.

I chuckle. "Who you tryna impress?"

Tori gives him a wry grin. "Aww. Baby bro has a crush?"

Sage blushes, sinking into his seat, arms crossed. "Leave me alone."

Tori gives me a look, and we high-five.

"Don't tease him," Rouge chides us. "I think it's cute that Sage has found first love."

I raise an eyebrow. "Seriously, Rouge, he's like five."

"I'm eight," Sage puts in unhelpfully.

"Not important," I wave him off. "True love does not exist, kid. Don't waste your time on some girl."

"Says the guy who's never had a girlfriend," Rouge mocks me.

I shoot Rouge a subtle middle finger.

I had girlfriends before. I just made sure they weren't from our school, so she never found out about them. Tori knew. So did Charlie. But Rouge –

No way in hell was I letting her know.

"So how's it gonna be without Oscar, Arge?" Tori strings me back to the unfortunate topic. "He used to play for Thornfalls, right?"

"Yeah," I nod, my jaw tightening. "Rumour has it, he's back."

"He is?" Rouge adds because there isn't a single member of my family who doesn't know about my fierce competition that is Oscar Woods.

"Whose that?" Sage tilts his head towards me, green eyes bright and curious.

Okay, so maybe not everyone knows about Oscar.

"My old friend," I tell Sage.

"That's Arge's rival, " Tori says reverently. "They've been competing with each other from the time I was small. Same roles on the team always neck and neck, fighting for number one." 

I thought it was over. Oscar would get the captain's band, and I would be the player of the year. Apparently not. Because now, it's anyone's game. The playing field has been levelled metaphorically and literally – I'm team captain whether some of my teammates like it or not.

And Oscar will soon catch wind of it, and he'll be pushing himself to do even better. To keep up with me.

To beat me.

I don't mind. He is a worthy opponent. A respectable enemy.

"But you're better, right, Arge?" Sage looks up at me.

I smile at him. "I wish. No, Oscar is better."

He has something I don't have. Oscar plays with an unbroken determination. I play with passion, yes. We both have the talent, the skills, and the resources. A team to back us up if we fall. But Oscar – he gives his heart and soul into the game, the same way my parents do. The same way Tori does.

I don't. I don't have that one set path. My mind is a catered disarray of things, disorientated and disorganised. There's soccer. There's academics. There's books. There's just too much. I don't put my all into the game the way Oscar does. I don't sacrifice as much as he does.

That's why he'll always be better than me. Even if no one else sees it.

When we get home, Tori and Sage are already sprinting into the house, no doubt fighting over who gets the remote. Sage wants to watch some cartoon he's really into, but knowing Tori, she wants to catch up on the gritty, action-packed series she loves so much.

And Sage, surprisingly, hates violence and blood.

Honestly, I have no idea how he's related to me. Even Rouge leaps at the chance of fight scenes and bloodshed. I remember Mum being pregnant with Sage. I don't think science can explain the entity that is my strange family dynamics.

"I told mum to get Tori her own laptop," Rouge sighs, clocking her keys, the red keyring attached dangles in her palm, clicking together like bells. "Then she can watch whatever she wants without arguing with Sage."

I check the doors are locked before helping Rouge carry her things inside. Paper bags rustle together in my curled hand, carrying unnecessary amounts of clothes, and I hike up my schoolbag with my free arm. God knows why my sister must go shopping with her friends after school.

"You could always lend her yours," I suggest impassively, holding open the door with my shoulder.

Rouge brushes past me without as much as a thank you. I roll my eyes.

"And risk getting my Macbook damaged?" She frowns as if I said something absurd. "No way."

I follow her into the house, past the kitchen and the living room where it's gone quiet. I notice that my two younger siblings have settled for a negotiation. Some anime that they both don't mind watching. Up the stairs my twin and I go, first door to the left being her room. I dump her shopping bags on her bed unceremoniously, dusting my hands together theoretically.

"Thanks, Arge," Rouge says absentmindedly, already at her vanity table.

"My tip?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Argent," she sighs, completely disregarding my attempt at humour. "What's up with you and Max Ryder?"

I swallow hard. "You know what. I'm tutoring her in –"

"Maths, I know. Is that all?"

"Yeah," I shrug, pocketing my hands. I'm telling the truth. The only interaction Max and I have is maths. We aren't even friends.

"I saw the way you looked at her at school."

"What are you talking about?" I rake a hand through my hair. It was such a small gesture. How the fuck does Rouge pick up on this?

"You know what," she pauses wiping her face clean of makeup to study me. "I warned you about her, she's bad news."

I throw up my hands in surrender. "We spoke about this Rouge. Your warning has been received and carefully ignored."

She gives me a look. "Out."

I empty out her shopping bags, squish up her newly bought clothes and throw them at her face.

Out of spite.

Because my sister needs some fucking life lessons, and my temper is teetering on the brink of destruction. I was patient with her, listened to her and tried to joke with her – but Rouge has a nasty habit of pushing me off proverbial cliffs and then telling me to be thankful she offered me a rope to get back up.

"Fuck you, Rouge," I snarl.

"Argent!" She yells, but I'm already in the hallway, slamming her door with a thunderous echo.

"What was that noise?" I want to ignore Tori's worried voice, as she stands on top of the stairs, Sage bundling up after her, clutching the bannister in fright.

I sigh. This is why being the oldest sibling is the worst. No rights. Only responsibilities.

"Don't worry about it," Rouge is just being a pain in the ass again, I give what I hope is an encouraging smile, but I think it looks more like a grimace.

"O-okay," Tori puts an arm around Sage, and they go back downstairs together. "Bud, let's go finish that episode."

Heat prickles the back of my neck. I want to slam Rouge again for being so callous, for making me lose my temper. I get that she doesn't trust Max but that's her own business. I can look after myself, and I sure as hell don't need my smaller siblings acting like a bossy, nagging mother.

My mum is not like that. I don't know where Rouge gets it from.

Whatever the case is, I won't listen. And I won't be asking my twin sister for rides home in our car from tutoring Max. I'll find my own way, I always have.