Chapter 16

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Trains POV

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I had been surprised.

Melissa had yet again taken me by surprise, she knew we (this town included) were hiding something.

Had figured out it had something to do with my family and yet...

She said she wouldn't dig into it, despite all the hostility she was receiving by the towns people.

She said we didn't have to tell her.

And despite not knowing much, she offered to be a friend and comfort them if they ever felt that the burden they carried became to heavy.

She surprised me.

We had been assholes to her, but she'd always been so good to us.

Always smiling and she was even like that with her family.

Her family who had caused so much trouble for her, yet she still wanted them to be apart of her life.

Train thought of Melissa like a little sister, someone he wanted to protect.

Yet he couldn't protect her from her own family who were perhaps emotionally wrecking the girl.

If it were me, I'd beat the sense into the lot of em.

Okay maybe not, but I would give them a piece of my mind.

I didn't understand what Mel's family had against her.

I didn't think I'd ever understand...

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Tristan POV.

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Me and Train sat in our aunts cafe, Mel having just left due to her having to finish some stuff for her online school work.

Me and Train sympathized with the girl, our own family life having been complicated too.

Having had our father run out on us when Damian and Leo where just a baby.

A mother who worked herself into the ground for another husband who wasn't worth the clothes on his back.

Our story was a twisted one, one we didn't share nor did we want people to know about.

Yet the girl who knew us less than a week had us so figured out it was frightening.

And I realize it wasn't because the girl was perceptive but rather because the girl had been through her own trauma.

Something that made her trust few, even her own family. Because she didn't trust them to love her.

Perhaps it was because of her mother, but something didn't sit right with me.

She had mentioned before she was beaten by kids in her old town, shunned by their town, and had even been in the hospital.

The girl had recognized someone who had suffered just as she had. Had pieced together a puzzle Train and I had tried to keep scattered.

And she didn't question it, because she knew better than most that those memories would forever haunt us without her bringing g it up.

So she didn't ask, instead she said she would be there to fight whatever demon haunted us when we were ready to confront it.

And it gave me hope that maybe I could beat the demon haunting me.

Perhaps one day.

Joe POV

I was losing her, my sister.

I realized that when she left and yet I did nothing when she showed up.

One family diner the day after wouldn't solve anything.

She was reaching out hoping we'd do the same and we were standing here waiting for her to catch up.

And it wasn't fair, not for her and not for ourselves.

We were only straining an already strained relationship.

I sighed; me and my brothers were on Damian's porch.

"What if she really leaves?" Jake was in a panic, he out of all of us was the only one who had been willing to stretch out his hand.

He figured out the truth before any of us.

Jason had encouraged her when she needed it, however he never took that step forward.

And I? I did nothing.

I was scared, torn between my mother and sister I chose neither.

A cowards choice but I refused to lose either of them. I'd continue to play the victim.

But now it was different.

I am losing my sister and I refused to sit back and do nothing.

I just didn't know what yet.

I was waiting, for my father to come home. He was home almost every night now.

I wanted to know how I could fix this. And the person who knew Mel the vest at the moment was our father. Even if he himself didn't know much.

"Do you think she will?" Leo asked nervously. He seemed to like Mel the most, even more than Train and Tristan.

It had everyone stumped. Because they barely knew each other.

"She seemed pretty serious to me" Jason said with a frown. He had been frowning ever since that night.

"The question you need to ask is what does she have to keep her here?" Damian said.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked not understanding what Damian meant.

"Your sister can look forward to having a family, your aunt sounds like she's been there for Lisa a lot, what does she have here that compares to that? You guys? Your mom? Yeah no" he answered, it was cruel thing to say but it needed to be said.

"We haven't exactly done anything since we found out the truth to fix this mess up" I said to clarify as me more.

Jake seemed to understand but Jason frowned "She should take responsibility too"

"She has though, while mom was licking her wounds she was trying to get in touch, sending letters and even when she got here she tried to tell us the truth so we could fix our relationship" I point out.

Jason groaned. But didn't disagree.

He understood.

"Mom and Dad really fucked up on this didn't they?" Jake asked laughing without any humor.

"So if you fixed your relationship with Mel she'll stay?" Leo asked hopeful and I nodded.

"Then what the fuck are you waiting for?" Leo swore, catching us by surprise.

He doesn't swear.

"Language!" We heard a familiar voice yell.

We looked up too see Train And Tristan walking up to the porch.

"I agree with Leo, what are you waiting for?" Train asked.

My brothers shrugged but I looked at them, maybe they would have the information I needed.

"I'm waiting for her dad to come home" was my answer.

Jason and Jake both looked at me, questions in their eyes.

"You didn't think I'd just let Mel leave without putting up some sort of fight did you?" I asked them genuinely curious.

My sister was more important to me than anything.

It was then that their father came home, Mel had taken Baker out and wouldn't be back for sometime so it was the perfect opportunity to talk to their father.

I got up looking at everyone and smiled "Mel is my favorite sibling after all" I smirked and Jason and Jake's shocked faces.

Then Jake pouted "I thought I was your favorite"

I laughed, making my way across the street.

I greeted my dad and we went inside.

"Is this about your sister?" Dad asks me, and I felt bad.

How many years did dad lose out on with us? All because of a lie, that started with him hiding who he was.

I had no problem with dad liking men, I did however have a problem with how he used mum. And I had a problem with the cheating.

"Yeah... How is she doing? I mean really doing? I don't think she trusts us enough to tell us how she is" I asked

It was an excuse but only half a lie considering every time we ask how she is she responds with a fine.

Dad sighed "she needs help, and I mean professionally, she also needs a stable home that's all I can say, you really should ask her about this"

That bad...

I bit my lip, before a thought came to my mind.

I may have figured out how to help us.

How to help her.

So I talked to dad, to get his opinion. Even he seemed to think it was a good idea.

"I'll talk too mom about it, I also want to invite Derrick" I said, I knew this would hurt dad but Derrick was a big part of our lives.

And he would be a big part of Mel's too considering what we wanted to do. It would be good for Mel to get to know him.

Even dad should get to know him.

Dad looked pained but didn't disagree.

"You have to earn your title back from us, but Mel still sees only you as her father, I don't think that would change just because Derrick has came into the picture" I said to reassure the man.

"Thank you" he said.

I left after that.

Mel's POV.

I was playing with Baker in the park when a woman walked up to me.

"Is that Baker?" The woman asked surprised.

I looked down at Baker who stood in front of me.

"Yes, I adopted him a while back" I answered awkwardly

The woman looked even more surprised.

" ...But why him?" The woman asked astounded.

While I? I'm just getting highly annoyed.

"And why not him?" I asked, trying to keep calm.

"His... His..." She struggled for words "his temperamental" she exclaimed.

"My... Then we have very similar personalities" I said annoyed. A distasteful expression on my face.

Like come on, is everyone in this town so darn judge-y!

Ugh, I feel a headache coming on, and she's only been talking to me for a minute.

Lord save me!

"Look I'm going to be blunt, obviously you've met or have heard of Baker but have you ever thought the problem wasn't my dog? That maybe just maybe the problem lied in this town and the judgmental assholes who live within it?" I ranted, having had enough of this town and the people in it.

The woman turned pale "I... I..."

I didn't even bother apologizing, instead I walked away, Baker on my heal and went home.

I feel like life's going to get harder from now onwards.

What a terrible feeling.