Spark Between Us

4. "Who are you? Zendaya?"

Chapter 4

Julia's POV

I woke up at the sound of someone banging on my bedroom door.

What the fuck! Why can't anyone just leave me alone?

"Jul, wake up!" Gray's loud voice echoes behind the door. "Open this door or I'll knock this down."

"What do you want!"

"Good, you're awake. I thought for a second that you're dead." My dumbass brother chuckles.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"It's ten o'clock and you're still sleeping."

"I always wake up at eleven, you dumbass. It's my normal." My throat gets parched from shouting.

"What are you, a vampire? Get your lazy ass downstairs and eat your breakfast. You're too skinny already. We don't want anyone in our family to get sick, now that we're under lockdown."

He knows I spent my evenings watching the Vampire Diary Series. I'm in love with Damon Salvatore and dream of being bitten by him. I would love him to suck all my blood... he can have me, all of me. Oh, shit... I'm getting horny thinking of him again.

"Hey, did you hear me?" Another shout from Gray.

I clench my teeth and toss the comforter out of me forcefully.

"Okay! Okay! I'll go down in a minute."

I hate it when Gray's acting like a father figure. Now that he's back in the house, he assumes his responsibility of being an overprotective brother again.

He thinks that me and Brooke are imbeciles that don't know what to do with our lives. Well, maybe Brooke is, but not me. He keeps on reminding us to eat well, exercise daily and keep our minds healthy.

Gray assumes as the father figure when dad left us 17 years ago. He was 9; I was 6 and Brooke was 4. Mom had to work in a beauty salon in order to provide our basic needs.

While mom was at work, Gray took care of me and Brooke. He prepared our food, helped us take a bath, and made sure that we were safe. Often, we hid in the basement, so no one in the area would find out that there were kids left at home.

We were so quiet playing at home because, at an early age; we knew the consequences, and Grayson often reminded us. The police would take mom away if someone would report that she left her kids at home. We already lost dad, and we did not want to lose mom too.

"Dad left because I'm bad." Brooke always said when we were young.

Though she never mentions it again, I know that until now she thinks she causes dad and mom's break up. So unfortunate that she grew up witnessing our parents' arguments and fights, that leaves an emotional trauma to any kid.

"You're a good girl, Brooke. Remember that. It's not your fault, or any of us." Grayson comforted Brooke by giving her a hug. He always gave her a hug, and I envied that growing up.

Why can't my brother ever comfort me? I lost my dad, too. Is it because I'm tougher, never cry and often fight back? That doesn't mean that I don't need a hug either.

I just accept that he's not affectionate to me, and probably loves Brooke more because she's the youngest. She's also fragile, sensitive and close-minded. She needs reassurance all the time to uplift her spirit.

"Dad is an idiot. We don't need him." I kept on saying to Brooke when we were young. But being close-minded, once she believes something, it's hard to change her mind again.