Delgado

Chapter 43

A/N - what would you do if I told you next chapter is the last-

Yeah...same 😐

TW: kinda upsetting scene with Ezra and Izzy cuz I'm evil x

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Isabella

It was December 30th and I was on a mission.

The year was ending fucking tomorrow and I wanted to do at least one more good thing before we entered the new year. So, as per request from Eli five days ago, I was gonna try and get Xander to reach out to him.

Easier said than done, it'd taken enough time to get Xander alone, he'd been attached to Jax at the hip recently so when I finally found him in the kitchen alone I jumped at the chance to speak to him.

"Xander, you have anger issues right?", my brother stopped stirring the pancake batter he'd made and cocked his head slightly, his eyebrows furrowing. I probably could've eased into the conversation a little better, but oh well.

"Have you met me?", he asked, not moving his gaze from the bowl, "why'd you ask?". I jumped up onto the kitchen island and crossed my legs, watching him continue to stir a lot slower this time.

"Have you been diagnosed with anything?", I followed his question with a question and his frown deepened.

"Any reason why you're digging into my medical history at eleven in the morning?", he sounded curious, like he was gonna answer me at some point, whenever that was.

"Ezra's brother", I started and he hummed, "he reminds me of you".

"That's never good", he smirked, "he's got a temper?".

"It's a bit more than a temper", I winced, "he lashes out a lot, starts fights- at school and at home, he's just angry".

"Yeah I know the feeling", he muttered, "he getting help?".

"Kinda", I replied and he hummed again, "his parents thought it was just him 'being a teenager' but I think they know it's a bit more serious now".

"And that's where Zane went right", he finally turned to me and I frowned slightly, "he had me with a specialist as soon as possible".

"So they diagnosed you with something?", I asked and he snorted.

"What didn't they diagnose me with is the question Bella", he stopped stirring to talk to me, "oppositional defiant disorder, ODD- that was the first diagnosis, then it was conduct disorder which I guess has lessened, then it was intermittent explosive disorder, IED- that's lessened too I suppose".

"How old were you when all this happened?", I asked, having only been made aware of this now.

"Nine, then ten, then twelve", he shrugged, "I was a dangerous kid, was only a matter of time".

"I had no idea", I brought my knees up to my chest.

"I know, it is what it is- no point in talking about it", he shrugged, "it's fine Bella, it was bound to be one of us".

"You think that?", I asked quietly, hating that he thought of it that way.

"Took one for the team huh?", he smiled a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes, "so Ezra's brother...".

"Right. Eli", I nodded, "he asked if he could maybe talk to you about stuff".

"Am I a therapist?", he snorted before sobering up, "sorry- but what makes you think I can help him? I can barely manage my own temper Bella".