The Storms

Chapter seven

After school, Brielle, Blake, Jackson, and Johnathan waited for their father. Their father pulled up with Vincent's car behind him. Johnathan and Jackson went to their father's car, leaving Brielle and Blake to take Vincent's car, which they didn't mind. Blake courteously opened the car door for Brielle just as they were about to get in when they heard a voice.

"Goodbye, Princess," Francis said, walking around them. This caught the attention of everyone in the courtyard.

"Goodbye, Franny!" Brielle yelled back before getting into the car, with Blake following. The twins settled into their seats, and silence filled the car.

"How was your day?" Victor asked from the passenger seat.

"It was good," Blake replied.

"Okay, so we're going to do something today," Vincent announced. The twins nodded in acknowledgment. The car pulled up to a building, and Victor and Vincent got out, opening the car doors for the twins. Oliver and Oscar were waiting for them.

"Hello, kids," Oliver greeted. "Today we will be teaching you to use a gun."

"Now, you may be wondering why. We have a lot of enemies, and you should know how to protect yourself," Oscar explained.

"We were not going to ask you that," Brielle retorted. "Um, okay," Oscar said, moving out of Brielle's way, with Blake following her. The twins trailed behind Vincent and Victor.

"You know what," Oscar began.

"What?" Oliver asked.

"Blake is like a nicer one. Brielle, she scares me," Oscar confessed.

"Same," Oliver agreed.

"Okay, have you guys ever used a gun?" Victor asked. The twins shook their heads. Victor held his hand out, signaling them to pick up the guns, and the twins complied. They got into position and started firing, hitting the bullseye. Once the round was over, they quickly changed it. Blake and Brielle repeated this process for all the rounds. The rest of the Storms watched in awe.

"Okay, um, let's go to different weapons," Damien suggested.

"I don't think they need us to trash talk them anymore," Jackson commented. Two hours later, the twins had demonstrated incredible proficiency with all the weapons.

"Do you think they had some kind of training? Who knows what that woman did," Victor asked. The Storms exchanged glances. Just as the discussion started, Brielle emerged from the bathroom. Blake was still inside.

"When can we go home?" Brielle asked.

"Just as soon as your brother comes out, sweetheart," Damien replied, offering her a smile that she didn't return. Instead, she went to watch Oscar and Victor play chess. Blake joined them after coming out of the bathroom, signaling for all the Storms to leave. They got into their cars and made their way home.

Later that night, Johnathan couldn't sleep, so he went to get water. Walking into the kitchen, he was startled to find Brielle sitting on the counter.

"Hey, Brielle," Johnathan said, approaching her.

"Hey," Brielle replied. Her crying surprised him, but the wine bottle on the counter froze him.

"Why do you have this?" Johnathan asked, looking into her cup.

"It numbs the pain," Brielle admitted, going for another drink. Johnathan took the bottle away.

"This isn't healthy, Brielle. You're 13 years old. How do you even know how to open the bottle?" he asked.

"I used to drink it before he would beat me, or she would hit me," Brielle revealed. Jonathan knew she meant their mother and her husband. He sat next to her.

"Why would they beat you?" he asked.

"Well, if I spilled a glass of water or broke one of the rules. Sometimes they would beat me for the color of my hair, how it wasn't the right shade. It didn't even have to have a reason. If they had problems, Blake and I were their own anger management or personal entertainment," Brielle explained.

"I-" Johnathan started, but Brielle interrupted him. "Not to mention when sir's friends would come over."

"Did they ever... I mean, did-" Johnathan choked out.

"Yeah, they did. But I don't really want to talk about it. The memories are too painful," Brielle sobbed.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But you have us now. You don't need to drink anymore," Johnathan said, putting his arm around her. She cuddled up into his chest, crying her heart out. Hearing his little sister's cries broke his heart. If their mother ever got out of jail, he would make her regret it, not to mention what he would do to that husband of hers. He was snapped out of his thoughts of revenge when Brielle pulled away.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Brielle said, her normal voice returning. "I'm going to bed. Good night," she said, about to get up and leave.

"Wait, Brielle," Johnathan said, getting up too. Brielle stopped at the door and looked back at him.

"What are the things that you would have wanted when you were little?" he asked.

"I have always wanted a greenhouse, a puppy, and to see Paris. I've read about it in books. Mostly, what I've always wanted is a loving family. Which, I guess, I got," Brielle said, leaving. Johnathan smiled at that last statement, with a few surprises in mind.