the spade brothers' little sister

eight

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I woke up the next morning to Larson shaking me awake. "Let's go, Brenna," he spoke, voice barely above a whisper. "It's four thirty, we have to go like now."

I groaned and rolled over, burying myself deeper into my blankets, hiding from my brother who was trying to get me to get out of my warm bed at 4:30 in the morning? No thank you.

Suddenly, my comforter was lifted off of me and hands grabbed my waist. Larson had grabbed me from my bed and put me on my carpeted floor, which was way less comfortable that my warm, squishy bed.

"Get up," he whispered harshly, flicking on my bedroom lights before leaving my bedroom, leaving me to change and get ready for my day before the sun even rose. It was summer break for goodness sakes.

I picked out some comfortable clothes before trudging down the stairs and following Larson to his car. I climbed in the front seat and closed my eyes, happy to be able to fall back asleep.

Not too long later, I was woken up by a sharp blow to my chest. Larson had punched me to wake me up – it was gentle for him, but not for me. I rolled my head back as my eyes tried to adjust to the light that was just beginning to peak through the clouds in the sky.

"Wake up, buttercup," he spoke, handing me a warm travel mug. "Drink it."

I looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"

"Coffee, Brenna," he replied. "You can't be sleeping on the job!"

I groaned. "It's not even my stupid job!" I protested.

"Well it is today." He took the mug back from me after I took a sip of that disgusting coffee. Larson drank it without sugar and cream and I really just don't understand how that can be enjoyable. Larson grabbed his keys and gestured for me to follow him out of his car and through a mixture of dirt and dust that lined the ground.

He tilted his head back to drink some more coffee and tossed it back to me. "You drink the rest. You can't sleep while I'm working, B." I nodded and took the mug, holding it in my hands. And then it dawned on me that I don't have anything to do all day. Jace still didn't let me have a phone, and I left Charlie's old iPod and all of my books at home, the only things that could have potentially kept me occupied all day at Larson's boring job.

"Larson," I whined, grabbing his arm and pulling him back towards me. He walked slower as he looked at me. "I don't have anything to do all day."

He sighed and stared at me as realization crossed his face. One of his coworkers shouted his name and waved him over. Larson acknowledged him quickly but then turned back to me. He took my hand and put his phone in it. "Fine, take my phone. Don't snoop and don't do anything dumb. Only games, Brenna. I'm not joking."

I nodded excitedly as I took his phone in my hands. Larson started to walk away and I trailed behind him, glad that I had something to occupy me all day. 

"This is Wade," Larson spoke. "Wade, this is Brenna." He motioned back to me and I looked up and my eyes met a familiar face. It was the man who gave me the gun for Larson when I was home alone that one day. 

My eyes widened in both confusion and fear as I went to shake Wade's outstretched hand. He chuckled and glanced at Larson. "She's scared," he commented.

I furrowed my eyebrows and crossed my arms. "I'm not scared."

"I knew she'd remember you," Larson spoke, ruffling my hair. I swatted his arm away. "She doesn't forget anything."

"No need to worry about me, Brenna. I'm on Larson's side. And yours too," Wade commented. His huge arm muscles involuntarily flexed as he stretched and then leaned down to fix his shoes.