10

We head home, the sun has already done down. Haley is driving, Kevin has put some calming music, John is sleeping, Oscar is just looking out the window and I am just sitting here doing nothing. I lay my head on Oscar's shoulder suddenly, he slightly moves in shock but he just decides to sit normally. I close my eyes to take a nap.

I wake up to someone shaking me. Oscar is trying to wake, I smile at him while my eyes are still half asleep. It is dark outside so the porch-lights are on, the lights inside are also one which means someone is home. Wait I am home. I finally realize that and I groan in anger while I sit up, I also realize that I left Mike here all by himself. He is going to complain. I get out the car and start to walk to the door.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Oscar in a caring voice from behind me. I turn around and he is standing by the car door while Haley has her head sticking out of the window waiting for a response. Kevin and John are asleep. I smile at them sweetly. I know what is going to happen when I get inside that house but they don't have to see it happen.

"No, I am fine." I say. Oscar was about to say something but Haley beats him to it.

"Okay. Call me if anything happens." She says while she switches on the engine. "Let's go." She tells Oscar.

"But-" He starts to say but Haley intrups him.

"Lets go, Oscar." She orders him. He nods and gets into the car without complaining. They wave me goodbye and drive away.

I take a deep breathe before I open the door. I walk into the house. I see Mike sitting in front of the TV with a snack on his laps. I try to walk away without him noticing it.

"Where are you going now?" He asks in a demanding tone. I clear my throat trying to remind myself that the parents aren't here to back him up.

"I am going to my room." I answer him and start walking up the stairs. He stands up and walks up to me. He grabs my hair and pulls me down the stairs roughly. I scream in pain while he throws me to the ground.

"Answer me properly. All because you had a few people to back you up and our parent aren't here you think you can walk all over me. You keep thinking that you can do whatever you want. Listen to me you dumb bitch you are nothing but a walking body. You are a burden to this family. We all wish you died. You are nothing. You are an ugly piece of trash." He rants angrily. I look at the ground crying in pain while I am still on the floor. Then out of nowhere the words Oscar told me ring in my head, 'You are beautiful'. I stand up and wipe my tears. I take a deep breath and I look at him dead in the eyes.

"I FUCKING HATE YOU!" I shout in anger at his face. He looks at me in complete shock. "I hate you so much. I really hope that you can feel what I am feeling. I wake up every single god damn day wishing I was dead and you just make it worse. Honestly what would you actually do if I dead? I wonder if you would care? Even if it just a small amount. I wonder what have I ever done to you. I don't understand why you hate me so much but I have every right to hate you. You treat me like shit every single day. You make seem like your maid." I finally rant at him, this is long overdue. I take a deep breath getting ready for the next round. "I AM NOT YOUR GOD DAMN MAID. For FUCKS SAKE I am not your maid. For once, please just once would you treat me like a real human being. Do you even know how much I hate myself? Do you even understand how I feel everyday? I wish I was dead too, I wish I was born into a different family. You are so luck Mike, you don't even know how lucky you are. Both the parent like you. They treat you like their perfect child. You are lucky that everyone likes you. Seriously Mike, just once can you stop being an asshole." I finish my rant and take a deep breath. He looks at me in shock, then he looks down sadly. I sigh and brush my hair. I walk past him to head upstairs.

"Ava." I hear Mike call in a low voice. the voice is so low it sound foreign in his mouth. I turn to look at down on him since I have reached the top of the stairs. He looks at me and opens his mouth but closes it back like a fish.

"Mike." I call him. He shakes his head and walks away.

"Never-mind." He says while he walks to the living room.

I walk into my room and close the door. I release a breathe that I didn't even know I was holding in. I fall on my bed and I finally realize what I did. I have spoken up for myself. I went against Mike and it feels so good to finally get it out of my chest. I change my clothes and go back to bed to sleep.

I wake up the next morning and I take my phone from the bed side table. I unlock it and I find 3 messages from Oscar and Haley. I open Haley's text and she just asking if I am alright. I respond with yes and then I open Oscar's text and he was asking if am okay and if he should come over. I respond to his text telling him that he shouldn't come. I close my screen and walk to the door. I sigh and open the door. I walk down stairs and head to the kitchen. I find Mike in the kitchen eating bread and sausage.

"Morning." He says completely shocking me, usually he would just ignore me.

"Morning." I say sceptically while I open the fridge.

"Sorry." Mike say and I freeze on spot. I turn to look at him, I close the fridge.

"What?" I ask, maybe I misheard him.

"I am sorry." He say loudly. I stand there not actually believing what he is saying. Maybe he is lying to me. "God sit down and stop looking at me like that." He says. I nod and sit across him.

"Okay." I respond to him. He sighs.

"Stop that. Stop always saying okay when it is not okay. Yesterday was the first time in my life that I have ever seen so much emotion in your eyes, it shocked me. You always act as if it was fine for me to treat you like that. If I am being honest I never actually thought you care if I treat you someway. You always took the shit that mom does to you so I thought you were okay with it. I know that is no excuse for the way I have treated you. I know that I am an asshole to act like that, so I am sorry. I am sorry for being a jerk. I am sorry for saying all those mean things to you. I am extremely sorry for not treating you like a person, like my sister." He explains and tears roll down my eyes while I stare at him. He is actually apologizing. I never thought he would do it.

"Thank you." I say while I look at the table while I cry, I feel this feeling of relief and some how joy?

"You have to tell mom and dad." He say and I frantically raise my head.

"What?" I ask confused.

"They will keep treating you like this if you never tell them how you feel. You have to stand up for yourself. You have to tell them how you feel. They need to stop treating you like this. Ava, you have to tell them." He says then the door suddenly open. We look at the door waiting to see who it is.

"Tell us what?"