A short story i wrote two years ago

‘Be nice’ my father said, ‘After all, he is your brother.’

‘Brother? What kind of brother eats his sister's food?! When I specifically said that it was mine!’

‘Serena, you know the rule in this house. No matter who brings it in, the food is everyone’s.’

‘It is a stupid rule, dad! I don’t even know why it is a rule! ‘No swearing, stay clean, etc.’ is actual rules not that stupid ‘It’s everyone’s food if it is brought into this house’ rule.’

After that remark, my brother mocks what I said and laughs. Why I outta slap him a good one. But I have to stay cool if I want to go to Geena’s party this weekend.

‘I wish mom was still alive! At least she didn’t have such RIDICULOUS ‘rules’!’ I continued yelling at my dad.

‘Serena, I think you need to go to your room before you say something that you are going to regret.’ Dad said to me.

Derek started laughing and dad turned to him and said ‘You too.’ Oh, you should have seen the puzzled look on Derek’s face.

I grinned and said ‘Fine, whatever.’

After hours in our rooms dad called us down for dinner. I dreaded dinner only because we had to sit at the dining table as a family. It doesn’t feel like a family now that mom is gone. There are four placings at the table. Mom always sat to the left of me and dad to the right. Then across from me sat Derek. It was always upsetting to see mom’s placing still there. It’s been two years yet we still haven’t cleared her placing. No one ever sits at mom’s place either.

‘What’s for dinner, I’m starving?!’ Derek basically yells, interrupting my thoughts.

‘How are you starving, you basically eat 24/7!?’ I demanded.

‘Stop it you two! Can’t we go one night without you guys at each other's throats? Anyways it’s dinner time and there will be no bickering at the dinner table!’

I rolled my eyes at that because Derek is impossible to live with and get along with.

Dad finally set the food on the table… No surprise, steak, and potatoes. That’s all that dad cooks. I don’t know if he just doesn’t know how to cook or if he’s just too damn lazy. He doesn’t cook every night either, sometimes we order in or go out. Those are the days I look forward to because at least I get to pick what I get to eat.

When mom was alive it was always a home-cooked meal, and unlike dad, there was actually a variety. It wasn’t just steak and potatoes every night. She made chicken, hamburgers, fish, mainly everything. A different meal each night, unless mom wasn’t feeling well, then we would order in. My most favorite dish of hers was her sesame chicken and fried rice. To be honest all her food was amazing and nothing could beat her cooking. She was an amazing cook, and her baking was incredible too. Every day after school Derek and I would come in and she would always be in the kitchen making something new. I loved the days when Derek had soccer practice after school and dad had to work late because she and I would sit there talking about life, snacking on something she had made. She would make a special dessert for those moments. She was the best listener, I could trust her with every little thing. She didn’t get mad, she would actually help me if I got myself into a sticky situation. She knows so much, so many secrets that not even my best friend knows. Then one day all of that stopped. One day when we were having that special moment mom collapsed. I didn’t know what was going on. I went to her and shook her a little bit saying ‘Mom are you okay!? Mom?’ I started freaking out then because I checked her pulse and she didn’t have one. I called 911 and the ambulance came, taking her to the hospital where they were unable to revive her.

‘NO!’ I shouted, startling Derek and dad. I had spaced out and forgot that I wasn’t alone.

‘Serena? Are you okay?’ dad asked.

‘Yeah, I’m fi...’

‘Is she ever?’ Derek cut me off.

‘Shut up Derek! You don’t know what is going on!’

‘You want to bet? You think you’re so slick and think no one has realized what you’ve been up to? Ever since mom died...’

‘SHUT UP! LEAVE ME ALONE!’ I said as I ran out the door and in the background, I heard dad say, ‘Seriously Derek? You brought your mom into this? You know damn well Joy’s death affected Serena ten times worse than anyone else.’

I didn’t care that dad had stood up for me, I ran as far as my legs could take me.

It felt like I had been running forever before I realized that my legs had taken me to my mom’s grave. I started bawling my eyes out screaming and yelling at my mom.

‘WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? WHY DIDN’T YOU TRUST ME WITH WHAT WAS WRONG WITH YOU? I COULD HAVE HELPED! I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YOU! I HATE YOU!’ I sat right next to her grave crying, I didn’t even realized it had started raining until I was soaked.

When I finally calmed down I spoke to her, ‘Mom I miss you, I don’t hate you. I wish you were here. It’s been so hard without you, it really has.’

I hear footsteps behind me, I jerked my head around because it had startled me. When I saw who it was I sighed and rolled my eyes. ‘What do you want?’

‘I’m sorry Serena. I didn’t mean to upset you. I didn’t realize mom’s death had affected you so much.’

‘Derek, I am sorry as well, I took my anger out on you. Besides mom, you were my closet friend. Ever since she died I shut everyone out, including you. You know what they say, the ones you love the most is the ones you take your anger out on. How long have you been standing there?’

‘Well sis, just know that I understand.’

Derek and I sat at mom’s grave for at least an hour talking. I can’t believe that my twin and I have talked for a long period of time without wanting to bite each others head off.
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I got the idea from a prompt in the book 'Writing Magic' by Gail Carson.
The prompt was, "Be nice," my father said, "After all, he's your brother."